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The purpose of this paper is to present an overall review of quality function deployment (QFD) in the past nearly 30 years; to clarify widespread misperceptions about QFD; to adapt its use to the product development model of contract manufacturing; and to simplify the complexity of QFD and effectively integrate its contents.

This paper adopts “action research” (AR) as its research methodology. The action research was conducted using a “research/consultant strategy” in a series of projects of collaboration with contract manufacturing companies.

The paper corrects widespread misperceptions about QFD, and adapts QFD to a specific product development model.

The paper uses a participatory and interpretive approach to develop and explain the new QFD model, but the authors are restricted by the highly confidential nature of the R&D information, and not authorized to publish actual case study data. The research value lies in the discussion of quality deployment and narrowly defined QFD, and the focus on comprehensive reorganization of the QFD structure on which there have been very few English‐language publications.

The paper makes an adaptation of QFD so that it can be effectively used in contract manufacturing in a suitable form for modern supply chain. The paper also clarifies how QFD can be implemented by a systems approach, rather than a project approach.

The paper simplifies the complexity of QFD and effectively integrates its contents through the proposition of a quality deployment system and a quality assurance system. The distinguishing features of the former reside in five main differences from the original quality deployment system. The latter is subdivided into 17 subsystems, which form the design framework for quality assurance activities.

This paper attempts to renew quality function deployment (QFD) in a comprehensive manner and develop a more process‐oriented approach to implement QFD, in order to effectively support the corporate new product development (NPD) cycle and achieve a more systemic innovation.

This paper adopts “action research” (AR) as its research methodology. The action research was conducted using a “research/consultant strategy” in a series of projects of collaboration with electronic contract manufacturing companies.

This paper develops an enhanced QFD (EQFD) system and an implementation process for simultaneously executing QFD with NPD cycle.

This paper studies broadly defined QFD, and focuses on its comprehensive renewal on which there have been very few English‐language publications.

This paper specifies how QFD can be implemented by using NPD approach, so as to effectively support the corporate NPD cycle and achieve a more systemic innovation.

This paper renews QFD in a comprehensive manner (there are seven major features between it and the original QFD as reinforcement) and develops an implementation process (which consists of four stages, eight phases, and 36 steps) by using NPD approach.

This paper aims to investigate to what extent quality function deployment (QFD) can be used in quality improvement rather than design activities.

A framework was developed for implementation of QFD as a quality improvement tool. A case study approach is used to test this framework, and quality issues were analyzed using the framework in a ceramic tile manufacturing company.

The results showed considerable improvements in the critical quality characteristics identified and sales rates, demonstrating the potential of QFD to be used in assessing and prioritizing areas of improvement, and converting them into measurable process or product requirements.

One case study was completed. More studies would be beneficial to support current findings.

This framework provides structured approach and guidelines for practitioners in adapting QFD for quality improvements in existing products or processes.

This study proposes a new framework to use QFD in quality improvement activities, expanding its application areas. Moreover, the results of the literature study performed provide a valuable collection of practical QFD implementation examples.