How do you include customer and stakeholder needs in industrial engineering?

1 Define the problem

The first step to include customer and stakeholder needs in industrial engineering is to define the problem you are trying to solve or the opportunity you are trying to seize. You need to understand the context, scope, and objectives of your project, and identify who are the customers and stakeholders that will be affected by or benefit from your solution. Customers are the end-users or consumers of your product or service, while stakeholders are the people or groups that have an interest or influence in your project, such as suppliers, employees, managers, regulators, or competitors. You can use tools such as stakeholder analysis, customer journey mapping, or problem statement to define the problem and the key customer and stakeholder groups.

2 Collect and analyze data

The next step is to collect and analyze data from your customers and stakeholders to understand their needs, preferences, pain points, and expectations. You need to use both quantitative and qualitative methods to gather relevant and reliable information, such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, observations, or experiments. You can use tools such as voice of the customer (VOC), quality function deployment (QFD), or Kano model to organize and prioritize the data according to the importance and satisfaction of the customer and stakeholder needs.

3 Generate and evaluate alternatives

The third step is to generate and evaluate alternative solutions that can meet or exceed the customer and stakeholder needs. You need to use your creativity and engineering knowledge to come up with different options that can solve the problem or create value for your customers and stakeholders. You can use tools such as brainstorming, morphological analysis, or TRIZ to generate alternatives. You also need to use criteria and metrics that reflect the customer and stakeholder needs to evaluate the alternatives and select the best one. You can use tools such as decision matrix, Pugh matrix, or analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to evaluate alternatives.

4 Implement and monitor the solution

The final step is to implement and monitor the solution that you have selected and communicate the results to your customers and stakeholders. You need to plan and execute the implementation process, considering the resources, risks, and changes involved. You also need to monitor the performance and outcomes of the solution, using feedback and data from your customers and stakeholders. You can use tools such as project management, risk management, or control charts to implement and monitor the solution. You also need to use tools such as reports, presentations, or dashboards to communicate the results and benefits of the solution to your customers and stakeholders.

5 Improve and innovate

The process of including customer and stakeholder needs in industrial engineering does not end with the implementation and monitoring of the solution. You need to continuously improve and innovate your solution, based on the changing needs and expectations of your customers and stakeholders. You need to use tools such as PDCA cycle, Kaizen, or Six Sigma to identify and eliminate the root causes of problems, waste, or defects in your solution. You also need to use tools such as benchmarking, best practices, or design thinking to identify and implement new opportunities, features, or functions in your solution.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?