The virtual customer : a distributed methodology for linking product design and customer preferences

The objective of this research is to develop a multimedia tool that uses analytical and graphical models of "virtual customers" to evaluate customer preferences against various design parameters. This tool responds to design changes and notifies engineers and designers of customer needs tradeoffs associated with product redesign. Equipped with this information, product development teams can focus on key features and develop more customer driven products. Customer preference functions can be determined using conjoint analysis and mathematically modeled in DOME (Distributed Object-based Modeling and Evaluation). DOME is a modeling software program that decomposes a design into modules or subcomponents and provides a distributed environment where modules are shared through communication channels. This platform allows designers to compare customer requirements to selected design specifications and alter variables to optimize customer satisfaction across chosen attributes. Individual preference functions are aggregated to develop customer specifications for a particular market segment. These segment models are stored in catalogs internal to the Virtual Customer software program. Using this framework, a LCD projector was modeled to identify target markets for different design configurations. The Virtual Customer software was linked directly to different computer software packages (Excel, CAD, TEAM@) to evaluate customer response to design changes. Thesis Supervisor: Dave Wallace Title: Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Thesis co-Supervisor: John Hauser Title: Professor of Marketing Science

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