Lost in translation : challenges in mapping user needs to engineering requirements

Abstract

A case study of dishwashers drying performance is used to illustrate the challenges involved in translating consumer needs to engineering specifications. The mismatch between the results of engineering tests of a dishwasher and the results of consumer satisfaction surveys reveals many improvement opportunities to the product development process. The case study presents how the correlation between internal tests and consumer satisfaction may reveal problems with the metrics defined to test products. The complexity of identifying consumer needs is discussed along with new methods to leveraging artificial intelligence and big data to conduct market research. The advantage of having deep knowledge about a system is discussed on the context of negotiating tradeoffs during a project. The impact of the organizational structure on the efficiency and efficacy of tradeoffs is discussed. The importance of product roadmaps and the risks imposed by uncertainty are presented along with the benefits of Set Based Concurrent Engineering and Modularization.