About the Author

Richard E. Zultner is an international consultant, educator, author, and speaker. Applying powerful improvement methods, such as QFD, to high-tech software-intensive products and processes has been his primary focus for over ten years.

He is a founder and director of the QFD Institutea nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of the theory and practice of QFD. For his pioneering work in Software QFD, he received the International Akao Prize in 1998. He is also a certified "Jonah" in the Theory of Constraints (TOC), and is a Six Sigma Master Black Belt, specializing in Design for Six Sigma.

Richard provides consulting and training in Software QFD, Design for Six Sigma, and Critical Chain Project Management.

Richard holds a master's degree in management from the J. L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and has professional certifications in quality, project management, software engineering, and theory of constraints. He has taught QFD and Critical Chain project management in the graduate program at Stevens Institute of Technology as an adjunct professor.