Apply Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to support improvement in food and drink operations

URN: IMPQI258
Business Sectors (Suites): Achieving Excellence in Sports Performance (Inc Change June 2007)
Developed by: Improve
Approved on: 31 Dec 2021

Overview

This standard is about the skills and knowledge needed to apply Quality Function Deployment (QFD) as part of your organisation's drive to increase the effectiveness and productivity of food and drink operations. This is a formal approach to defining customer needs and expressing these in plans to develop products and services to meet these needs. It is the deployment of customer-driven needs/qualities to the responsible functions of a business. This is important in the achievement of excellence and the success of manufacture, processing and supply across the food and drink supply chain.

You will need to apply and understand the practices and principles of Quality Function Deployment to meet the business objectives set out in your organisation's improvement plan. You will need to show and know how to present deployment to relevant people within the organisation, including management colleagues. You will need to know how to comply with your company policy for improvement, take responsibility for your actions, and refer any issues outside of the limit of your authority to others.

This standard is for you if you work in food and drink operations including, manufacturing, processing, packing or supply chain activities. You may be a process development technologist or have responsibilities for aspects of organisational improvement in a team leadership or management role.


Performance criteria

You must be able to:


Prepare to apply Quality Function Deployment tools 

1. confirm and agree the defined scope of deployment activity with the relevant personnel 
2. check and confirm that the Quality Function Deployment tools are the most appropriate to support the improvement required in accordance with the improvement plan 
3. obtain information, documentation and resources necessary to support the tools in accordance with procedures 
4. communicate the purpose of the deployment activity to the relevant personnel 

Apply Quality Function Deployment tools to support improvement 

5. use approved methodology to apply the staged activity tools in accordance with the improvement plan 
6. develop and produce deployment plans in accordance with the activity outcomes 

Report deployment opportunities 

7. agree and present deployment plans to the relevant personnel 
8. make recommendations about deployment opportunities and targets to the relevant personnel


Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

  1. the organisation's improvement vision, strategy, objectives and the reasons for implementation of improvement programmes
  2. how the health, safety and hygiene requirements of a work area can influence the QFD technique
  3. the advantages of using QFD to support the delivery of your organisation's improvement strategy and plan
  4. the `quality lever' and how QFD fits this model
  5. the meaning and use of the terms house of quality' andvoice of the customer'
  6. how to develop and plan a QFD activity
  7. how QFD relates to other improvement techniques
  8. the tools used as part of a QFD activity
  9. the four phases of QFD including necessary inputs and outputs for each phase
  10. what are the customer's requirements within a QFD project, in terms of needs and expectations, features and functions
  11. how to produce matrices for relationships, specifications, technical requirements and planning
  12. how to score matrices within the QFD
  13. levels of authority linked to problem resolution
  14. how to report deployment and present recommendations

Scope/range


Scope Performance


Scope Knowledge


Values


Behaviours


Skills


Glossary


Links To Other NOS


External Links


Version Number

3

Indicative Review Date

31 Jan 2025

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

NSAFD

Original URN

IMPQI258

Relevant Occupations

Food Production Operatives, Manufacturing Technologies, Plant and Machine Operatives, Process Operatives, Process, Plant and Machine Operatives

SOC Code

8111

Keywords

Food; Operations; Manufacturing; Excellence; Improvement; Development; Change; Management; Quality; Function; QFD;