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Identify Customer Needs

Table of Contents 1 Step 1. Gather Raw Data From Customers 1.1 Interactions with Customers 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 5 Step 5. Reflect on the Results and the Process

Step 1. Gather Raw Data From Customers

Interactions with Customers

See the customer interviews on the Mission Statement page.

Our customer for the measurement system consists of the other teams in Senior Design that are part of the development of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. We have asked them to give us a list of items that they would like to measure, as well as other information they would like to have access to in both the short term and long term portions of the project. The following lists include the desired measurements from the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Groups. The imaging group has discussed an interest in specifying similar microprocessors and sensors for use in controlling the camera module, this is reflected in the following customer needs.

Link to list of Customer Needs.

Step 2. Interpret Raw Data in Terms of Customer Needs

1. GPS Measurement (in real time)
2. Velocity Measurement
3. Remaining Battery Charge
4. Light Sensor (for camera system)
5. Altitude Measurement
6. Roll, Pitch, Yaw (& rates) (in real time)
7. Vibration Dampening
8. Power Source
9. Microprocessor

Step 3. Organize the Needs into a Hierarchy

• GPS Measurement
  • Need 1.1 - Real Time Location Information
  • Need 1.2 - User Interface
    • Need 1.2.a - GUI Mapping
• Velocity Measurement
  • Need 2.1 - Use of Multiple Sensors
    • Need 2.1.a - Total Pressure
    • Need 2.1.b - Total Temperature
    • Need 2.1.c - Static Pressure
  • Need 2.2 - Real Time
  • Need 2.3 - Accurate
• Remaining Battery Charge
  • Need 3.1 - Accurate
  • Need 3.2 - Real Time
  • Need 3.3 - Low Power Drain
• Light Sensor
  • Need 4.1 - Used for Photographic Module
• Altitude Measurement
  • Need 5.1 - Accurate
  • Need 5.2 - Real Time
• Roll, Pitch, Yaw (& rates)
  • Need 6.1 - Real Time Data for Control System
  • Need 6.2 - Heading Measurement
• Vibration Dampening
  • Need 7.1 - Protect Individual Sensors
  • Need 7.2 - Help Alleviate Noise
• Power Source
  • Need 8.1 - Enough Power to Sustain Measurement Instrumentation
  • Need 8.2 - Small and Light
    • Need 8.2.a - Reusable
• Microprocessor
  • Need 9.1 - Collect Data
    • Need 9.1.a - Store Data On Board
  • Need 9.2 - Process Data
    • Need 9.2.a - Single Output Via Wireless Connection
    • Need 9.2.b - Multiplexing

Step 4. Establish the Relative Importance of the Needs

Needs Summary

Need	The Product	Needs to	Importance
GPS Measurement	GPS Receiver	RT;Acc;GUI	HIGH
Velocity Measurement	Pitot Static Tube	RT;Acc	HIGH
Remaining Battery Charge	SOC Gauge	RT;Acc	MEDIUM
Light Sensor	Light Meter	RT;Acc	LOW
Altitude Measurement	Pressure Sensor	RT;Acc	MEDIUM
Roll, Pitch, Yaw (& rates)	Gyroscope	RT;Acc	HIGH
Vibration Dampening	Rubber Pads	Ro	MEDIUM
Microprocessor	Microprocessor	RT;Acc;GUI	HIGH
Power Source	Battery	Ro	MEDIUM

RT = Real Time Data Acquisition

Acc = Accurate Data

GUI = Simple User Interface

Ro = Robust

Step 5. Reflect on the Results and the Process

This process has helped us narrow down the required measurements, and also illustrate the stretch goals of the measurements system. The customer has expressed their needs and our engineering knowledge has changed their needs into specific measurement devices, and based the the requirements of the customer, we can rank the desired measurement sensors and focus our effort on the essential elements of the measurements system and then revisit, if time allows, to address the less required sensors. For our specific project, the customer desires controllable flight, which requires many sensors that the customer would not request, and it falls on us to know what sensors will be needed for controlled flight, and address these sensors first.

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