ISO 16355-7:2023

Applications of statistical and related methods to new technology and product development process - Part 7: Guidelines for developing digitalized products and services - General principles and perspectives of the QFD method

The current ISO 16355 series is written intentionally independent of industry because the principles of applying statistical methods for product and technology development are similar for all types of products. However, when applying the standard for the development of fully or partially digitized products in practice, specific characteristics of digital goods in product development (such as measurability, immateriality, economies of scale effects, etc.) are taken into account. This document gives guidelines for adapting the quality function deployment (QFD) process, its purpose, users, and tools as they are described in the ISO 16355 series that consider these specific characteristics for developing digitalized products and services. Table 1 illustrates the scope of this document by stating examples of the types of products the standard focuses on. Users of this document include all organization functions necessary to assure customer satisfaction, including business planning, marketing, sales, research and development (R&D), engineering, information technology (IT), manufacturing, procurement, quality, production, service, packaging and logistics, support, testing, regulatory, and other phases in hardware, software, service, and system organizations.

Application des méthodes statistiques et des méthodes liées aux nouvelles technologies et de développement de produit — Partie 7: Ligne directrices pour le développement de produits et services numérisés — Principes généraux et perspectives de la méthode de déploiement de la fonction qualité (QFD)

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 08-Jan-2023
• ICS: 03.120.30 - Application of statistical methods
• Technical Committee: ISO/TC 69/SC 8 - Application of statistical and related methodology for new technology and product development
• Drafting Committee: ISO/TC 69/SC 8/WG 2 - Transformation
• Current Stage: 6060 - International Standard published
• Start Date: 09-Jan-2023
• Due Date: 05-Feb-2023
• Completion Date: 09-Jan-2023

Overview - ISO 16355-7:2023 (QFD for Digitalized Products and Services)

ISO 16355-7:2023 provides guidelines for adapting Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to the development of fully or partially digitalized products and services. Part of the ISO 16355 series on applications of statistical and related methods to product development, this document is intentionally industry‑independent but highlights the specific characteristics of digital goods (measurability, immateriality, economies of scale, network effects). It explains how to tailor QFD purpose, users, tools and workflows to support iterative, data‑driven and hybrid development approaches in hardware, software, service and systems contexts.

Key topics and technical guidance

• Characteristics of digitalized products: guidance on how measurability, immateriality, scale and network effects influence requirements, design and validation.
• Design principles: iterative and incremental development for digital functions; close collaboration and co‑creation with customers; focus on business value, sustainability and comprehensibility.
• QFD fundamentals: theory, principles and the spirit of QFD as applied to digitalized product lifecycles.
• Integration with systems modelling: how QFD can enhance validation using UML and SysML.
• Project types and approaches: requirements‑driven, data‑driven (including MVP/MMP), and technology‑driven (including Reverse QFD) deployment strategies.
• QFD team and governance: recommended core team roles, subject matter experts and leadership to assure traceability and stakeholder satisfaction.
• Techniques and tools: extended user stories, visual displays, Kano model categorization, Maximum Value Table (MVT), incremental prioritization matrices, pairwise comparison, value proposition canvas, persona development, Voice of Engineer Analysis (VOEA), Software House of Quality, test coverage matrix, prototype testing and software support tools.
• Requirements change management: practices for evolving requirements in iterative digital development.

Practical applications and who uses this standard

ISO 16355-7:2023 is practical for organizations developing digitalized offerings and seeking systematic, customer‑centered design decisions. Typical users include:

• Business planning, marketing and sales
• R&D, engineering and product management
• Information Technology (IT) and software teams
• Manufacturing, procurement and quality assurance
• Testing, regulatory, support, packaging and logistics functions

Benefits include improved customer satisfaction at launch, better cross‑functional communication, traceable design decisions, reduced rework, faster time‑to‑market and optimized resource use when QFD is adapted to digital contexts.

Related standards and context

• Part of the ISO 16355 series on statistical and related methods for product and technology development.
• Drafted in alignment with ISO/IEC Directives for standards development.
• Intended as descriptive guidance (best practice), not prescriptive tool requirements.

