Engineering Design Assignment
Title: Objectives of Customer Requirements in Engineering Design
Student Name: Kazeem Temiloluwa
Course: Engineering Design
Date: 24 of September 2025
1. Identifying Customer Requirements
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In engineering design, the first step is identifying customer requirements by translating
vague needs into precise, actionable requirements. Needs represent general customer
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desires (e.g., “I want to travel quickly and safely”), while requirements are detailed and
organized descriptions of what the product must do—without proposing how it should be
done. These requirements serve as a foundation for design decisions and ensure that the
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product reflects the customer’s expectations. In some cases, a customer’s expressed need
may be detailed enough to become a requirement directly.
2. Prioritizing Customer Requirements
After identifying the requirements, the next step is to prioritize them based on their
importance. This is essential in engineering design to balance customer desires with
practical limitations such as cost, feasibility, and potential conflicts. Requirements are rated
on a scale from 1 to 10, where:
● Demands (D): Essential requirements, always rated as 10.
● Wishes (W): Non-essential, desirable features, rated from 1 to 10.
For example, if a customer wants a travel kettle that is both portable and holds 10 liters, the
designer must determine which is more important and prioritize accordingly. Surveys and
market research are commonly used tools to collect customer input for these rankings. This
ensures that the design focuses on what truly matters to the end user.
3. Organizing Customer Requirements – Objective Tree
The final step is organizing the customer requirements using an objective tree, a tool used
to create a clear and structured representation of the project’s design goals. The process
involves:
. Preparing a List of Objectives: These are gathered through client interviews and
internal team discussions. It is essential to ask in-depth questions to fully understand
the customer's expectations.
. Ordering Objectives: Organize them into higher-level and lower-level objectives to
reflect their relationship and significance.
. Drawing the Objective Tree: This diagram visually displays the hierarchy and
connections between objectives, helping both the design team and the customer agree
on the goals of the project.
The objective tree promotes clarity, avoids misinterpretation, and ensures all design efforts
align with the core customer requirements.
Conclusion
In engineering design, the objectives of customer requirements are to:
● Convert vague customer needs into clear requirements.
● Prioritize them based on importance and feasibility.
● Organize them into a structured format using an objective tree.
This approach enables engineers to develop products that are functional, cost-effective, and
aligned with user expectations, ultimately leading to successful and user-centered designs.
Here’s a brief summary of the objectives of identifying, prioritizing, and organizing customer
requirements based on your notes:
Objectives of Customer Requirements
. Identifying Requirements
○ Convert vague customer needs into clear, detailed requirements without
suggesting solutions.
○ Ensure these requirements accurately reflect what the customer wants the
product to do.
. Prioritizing Requirements
○ Rank requirements by importance (1 to 10), distinguishing between:
◆ Demands (D): Essential requirements, always rated 10.
◆ Wishes (W): Non-essential, rated from 1 to 10.
○ Resolve conflicts between requirements (e.g., cost vs. functionality).
○ Use customer feedback and surveys to guide prioritization.
. Organizing Requirements (Objective Tree)
○ Structure requirements into a clear hierarchy using an objective tree:
. Gather and list all design objectives through customer and team
discussions.
. Group them into higher- and lower-level objectives.
. Create a visual tree diagram to show relationships and ensure shared
understanding.
This process ensures the final product aligns with customer expectations and design
feasibility.