QFD in new product development: A study on its introduction in a company adopting action-research as the methodological approach

Abstract

Organizations from various industrial sectors have structured their new product development process (NPD) and introduced methods and techniques to support this process. In this context, this paper aims at presenting the restructure of NPD and the implementation of a method to support it, Quality Function Deployment (QFD). The work was conducted in a company that supplies to the packaging sector through the cycles of action-research. The results are described based on the restructure of NDP and QFD adoption. The restructured NPD, as a result from the theoretical basis, enables to enhance product development in comparison to the previous version, by distributing its activities more precisely. Concerning QFD, the method enables an adequate support to the new product development activities in the sense of data recording and logical sequence of activities related to the dimensions of market and specifications. Finally, the paper concludes that this work fulfil its objectives enabled by action research approach. © 2009 Associação Brasileira de Engenharia de Produção.