Summary

The Project QFD process gives project managers the means to discover a customer- and project-specific definition of value. It then provides the means to plan how a team can efficiently deliver maximum value to the customer, given limited time, money, and resources. The essential activities on a project are steppingstones for the team to concentrate their best efforts where they matter the most for their customers.

This gives the project manager the tools to deal with value with the same skill and confidence that they already have for dealing with time (schedule), money (budget), and people (resources). Project managers with this knowledge have a substantial advantage over those without it. That is why some leading software development organizations have already trained many of their project managers in these methods, and have incorporated this approach into their development methodology. Their management said they must be able to develop market-leading products.

Project QFD takes an end-to-end look at the development process for a project, and shows you where to spend scarce person-hours on the most important items of your project. It delivers maximum value for the effort invested. Blitz QFD is an essential method for project managers.

Dr. Deming said we must view the development process as a system, and look at how we satisfy our customersby what method? Project QFD has precisely that aim: to effectively satisfy the most important needs of our key customers through the efficient delivery of value. Results to date are exciting, and further refinement is still occurring. The author encourages anyone with comments, questions, or critiques to contact him, and participate in the ongoing improvement of Project QFD in theory and practice.