Keywords: ISO 16355-7:2023, QFD, Quality Function Deployment, digitalized products, digital services, product development, MVP, UML, SysML, Kano model, Voice of Engineer, Software House of Quality.

Standards Content (Sample)

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 16355-7
First edition
2023-01
Applications of statistical and related
methods to new technology and
product development process —
Part 7:
Guidelines for developing digitalized
products and services — General
principles and perspectives of the QFD
method
Application des méthodes statistiques et des méthodes liées aux
nouvelles technologies et de développement de produit —
Partie 7: Ligne directrices pour le développement de produits et
services numérisés — Principes généraux et perspectives de la
méthode de déploiement de la fonction qualité (QFD)
Reference number
© ISO 2023
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
be reproduced or utilized otherwise in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or posting on
the internet or an intranet, without prior written permission. Permission can be requested from either ISO at the address below
or ISO’s member body in the country of the requester.
ISO copyright office
CP 401 • Ch. de Blandonnet 8
CH-1214 Vernier, Geneva
Phone: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Website: www.iso.org
Published in Switzerland
ii
Contents Page
Foreword .v
Introduction . vi
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Basic concepts of developing digitalized products and services .4
4.1 General . 4
4.2 Characteristics of digitalized products and services and their development . 4
4.2.1 Specific characteristics of digitalized products and services . 4
4.2.2 Effects of specific characteristics of digitalized products and services on
the development process . 4
4.2.3 Requirements change management in the development of digitalized
products and services . 5
4.3 Design guidelines for developing digitalized products and services. 5
4.3.1 General . 5
4.3.2 Iterative and incremental development for digital functions . 5
4.3.3 Close collaboration, cooperation, and co-creation of customers’ and
developers’ side . 5
4.3.4 Focus on essential activities and tasks . 6
4.3.5 Consider all aspects of business value . 6
4.3.6 Sustainable and comprehensible procedure . 6
4.3.7 Foster commitment and motivation . 6
4.3.8 Use digital data analytics . 6
5 Basic concepts of QFD . 6
5.1 Theory of QFD . 6
5.2 Principles of QFD . 7
5.3 Spirit of QFD . 7
6 Integration of QFD and the development of digitalized products and services .7
6.1 QFD support for product development methods in general . 7
6.2 The fit between the design guidelines and QFD . 7
6.3 Flow of product development of digitalized products and services with QFD . 8
6.4 QFD enhanced validation support to unified modelling language (UML) and
systems modelling language (SysML) . 11
6.4.1 General . 11
6.4.2 QFD Support to UML . 11
6.4.3 QFD Support to SysML . 11
7 Types of product planning projects with QFD .11
7.1 Requirements driven approach .12
7.1.1 General .12
7.1.2 Requirements driven deployment .12
7.1.3 Dynamic software QFD .12
7.2 Data driven approach .12
7.2.1 Data driven deployment .12
7.2.2 QFD for MVP/MMP development .12
7.3 Technology driven approach .13
7.3.1 Reverse QFD .13
7.3.2 Technology driven deployment . 13
8 QFD team membership .13
8.1 General .13
8.2 Core team membership .13
8.3 Subject matter experts .13
iii
8.4 QFD team leadership . 14
9 Techniques for applying QFD for developing digital products and services .14
9.1 General . 14
9.2 Fit with iterative procedures . 14
9.3 Extended user stories . 14
9.4 Visual display of information .15
9.5 Categorization with the Kano model . 15
9.6 Maximum value table (MVT) . 15
9.7 Incrementally growing and shrinking prioritization matrices . 16
9.8 Prioritization with pairwise comparison. 16
9.9 Assessment and ranking functional requirements. 16
9.10 Value proposition canvas . 17
9.11 Persona development . 17
9.12 Software support . 17
9.13 Test of prototypes . 17
9.14 Voice of engineer analysis (VOEA) . 18
9.15 Software house of quality (Software HoQ) . 18
9.16 Test coverage matrix . 18
Annex A (informative) Examples of applicable methods and tools .19
Bibliography .23
iv
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to
the World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html.
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 69, Applications of statistical methods,
Subcommittee SC 8, Application of statistical and related methodology for new technology and product
development.
A list of all parts in the ISO 16355 series can be found on the ISO website.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
v
Introduction
Quality function deployment (QFD) is a method to assure customer or stakeholder satisfaction and
value with new and existing products by designing in, from different levels and different perspectives,
the requirements that are most important to the customer or stakeholder. These requirements are
well understood through the use of quantitative and non-quantitative tools and methods to improve
confidence of the design and development phases that they are working on the right things. In addition
to satisfaction with the product, QFD improves the process by which new products are developed.
