How Puritan-Bennet Used the House of Quality

Question 1

What was “Hauser, J. R. (1993). HOW PURITAN-BENNETT USED THE HOUSE OF QUALITY”” about?

Answer 1

The article examines how Puritan-Bennett, a medical equipment company, used the House of Quality (HoQ)—a tool within Quality Function Deployment (QFD)—to develop a new product: the 7200 series critical care ventilator. The case study explores:
o The author tells us about a case where a company utilized “House of Quality” and QFD to 1) enhance sales & profit, 2) satisfy customers, 3) reduce the cycle time of NPD

Question 2

What is the “House of Quality” method?

Answer 2

this method relates market research information directly to product design, thereby helping the company focus effectively on the most important product benefits; a product dev. technique used in Japan & gaining popularity in the US

Question 3

What is the “Quality Function Deployment” (QFD) model?

Answer 3

is a model for product development and production popularized in Japan in the 1960s that uses 4 “houses”. The model aids in translating customer needs and expectations into technical requirements by listening to the voice of the customer.

Question 4

What are the managerial implications of “Hauser, J. R. (1993). HOW PURITAN-BENNETT USED THE HOUSE OF QUALITY”?

Answer 4

1. Implement Structured Tools:
   o Firms should consider adopting tools like the HoQ to link customer needs with product specifications systematically.
2. Engage Cross-Functional Teams Early:
   o Bringing together marketing, engineering, and production teams at the start of the NPD process reduces silos and ensures a unified focus on customer priorities.
3. Customer Voice Drives Innovation:
   o Gathering and prioritizing customer feedback should be central to the innovation process to ensure products meet market demands.
4. Continuous Benchmarking:
   o Regularly assess competitors’ offerings to identify opportunities for differentiation.

Question 5

What are the conclusions of “Hauser, J. R. (1993). HOW PURITAN-BENNETT USED THE HOUSE OF QUALITY”?

Answer 5

The Puritan-Bennett case study highlights the transformative power of the House of Quality in aligning product development with customer needs. By systematically translating customer requirements into actionable technical specifications, Puritan-Bennett was able to develop a competitive and customer-focused product. The study underscores the value of structured frameworks like QFD in achieving cross-functional collaboration and market success.

Question 6

What are the limitations of “Hauser, J. R. (1993). HOW PURITAN-BENNETT USED THE HOUSE OF QUALITY”?

Answer 6

1. Resource-Intensive Process:
   o Implementing the HoQ requires significant time and effort. Future research could explore ways to streamline its use in smaller firms or resource-constrained environments.
2. Adaptability Across Industries:
   o While the HoQ worked effectively in medical devices, its applicability in other sectors (e.g., software) may require adaptation.
3. Dynamic Market Needs:
   o The static nature of the HoQ may struggle to keep up with rapidly evolving customer demands. Future studies could investigate integrating real-time feedback systems into the QFD process.

Question 7

What are the key benefits of using “Hauser, J. R. (1993). HOW PURITAN-BENNETT USED THE HOUSE OF QUALITY”?

Answer 7

1. Customer Alignment:
   o Ensured that product development was directly tied to customer needs, enhancing market relevance.
2. Prioritization of Efforts:
   o Helped Puritan-Bennett focus on the most critical features by weighting customer requirements based on importance.
3. Improved Collaboration:
   o Fostered teamwork across departments by providing a shared framework for decision-making.
4. Reduced Time-to-Market:
   o By clarifying design priorities upfront, the HoQ minimized delays caused by rework and misaligned objectives.
5. Strategic Differentiation:
   o Enabled Puritan-Bennett to outperform competitors by excelling in areas customers valued most.

Question 8

What are the key applications of “Hauser, J. R. (1993). HOW PURITAN-BENNETT USED THE HOUSE OF QUALITY”?

Answer 8

A. Customer-Centric Development
* Puritan-Bennett conducted extensive research to understand the needs of respiratory therapists and critical care nurses. Key customer requirements included:
1. Reliability: Reduced risk of malfunction in critical care settings.
2. Ease of Use: Intuitive controls for time-pressured environments.
3. Advanced Monitoring: Comprehensive real-time patient data.
The HoQ enabled the firm to translate these needs into actionable engineering specifications.
B. Technical Translation
* Puritan-Bennett used the HoQ to break down customer requirements into measurable specifications. For example:
o Ease of Use: Led to the development of a graphical interface and simplified control layout.
o Advanced Monitoring: Resulted in software updates to integrate patient data streams.
C. Cross-Functional Collaboration
* The HoQ brought together marketing, engineering, and manufacturing teams to ensure alignment. This reduced miscommunication and ensured that the product addressed customer pain points effectively.
D. Competitive Benchmarking
* The company used the HoQ to evaluate its 7200 series ventilator against competing products, identifying areas for differentiation, such as quieter operation and better alarm systems.