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Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Analysis: Choosing SMU as a Business School

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Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Analysis: Choosing SMU as a Business School

1. Identifying Customer Requirements (CRs):

 Academic Excellence: As a potential student seeking a college education in

business, academic quality is paramount. This includes the reputation and ranking

of the business school.

 Cost-effectiveness: Affordability plays a crucial role in decision-making. The

cost of tuition and the availability of financial aid or scholarships are key factors.

 Career Opportunities: The ability of the institution to provide valuable career

resources such as internships, job placements, and networking opportunities.

 Social Life: A vibrant campus community fosters personal growth and

networking opportunities.

 Quality of Faculty: Experienced and knowledgeable faculty members contribute

significantly to the quality of education.

 Campus Environment: The physical infrastructure and aesthetics of the campus

influence the overall experience.

2. Translating Customer Requirements to Engineering Characteristics (ECs):

 Academic Excellence:

 Cox Business School ranking nationally, regionally, and locally.

 Faculty credentials, research contributions, and teaching methodologies.

 Cost-effectiveness:
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 Availability of scholarships, grants, and financial aid packages.

 Comparing total costs against potential return on investment.

 Career Opportunities:

 Career center services such as resume workshops, career fairs, and alumni

networks.

 Internship opportunities and partnerships with businesses.

 Social Life:

 Diversity of student organizations, clubs, and campus events.

 Residential life offerings and extracurricular activities.

 Quality of Faculty:

 Faculty-student ratio, accessibility of professors, and student feedback

mechanisms.

 Faculty expertise in various business domains.

 Campus Environment:

 Campus aesthetics, facilities, and recreational opportunities.

 Safety measures and accessibility features.

3. Constructing the House of Quality (HoQ):

 Correlation Matrix: Evaluate the relationship between CRs and ECs. For

example, high-quality faculty may correlate with academic excellence.

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 Competitive Assessment: Benchmark against other universities in terms of

meeting CRs.

 Prioritization Matrix: Rank ECs based on their importance in meeting CRs. For

instance, academic excellence might be weighted higher than campus aesthetics.

 Target Values: Set measurable targets for ECs based on CRs. For example, a

target for scholarship availability might be to cover 100% of tuition costs for

qualified students.

4. Selecting SMU and Post-Experience Evaluation:

 Selection Process: SMU was chosen primarily due to its renowned Cox Business

School's reputation for academic excellence, further validated by its rankings. The

full-tuition scholarship significantly influenced the decision, making it cost-

effective.

 Post-Experience Evaluation:

 Fulfillment of Requirements: SMU met expectations in terms of academic

quality, career services, social life, faculty caliber, and campus

environment.

 Modification of Requirements: No major modifications were necessary, as

SMU fulfilled the initial requirements adequately.

 Surprises: Positive surprises included the helpfulness of the career center,

the quality of social life, and the aesthetic appeal of the campus. No

significant negative surprises were encountered.

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5. Continuous Improvement:

 Gather feedback from current students to identify areas for enhancement.

 Regularly update the QFD matrix to reflect changing priorities and expectations.

 Collaborate with stakeholders to implement improvements in line with evolving

requirements and industry standards.

By following the QFD methodology, the decision-making process for selecting SMU as a

business school is structured, ensuring alignment between customer requirements and

engineering characteristics, leading to informed decisions and enhanced customer satisfaction.