Reported results of using QFD include improved customer satisfaction with products at time of launch,
improved cross-functional communication, systematic and traceable design decisions, efficient use of
resources, reduced rework, reduced time-to-market, lower life cycle cost, improved reputation of the
organization among its customers or stakeholders.
The current ISO 16355 series describes methods and tools of QFD independent of industry because
the principles of applying statistical methods for product and technology development are similar
for all types of products. However, when applying the standard for the development of fully or
partially digitized products, specific characteristics of digital goods in product development (such as
measurability, immateriality, etc.) should be taken into account. Digital goods such as software are
specific in economies of scale and network effects and thus require specific strategies and concepts
for design, development and marketing. Due to the progress of digitalization in almost any market, the
observed phenomena and measures gain relevance and importance in business and academia. Hence
the emerging convergences in industries, suppliers, businesses and products cause a game change in
markets for digital or digitized goods.
Therefore, this document describes guidelines for developing digitalized products and services. It aims
at adapting the (QFD) process, its purpose, users, and tools as they are described in the ISO 16355 series
with respect to the specific characteristics of digitalized products and services. All companies affected
by the digitization of their products and services are intended users of this document.
The methods and tools shown and described represent decades of improvements to QFD; the list is
neither exhaustive nor exclusive. Users should consider the applicable methods and tools as suggestions,
not requirements. As the other parts of the ISO 16355 series, this document is descriptive and discusses
current best practice; it is not prescriptive by requiring specific tools and methods.
vi
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 16355-7:2023(E)
Applications of statistical and related methods to new
technology and product development process —
Part 7:
Guidelines for developing digitalized products and services
— General principles and perspectives of the QFD method
1 Scope
The current ISO 16355 series is written intentionally independent of industry because the principles
of applying statistical methods for product and technology development are similar for all types of
products. However, when applying the standard for the development of fully or partially digitized
products in practice, specific characteristics of digital goods in product development (such as
measurability, immateriality, economies of scale effects, etc.) are taken into account.
This document gives guidelines for adapting the quality function deployment (QFD) process, its
purpose, users, and tools as they are described in the ISO 16355 series that consider these specific
characteristics for developing digitalized products and services. Table 1 illustrates the scope of this
document by stating examples of the types of products the standard focuses on.
Users of this document include all organization functions necessary to assure customer satisfaction,
including business planning, marketing, sales, research and development (R&D), engineering,
information technology (IT), manufacturing, procurement, quality, production, service, packaging and
logistics, support, testing, regulatory, and other phases in hardware, software, service, and system
organizations.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 16355-1, Application of statistical and related methods to new technology and product development
process — Part 1: General principles and perspectives of quality function deployment (QFD)
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in ISO 16355-1 apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
digitalized products and services
works that incorporate components consisting of operable objects from digital information and
communication technology
Note 1 to entry: In this document, the terms digital, digitized and digitalized are used synonymously. A digitalized
good is an intangible software enabled product or service that can be sold and distributed repeatedly online
without the need to replenish inventory. Digitalization may cause services to have a stronger product character.
Note 2 to entry: In this document, software product development means the development of digitalized products
and software parts of software-intensive products, i.e. systems or services.
Note 3 to entry: Software parts of software-intensive systems that are not marketed and priced as separate
entities are called embedded software.
Note 4 to entry: Software-intensive systems can be products from all industries such as automobiles, airplanes,
smartphones etc.
Note 5 to entry: Software-intensive services, often delivered as cloud services, can also be products from all
industries like financial, insurance, gaming, social software, or human services based on software support.
Note 6 to entry: This document will generally use the term “software products” instead of explicitly referring to
software-intensive products.
