Quality Planning and Strategic Deployment
What the exam tests
This domain covers how customer requirements become controlled production: APQP phasing, PPAP evidence, control plans, FMEA linkage, Hoshin Kanri deployment and QFD prioritization. Expect sequencing questions and numeric prioritization.
Core rules
- APQP has five phases: plan and define the program; product design and development; process design and development; product and process validation; feedback, assessment and corrective action. PPAP submission follows Phase 4; it is not a phase itself.
- The control plan has three versions (prototype, pre-launch, production) and must be revised whenever a process or engineering change is approved. Special characteristics flow from DFMEA to PFMEA to control plan to work instructions.
- Hoshin Kanri deploys three-to-five-year breakthrough objectives into annual objectives using an X-matrix that ties objectives, strategies, metrics and owners; "catchball" is the iterative negotiation that sets feasible targets.
- QFD converts voice of customer into technical requirements through a relationship matrix scored 9/3/1, weighted by customer importance.
Worked example
Two customer requirements: CR1 importance 5, CR2 importance 3. Relationship scores to technical requirement TR1 are 9 and 3; to TR2 they are 3 and 9. TR1 score = (5x9)+(3x3) = 54. TR2 score = (5x3)+(3x9) = 42. TR1 ranks first and receives engineering effort first, even though TR2 serves the second requirement better. The reasoning is that weighting, not raw relationship strength, drives priority.
Traps that cost marks
Mixing PPAP elements (18 in AIAG) with APQP phase deliverables. Forgetting to update the control plan after a change, which is a frequent audit finding. Scoring QFD with unweighted 9/3/1 values. Treating Kano "attractive" qualities as voiced requirements when customers cannot articulate them. Treating a launch timeline as deployment without owners and metrics.