ABSTRACT
Depending on the nature of the company, design can be as simple as replacing an item with another of a different specification to the total new design of an offshore exploration and production platform. Design guides are important in products where the equipment is modular and uses similar components. The conceptual design review is held to establish that the final design concept selected will fulfil the requirements before any project definition begins. The critical design review establishes that the detailed design for each sub-element complies with its development specifications and that production specifications have been produced prior to the manufacture of any prototype models. Input data relevant to the review should be distributed and examined by all active partners within the team in advance of the time of the individual review meeting. The purpose of Quality Function Deployment is not to replace an organisation's existing design process but rather to support and improve an organisation's design process.
