A Systematic Generation of CTQ Candidates in DFSS/C : Methodology Development and A Case Study

The project objectives, called critical-to-quality (CTQs) in six sigma, should be defined to faithfully reflect the customer requirements. The identification of such a set of CTQs, which is currently done using brainstorming in practice, is a challenging task. Notwithstanding the rapid growth of the six sigma literature, development of a systematic procedure for identifying CTQs has scarcely been addressed. This paper proposes a systematic method for generating CTQ candidates based on the given voice of the customer in the DFSS/C (Design for Six Sigma / Commercial) context. By providing a step-by-step procedure, the proposed method ensures that all the important CTQ candidates are identified and subjective judgments are minimally required. Hence, the shortcomings associated with the existing practice based on brainstorming can be effectively overcome. The unique characteristics of the proposed method are also demonstrated via a case study.