An integrated approach to project management using the Kano model and QFD: an empirical case study

Abstract

Project management (PM) is anticipated to play an integrated role to manage corporate resources with the constraints of time and cost to produce the highest quality of products. However, the approach of applying the standards and guidance to an existing product development process is not sufficiently illustrated in the literature. To fill this gap, this research utilises the 47 PM processes proposed by the Project Management Institute [PMI. 2013. A guide to project management body of knowledge (5th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Author) as a framework. A questionnaire was designed, distributed to a Taiwanese earphone manufacturing company, and analysed with the Kano model. The survey result indicates 14 processes relatively important to improve, among which seven were selected to the final stage. Quality function deployment was then utilised to integrate the PM tools and techniques with those seven items. The result indicates the PM processes proposed by the PMI (2013) can be successfully integrated into the case company’s present PM process. By means of this systematic methodology, managers are able to identify the relatively important process, and further, the weakness of their product development process. As such, it assists managers to achieve better PM performance.