3. The Total Explicit–Implicit Approach: The Special QFD Matrix for Material Selection

Chapter 3 faces the challenge of building up a tool that can embed the advantages of both implicit and explicit methods as discussed in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, in order to mitigate their respective drawbacks. A classroom case study is employed in order to guide and support readers in preparing multi-objective decision analysis on the choice of material among possible contenders. Readers will therefore learn step by step how to customize the QFD tool for material selection which we call QFD4Mat, and how to embed, if necessary, tools that are usually of an explicit method like material performance indices. The method is provided in the form of a graphic tool that is user-friendly and easy-to-customize for the specific problem that the reader will face no matter what his own background; material specialists, designers, procurement officers, finance advisors and CEOs are all expected to contribute in providing their own ideas for the QFD4Mat to be created for specific projects. To facilitate the reader in customizing the QFD4Mat on his own, further electronic downloadable sources are provided in a website platform here presented. The basic matrix tool, the QFD4Mat employed in the case study discussed, other accessory sub-tools (e.g. material index lists, guidelines for defining the new product development process stage designation, customizable tables for calculating cost indexes for manufacturing and the Global Material Index etc.) are uploaded. The platform contains further classroom case studies realized by postgraduate master students.