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Identify Customer Needs

Table of Contents 1 Step 1. Gather Raw Data From Customers 1.1 Interactions with Customers 1.2 Questions 2 Step 2. Interpret Raw Data in Terms of Customer Needs 3 Step 3. Organize the Needs into a Hierarchy 4 Step 4. Establish the Relative Importance of the Needs

Step 1. Gather Raw Data From Customers

Interactions with Customers

Prepare a report on your customer interactions. Following the text by Ulrich and Eppinger, this report may include

1. Transcripts of Interview(s) with customers
2. Audio Recordings
3. Notes
4. Video Recordings
5. Still Photography

Affinity Diagram

Questions

1. What are you expecting in the product?
2. What are the issues with the current system?
3. Are there any documents or guidelines that need to be followed
4. Who is this product targeted to? (Adults or Children)
5. It was stated in a document that you wanted an obstacle course?
6. Do you prefer the system to be mobile or stationary?
7. What do you use currently to assist patients who cannot release and grasp the bars?

Step 2. Interpret Raw Data in Terms of Customer Needs

Current List of Needs

1. Support net weight of patient and bar (stronger than current)
2. Won't drop with patients on it
3. No exposed pinch points or trip hazards
4. Little horizontal deflection
5. Does not create spill or trip hazards
6. Won't snag clothing
7. Stable upright supports
8. No greasy parts exposed
9. Must be stationary (base plate stays in place)
10. Maintain accuracy between the two bars
11. Ensure bar is always horizontal
12. Ease of adjustment to raise and lower
13. Adjust height under patient's load
14. Reasonable time to adjust
15. Maintain similar size and footprint
16. Needs to maintain current range of adjustment
17. Height Indicator
18. Adjust bars together
19. Performance won't degrade over time
20. Maintain use of inside and outside of bars
21. Withstands stress of use throughout lifespan
22. Preservation of existing system (ability to "roll back" if project fails)
23. Availability of power source
24. Costs of relocating parallel bars
25. Maintenance guide
26. Machine operation guide
27. Stay within budget

Step 3. Organize the Needs into a Hierarchy

1. Safe to use for both PT and patient

• 1.1 Support net weight of patient and bar (stronger than current)
• 1.2 Won't drop with patients on it
• 1.3 Little horizontal deflection
• 1.4 No exposed pinch points or trip hazards
• 1.5 Does not create spill or trip hazards
• 1.6 Won't snag clothing
• 1.7 Stable upright supports
• 1.8 No greasy parts exposed
• 1.9 Must be stationary (base plate stays in place)

2. System is accurate

• 2.1 Maintain accuracy between the two bars
• 2.2 Ensure bar is always horizontal
• 2.3 Adjust height under patient's load
• 2.4 Height Indicator

3. System is reliable

• 3.1 Performance won't degrade over time
• 3.2 Withstands stress of use throughout lifespan
• 3.3 Preservation of existing system (ability to "roll back" if project fails)

4. System is easy to install

• 4.1 Maintain similar size and footprint
• 4.2 Availability of power source
• 4.3 Costs of relocating parallel bars

5. System is easy to use

• 5.1 Ease of adjustment to raise and lower
• 5.2 Reasonable time to adjust
• 5.3 Adjust bars together
• 5.4 Maintain use of inside and outside of bars
• 5.5 Machine operation guide

6. System is easy to maintain

• 6.1 Maintenance guide

7. System is within budget

• 7.1 Stay within NSF budget

After listing the needs in list order here, this is a great place to include an objective tree as a graphical representation of your interpretation of the customer needs.

Step 4. Establish the Relative Importance of the Needs

Needs Summary

Need	The Product	Needs to	Importance
Need 1.1	Parallel Bars	Support net weight of patient and bar (stronger than current)	5
Need 1.2	Parallel Bars	Won't drop with patients on it	5
Need 1.3	Parallel Bars	Little horizontal deflection	4
Need 1.4	Parallel Bars	No exposed pinch points or trip hazards	5
Need 1.5	Parallel Bars	Does not create spill or trip hazards	5
Need 1.6	Parallel Bars	Won't snag clothing	5
Need 1.7	Parallel Bars	Stable upright supports	5
Need 1.8	Parallel Bars	No greasy parts exposed	3
Need 1.9	Parallel Bars	Must be stationary (base plate stays in place)	3
Need 2.1	Parallel Bars	Maintain accuracy between the two bars	5
Need 2.2	Parallel Bars	Ensure bar is always horizontal	5
Need 2.3	Parallel Bars	Adjust height under patient's load	1
Need 2.4	Parallel Bars	Height Indicator	4
Need 3.1	Parallel Bars	Performance won't degrade over time	4
Need 3.2	Parallel Bars	Withstands stress of use throughout lifespan	5
Need 3.3	Parallel Bars	Preservation of existing system (ability to "roll back" if project fails)	5
Need 4.1	Parallel Bars	Maintain similar size and footprint	3
Need 4.2	Parallel Bars	Availability of power source	2
Need 4.3	Parallel Bars	Costs of relocating parallel bars	3
Need 5.1	Parallel Bars	Ease of adjustment to raise and lower	5
Need 5.2	Parallel Bars	Reasonable time to adjust	2
Need 5.3	Parallel Bars	Adjust bars together	1
Need 5.4	Parallel Bars	Maintain use of inside and outside of bars	4
Need 5.5	Parallel Bars	Machine operation guide	4
Need 6.1	Parallel Bars	Maintenance guide	2
Need 7.1	Parallel Bars	Stay within budget	5

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