Table of Contents
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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
- Transcripts of Interview(s) with customers
- Audio Recordings
- Notes
- Video Recordings
- Still Photography
Questions
- What are you expecting in the product?
- What are the issues with the current system?
- Are there any documents or guidelines that need to be followed
- Who is this product targeted to? (Adults or Children)
- It was stated in a document that you wanted an obstacle course?
- Do you prefer the system to be mobile or stationary?
- 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
- Support net weight of patient and bar (stronger than current)
- Won't drop with patients on it
- No exposed pinch points or trip hazards
- Little horizontal deflection
- Does not create spill or trip hazards
- Won't snag clothing
- Stable upright supports
- No greasy parts exposed
- Must be stationary (base plate stays in place)
- Maintain accuracy between the two bars
- Ensure bar is always horizontal
- Ease of adjustment to raise and lower
- Adjust height under patient's load
- Reasonable time to adjust
- Maintain similar size and footprint
- Needs to maintain current range of adjustment
- Height Indicator
- Adjust bars together
- Performance won't degrade over time
- Maintain use of inside and outside of bars
- Withstands stress of use throughout lifespan
- Preservation of existing system (ability to "roll back" if project fails)
- Availability of power source
- Costs of relocating parallel bars
- Maintenance guide
- Machine operation guide
- 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
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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