Note 7 to entry: When other parts of ISO 16355 series or ISO 9000 series standards are referenced in this
document, note they may not differentiate explicitly between products and services.
3.2
quality function deployment
QFD
managing of all organizational functions and activities to assure product quality
Note 1 to entry: The organization is responsible for product quality and strives for it via defining, testing,
building, commercializing, and supporting the product.
Note 2 to entry: Literal definition is that the “quality function” is “deployed” to all other business functions and
departments who play a role in assuring quality and customer satisfaction.
Note 3 to entry: In most cases, the interests of an organization are commercial, but there are exceptions, as is
sometimes seen in open source-based products or in the public sector.
3.3
voice of customer
VOC
communications from the customer, user, and others
Note 1 to entry: The communications from the customer may be verbal, written, video, audio, animation, or other
form and may be descriptive, behavioural, or ethnographic.
Note 2 to entry: Customer is defined in ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.4.
Note 3 to entry: For digitalized products and services, the voice may not come from the customer itself but from
data or other artefacts relevant for quality.
Note 4 to entry: Customers may be not only human but also digitalized actors (digital agents).
3.4
customer need
potential benefit to a customer
Note 1 to entry: The benefit to a customer from having their problem solved, their opportunity enabled, their
image (self or to others) enhanced, or being advanced to a more desirable state.
Note 2 to entry: The benefit is positively stated.
Note 3 to entry: The benefit describes a single issue.
Note 4 to entry: The benefit is independent of the product or service performance, functional requirements, non-
functional requirements, functions, features, or enabling technologies.
Note 5 to entry: A need may be explicit or latent.
Note 6 to entry: Customer is defined in ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.4.
Note 7 to entry: Requirements engineering for digitalized products and services defines customer needs
differently than ISO 16355-1. Requirements engineering in focusing on product requirements may not deal with
customer needs explicitly. Customer needs may be latent according to ISO 16355-1 which does not match the
definition of requirements in ISO 9000 where needs must be stated explicitly. If the input to voice of customer
is considered as customer needs in requirements engineering, the voice analysis yields stated requirements
which may be interpreted as customer requirements as the complement to product requirements. Hence in
[2]
requirements engineering the term customer requirements may be used synonymously to customer needs .
Note 8 to entry: The term demanded quality is also used in software QFD projects.
3.5
functional requirement
characteristic that a product or service is specified to possess
Note 1 to entry: The characteristic may be an inherent performance of the product or service or an action that
the product or service may be able to accomplish. The manner in which the product accomplishes the action does
not include specific mechanisms or internal procedures as part of the functional requirement.
Note 2 to entry: Product is defined in ISO 9000:2015, 3.7.6.
Note 3 to entry: Service is defined in ISO 9000:2015, 3.7.7.
Note 4 to entry: Common methods for the specification of requirements for digital products and services
differentiate between functional and non-functional requirements, whereas functional requirements address
actions a product may accomplish and non-functional requirements the inherent performance of a product. The
terms quality requirement, and quality characteristics are also used in software QFD projects.
3.6
voice of stakeholder
VOS
communications from stakeholders
Note 1 to entry: Communications from stakeholders may be verbal, written, video, audio, animation, or other
form and may be descriptive, behavioural, or ethnographic.
Note 2 to entry: Stakeholder is defined in ISO 9000:2015, 3.2.3.
Note 3 to entry: Stakeholders may be not only human but also digitalized decision-makers (digital agents).
Note 4 to entry: For digital goods, the stakeholder “solution developer” is particularly important because the
product is often created incrementally in close cooperation with the customer.
3.7
customer gemba
location where true customer information is found
Note 1 to entry: Gemba is a Japanese word meaning the place where the truth is discovered. In Six Sigma, this
usually refers to the shop floor where internal activities take place. In QFD for new product development, the
new product does not exist yet, so the gemba changes to where the customer's activities or encounters take place.
Note 2 to entry: The gemba may be not limited to physical location. For digitalized products, digitalized spaces
may exist where human actors directly may not explore (for example, cyberspace).
Note 3 to entry: Gemba visits help discover unknown or latent customer needs and requirements.
3.8
hoshin kanri
method for management and deployment of strategic organizational policy
Note 1 to entry: English translations of the Japanese include policy management, policy deployment, management
