Relative Weights and Weight/ Importance Calculations

[lducker]

I downloaded the traditional HoQ Template and am teaching myself as I go along using the House of Quality Spreadsheet 1.

I am struggling to understand how the relative weight figures and weight/importance figures are generated.

I will be teaching the basics of QFD and HoQ in September and need to understand how they are all calculated. 

Thanks in advance

[James]

Since there are two sets of “relative weights” and “requirement weights” in every House of Quality (i.e. 1 set that runs horizontally and 1 set that runs vertically), let’s differentiate them by referring to the values that run vertically as “demanded quality” weights and/or relative weights.  We will further refer to the values that run horizontally as the “quality characteristics” weights and/or relative weights.

Additionally, we will refer to the ratings in the middle of the matrix as “relationship values”.  Note from the legend that the possible relationship values include “strong”, “moderate” and “weak” which correspond to numeric values of “1”, “3” and “9” respectively.

With that understanding, the weights and/or relative weights are calculated as follows:

“demanded quality weights” are the weighting values associated with the demanded quality requirements.  In other words, they are the weight/importance assigned to the given row.  This value is assigned directly by the customer in the case of the 1st HOQ.  It is propagated from the previous HOQ in the case of subsequent Houses of Quality.

“demanded quality relative weights” = (demanded quality weight) / (sum of all demanded quality weights in the HOQ)  (i.e. This is a value that indicates the weight of a given demanded quality requirement relative to the weights of the other demanded quality requirements.)

“quality characteristic weight” = sum of (all relationship values in the relevant column multiplied by their corresponding “demanded quality relative weight” value)

“quality characteristic relative weights” = (quality characteristic weight) / (sum of all quality characteristic weights in the HOQ)  (i.e. This is a value that indicates the weight of a given quality characteristic requirement relative to the weights of the other quality characteristic requirements.)

Note that in subsequent House of Quality, the quality characteristic requirements from the previous HOQ become the demanded quality requirements for the current HOQ.  Thus, the quality characteristic weights and/or relative weights from the previous HOQ become the demanded quality weights and/or relative weights for the current HOQ.

I would suggest reviewing the following interactive House of Quality tutorial for further clarification:  http://www.qfdonline.com/qfd-tutorials/house-of-quality-tutorial/

[LaoziSailor]

lducker, you are indeed a brave person!

I downloaded the traditional HoQ Template and am teaching myself as I go along using the House of Quality Spreadsheet 1.
I am struggling to understand how the relative weight figures and weight/importance figures are generated.
I will be teaching the basics of QFD and HoQ in September and need to understand how they are all calculated. 
Thanks in advance

In the late 80's I worked with a QFD program developed by Ford. Something else, that will give you weights is Saaty's work on Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP).
Check Models, Methods, Concepts and Applications of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, the ISBN-13: 9780792372677 should be available from other vendors as well. Since you will be teaching, your institution may have this volume.

Another resource you don't want to miss is GOAL/QPC by Bob King, just checked my library (...the 1st book on QFD published in the USA) -- ISBN 1-879634-01-8. The stuff they have now is new.

Also the QFD Institute

Good Luck & Cheers!


ETA 2008.09.09.19:21 -- BTW check out QFD Green Belt® Certificate Course -- shows all I wanted to post.