Chapter 9 1

The Specification ProcessChapter 9

Achieving Quality Through Continual ImprovementClaude W. Burrill / Johannes Ledolter

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999Prepared by Dr. Tomi Wahlström, University of Southern Colorado

Chapter 9 2

Custom and Consumer Product Requirements

Custom products (and services) are developed by specific customers who can express their needs directly.

Consumer product is developed for a class of customers, not specific individuals.

Example: Consulting and Counseling

Chapter 9 3

Related Products Development of a product can generate the

need for an array of related changes.– New production process, training, management

Production of a new product may require changes in related processes.

Chapter 9 4

Customer Wants Customer requirements are a product of the

specifications process.– Who are the customers?– What does the customer want?

The real key is to anticipate wants.– It pays to anticipate wants, not just to follow

what is customary and required today.

Chapter 9 5

Specific and General Customer Requirements Customer requirement for a product is a

written description of a feature or trait the product should possess.

Specific requirements have verification procedure.

General requirement do not have a verification procedure.– See examples at book page 183

Chapter 9 6

Importance of General Requirements The study of general requirements is

important as it is an attempt to view the product from a customer perspective - to express quality requirements as a customer sees it.

Customers tend to view quality in general, nonspecific terms.

Chapter 9 7

Standards Laws: building codes, environmental laws,

privacy legislation, etc. Industry standards: professional groups to

establish these standards. Customer standards: large organizations establish

standards that they suppliers must meet. De facto standards: success determined standard.

Chapter 9 8

Problems with Requirements The requirements process is slighted. The focus is on what can be done, not what is

wanted. Some requirements are missing. Sometimes requirements are sketchy. Validation procedures are missing. Not all customers are considered. Relying on past practice. Conflicting requirements. Designs are specific, not requirements.

Chapter 9 9

Methods for Determining Custom Product Requirements Asking Deriving Synthesizing

– Normative method– Critical factors analysis– Process analysis– Input-process-output analysis– Discovery from an evolving product

Chapter 9 10

Methods for Determining consumer Product Requirements Literature search Trade groups Competitive analysis Data analysis Surveys Focus sessions Test market

Chapter 9 11

Establishing Information Requirements JAD (Joint Application Design) Based on the concept that personnel who develop

the automated system are partners with the people in the business area who will use the system

Familiarization workshops– Workshop preparation– JAD workshops– JAD review (JAR)

Chapter 9 12

Dynamics of Requirements Organization needs effective procedures:

– An established specification procedure for determining customer requirements

– An effective change procedure for monitoring changes in customer and supplier requirements.

– A version control procedure for tracking and controlling the requirements on various versions or releases of the requirements document

Chapter 9 13

Questions?

Chapter 9 14

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