by policy, and strategy deployment.
4 Basic concepts of developing digitalized products and services
4.1 General
This standard describes guidelines for adapting the methods described in ISO 16355 series standards
that consider the specific characteristics for developing digitalized products and services. See Table 1.
Table 1 — Digitalized products and services in scope of this document
Degree of digitization
Physical Digitalized(hybrid) Digital
Degree of servizitation
Product Watch with mechanical Smart watch Watch App on smartphone
movement or notebook
Hybrid product/
Intermodal mobility Onlince booking (with
Phone with contract
services chipTAN)
Hybrid service
Car navigation system
Automatic download via
Service Car repair (update performed by car
web services
garage)
not focus of ISO 16355-7 focus of ISO 16355-7
4.2 Characteristics of digitalized products and services and their development
4.2.1 Specific characteristics of digitalized products and services
Digital products and services have specific characteristics that influence the applications of statistical
and related methods to new technology and the product development process.
a) digital "voices" from customers and stakeholders;
b) availability of digital data from product usage;
c) easier product changes during development;
d) easier product changes after delivery;
e) cloud based product functions;
f) high rate of change due to requirements uncertainty and technology dynamics.
4.2.2 Effects of specific characteristics of digitalized products and services on the development
process
These characteristics affect the development process of digitalized products and services.
a) agile development as widely used paradigm for developing software;
NOTE There is no one common agile development model, Typical methods in practice are scrum, extreme
programming (XP) or kanban. All models refer to certain core concepts going back to agile principles and
[3]
values of the Agile Manifesto .
b) iterative development process for digital functions;
c) incremental development process for digital functions;
d) non-deterministic development and production process;
e) negligible manufacturing cost;
f) value co-creation through platform ecosystems.
4.2.3 Requirements change management in the development of digitalized products and
services
Requirements change in every case and thus ways have to be found to deal efficiently with these changes.
Agility stands here for the ability to handle these changes efficiently, aiming at a kind of balance between
[4]
structuring and flexibility. According to ISO/IEC/IEEE 26515 , it is “based on iterative development,
frequent inspection and adaptation, and incremental deliveries, in which requirements and solutions
evolve through collaboration in cross-functional teams and through continuous stakeholder feedback.”
It represents a countermovement to traditional, sequential development models in response to the
increasing dynamics of change in requirements
4.3 Design guidelines for developing digitalized products and services
4.3.1 General
Based on the characteristics and the effects on the development process the following design guidelines
[5][6]
form the framework for developing digitalized products and services with QFD .
4.3.2 Iterative and incremental development for digital functions
Development is in short time frames in which a set of features is developed, leading to a working product
that can be demonstrated to stakeholders in order to incorporate immediate and intensive feedback to
early product versions which contributes to the constant growth of the digital good and its functions.
4.3.3 Close collaboration, cooperation, and co-creation of customers’ and developers’ side
While requirements engineers and product managers increasingly use data analytics methods,
experience shows that it is important to spend a significant amount of time in direct contact with
customers to gain a deep understanding of the context in which the product is being used and of the
customer needs.
Regular participation and engagement helps to keep abreast of issues and trends facing existing
customers. Direct contact with customers by personal, face-to-face communication not only supports
an analytical understanding of their problems but may also create empathy.
Collecting relevant customer data is only the first step to create insights. For digitalized products and
services, the voice may not come from the customer itself but from data or other artefacts relevant for
quality. Customers may be not only human but also digitalized actors (digital agents). Requirements
engineers and product managers need to feed this data into discussions with stakeholders and use it
for requirements analysis with QFD, as well as for business modelling.
Digitized products are often not monolithic products but the result of cooperation in platform
ecosystems. An ecosystem is a set of actors with varying degrees of multilateral, non-generic
[7]
complementarities that are not fully hierarchically controlled . For developing digitized products and
services, this means not only having to understand the voice of the customer, but also to include the
[8]
voices of additional complementary actors .
4.3.4 Focus on essential activities and tasks
