This workshop marked the "official" introduction of QFD to Malaysia. Dr. Azman Idris (Head of Service Quality & Research Section of Quality and Enterprise Management Center of SIRIM) has known Prof. Akao and Catherine for many years. In view of the need of increasing competitiveness of the industry, Dr. Idris found that it is very necessary to bring QFD into Malaysia for assisting enterprises on improving quality and doing product and service development.
The workshop was held at De Palma Hotel in Shah Alam. More than 30 managers and professionals of different industries from various parts of Malaysia came to learn QFD from Prof. Akao.
Prof. Yoji Akao & Dr. Catherine Y. P. Chan with the participants of the QFD Workshop in Malaysia in 2010
In the workshop, the participants were divided into groups, with each group selecting a product for doing exercise. Prof. Akao taught the participants how to extract demanded qualities from the voice of the customer and translate the demanded qualities into quality elements. Catherine facilitated the groups on doing the exercise after Prof. Akao's instruction. The groups presented their exercises in the afternoon of the second day.
Though the workshop was only of introductory level, the participants reflected that they had learned a lot. Many claimed that the QFD process is a detailed process but a very good opportunity for members to thoroughly discuss the product. The participants enjoyed the workshop very much. They were very happy having the chance of learning QFD from the founder.
Two-day QFD Workshop in Malaysia conducted by Prof. Yoji Akao & Dr. Catherine Y. P. Chan in 2010
Dr. Azman Idris of SIRIM thanked Prof. Akao
for his coming to Malaysia to introduce QFD
Prof. Akao presented Dr. Azman Idris
his latest book on QFD
The workshop was very successful. In the evening of the second day, Mr. Sufuan Idris (Head of Service Quality & Research Section of Quality and Enterprise Management Center of SIRIM) and his team joined with Supardi Bai (interpreter of the workshop), Prof. & Mrs. Akao, Catherine & her husband as well as participants for having a dinner party at a local satay restaurant. On the one hand, the participants would like to say "thank-you" to Prof. Akao and Catherine. On the other hand, Sufuan and his team members would like to take this opportunity to celebrate the efforts they had made for organizing this wonderful event. They were proud of being the organizer of presenting the first Prof. Akao's QFD Workshop in Malaysia. Everybody enjoyed the delicious food and drinks and all of them talked about QFD at the dinner. Prof. Akao enjoyed satay of all kinds. He told us that the spicy food of South East Asia recalled his memory on his happy childhood in Indonesia.
"Cheer" for celebrating the success of the first QFD Workshop in Malaysia