Not only is the focus on the highest priority customer needs and product requirements but also on
minimizing non-purposive work efforts within the development process. There should be constant
reflections at regular intervals within the development team to become even more efficient.
4.3.5 Consider all aspects of business value
While the focus in QFD as well as in agile development is on satisfying the customer through early and
continuous delivery of valuable software, all aspects of business value may be taken into account. This
means, for example, not only high-rated functions but also quality requirements and design constraints.
In general, the developers are open-minded towards all (even late) changes when delivering higher
value.
4.3.6 Sustainable and comprehensible procedure
Apply techniques and methods with comprehensible and reproducible sequence of activities. Such
techniques and methods produce trustworthy results that are not regularly questioned or doubted
by the involved stakeholders. Authentic and credible procedures and results which lead to increasing
confidence and trust concerning job performance are important to deliver.
4.3.7 Foster commitment and motivation
Sustained motivation maintained so that work proceeds. Techniques and methods that are fun to use
help the team stay motivated to apply them in the long term. Building development projects around these
motivated individuals and giving them the support they need establishes a common understanding and
commitment between all stakeholders of the product to be developed.
4.3.8 Use digital data analytics
By analysing the performance statistics or usage data, the development team experiments with
different implementations of design and product concepts to focus on innovation and optimization
despite uncertainty.
Data analytics methods are used to monitor online reports of market research agencies, blogs, and trade
press for customer information, and data analytics software retrieves information about customer
behaviour throughout the internet.
Data can also come from the (potential) user side covering how they behave in certain situations, or
how much time they spend on which tasks. Data gathering methods may include both direct contact
and analytics include customer observation, A/B testing, launching a beta version, and producing a
minimum viable product (MVP) or a minimum merchandisable product (MMP) for evaluation.
NOTE A/B testing is randomized testing of two or more versions are shown to different market segments to
assess impact and business metrics.
5 Basic concepts of QFD
5.1 Theory of QFD
ISO 16355-1:2021, 4.1 defines quality function deployment (QFD) as an "approach for ensuring quality
throughout, but not necessarily, at each stage of the product development process, starting with the
initial product concept. As a quality method, the aim is to assure that decisions regarding product
development have a defined and repeatable process, are based on factual information, have definable
and measureable targets, involve all relevant business departments, and focus first and best efforts
where they matter most to customers. QFD should begin upstream in the product development process
in order to assure that decisions are made in this way, as downstream rework can be costly in terms of
money and delays."
5.2 Principles of QFD
QFD principles are to:
a) prioritize information to focus;
b) understand how to cause good quality;
c) listen to the voice of the customer;
d) observe the customer's situation;
e) capture information from other sources;
f) improve internal communications through the transformation of information between
perspectives.
5.3 Spirit of QFD
ISO 16355-1 defines the underlying spirit of QFD as the commitment among all critical departments to
work together for the benefit of the customer or stakeholder. A personal connection to the customer
should be established. As a central principle, customer needs or requirements should be known or
acquired and understood adequately by all relevant stakeholders. It should be validated if product
requirements meet the needs of the customer or stakeholder.
6 Integration of QFD and the development of digitalized products and services
6.1 QFD support for product development methods in general
Integration of QFD into new product development processes is both desirable and possible. Successful
1)
integration has been accomplished with other product development methods such as Stage-Gate™ and
product development support methods such as design for six sigma, design for lean sigma, and others.
This may be done at an enterprise level, business group level, project level, or technology level. This
integration should be guided by a QFD expert familiar with these methods.
QFD is designed to link together the various phases of product development such as strategy, portfolio,
marketing, competitiveness, systems, voice of customer, requirements analysis, concept development,
optimization, change management, reliability, cost, safety, security, privacy, quality, testing, build,
support, logistics, training, and other product development phases. This linking assures that priorities
at each phase are supported by downstream phases and decisions at each phase can be viewed for their
impact on upstream phases. In this way, QFD improves both the product or service and the process by
which it is created.
NOTE 1 QFD can integrate tools and methods from different new product development processes. Conversely,
different new product development processes can utilize QFD tools and methods.
NOTE 2 An applicable but not exhaustive tools list is included in ISO 16355-1:2021, A.1. They are meant to
illustrate tools that have been effectively used in QFD. Other tools might also be useful according to the project.
6.2 The fit between the design guidelines and QFD
QFD and the development of digitalized products and services share a common spirit - a commitment
among all critical departments to work together for the benefit of the customer and stakeholder, and to
provide them the support they need to establish a common understanding between all stakeholders to
the product to be developed.
1)  Stage-Gate™ is an example of a suitable product available commercially. This information is given for the
convenience of users of this document and does not constitute an endorsement by ISO of this product.
Table 2 visualizes the fit of the QFD principles and spirit in Clause 5 and the design guidelines of
developing digitalized products and services in 4.3.
Table 2 — Fit between the design guidelines and QFD
QFD principles and spirit (Clause 5) Design guidelines (4.2)
Process
prioritize information to focus focus on essential doings
understand how to cause good quality sustainable and comprehensible procedure
validation if product requirements meet the needs of iterative and incremental development for digital
the customer/stakeholder functions
Information
capture information from other sources consider all aspects of business value
listen to the voice of the customer use digital data analytics
observe the customer's situation information about customer behaviour throughout the
internet
People
establish personal connection to the customer Close collaboration/cooperation of customers’ and
developers’ side
improve internal (and external) communications Provide sustained motivating procedure of work
6.3 Flow of product development of digitalized products and services with QFD
The flow of QFD methods and tools may vary according to the organization and project requirements.
Typically, they begin with broad concerns and through prioritization, flow down to specifics.
As in classical engineering, there are different product development approaches and flows in software
engineering ranging from the waterfall model over iterative and agile development. However, when
employing QFD, the basic flow of information from customer needs to product requirements should be
similar. Figure 1 adapts a sample flow of QFD-related information.
NOTE 1 Sample QFD-flow based on the QFD process for the planning of software products following
[9]
Herzwurm et. al. (2000a) supplemented by and combined with the software life cycle processes according to
[10]
ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 .
NOTE 2 In QFD, the information flows downstream through the entire product development are called
deployments (ISO 16355-1:2021, 12.1). Such QFD flows imply pre- and post-traceability between the considered
artefacts.
Figure 1 — Flow chart of product development of digitalized products and services with QFD in
ISO 16355-7
Table 3 categorizes the flows into general aspects that may be mapped to any specific approach for
digital product development with QFD. Furthermore, it references related clauses in the other parts of
the ISO 16355 series standard that provide detailed guidance, methods, and tools as well as applicable
case studies.
Table 3 — Mapping of flow chart to other clauses in ISO 16355 series standard
Aspect of the flow of information Related chapter of ISO series standards
Project and ISO 16355-1:2021, Clause 6
A customer plan- Project organisation
ISO 16355-5:2017, Clause 7
ning
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.1
Business goals, derived from
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.1.2.8
hoshin kanri
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.1.3
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.1.4
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.15
Identification of customers,
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.2.1
segments and stakeholders
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.2.2
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.2.3
ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.2.5
Voice of the customer and ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.2.5.2.3
Exploration
stakeholder acquisition and
B of customer ISO 16355-2: 2017, 9.2.5.2.4
behavioural analysis in the
needs
customer gemba ISO 16355-2:2017, 9.2.5.15
ISO 16355-3,
ISO 16355-4:2017, 9.2
Categorisation of customer
needs
ISO 16355-4:2017, Clause 10
Validation of customer needs ISO/TR 16355-8:2017, Clause 11
Prioritisation of customer
Measurement
ISO 16355-4:2017, Clause 11
needs by segments
C of customer
ISO 16355-4:2017, Clause 12
needs
Setting customer targets
Customer-driven functional
and non-functional product
ISO 16355-5:2017, 9.3.6.2.2
requirement specifications
Specification
ISO 16355-5:2017, 10.4.3.7.1.2
Solution-driven functional
D of product
and non-functional product
ISO 16355-5:2017, 10.4.3.5.1.2
requirements
requirement specification
ISO/TR 16355-8:2017, Clause 11
Valida
...