Whirlpool Company - Mr. Chuck Jones

1. Making great decision of a consumer product is a critical challenge for the companies. In case of failing the customer want leads to decrease the market of that product.

2. For example, according to this case of whirlpool company, the product designer, Mr. Chuck Jones, is realizing that the process of making design decisions should be improved. But the difficulty is occurring extra cost which is $ 5 and asking by the management that what would be the return on investment then he isnot able to give any data on that.

3. Then Mr. Chuck Jones simply surveyed other design-centric companies and found that most of them were following future investments on past performance only. Because those companies had known that it is difficult to understand the design's contribution like other business functions (marketing, manufacturing, distribution etc.) although they had talented people to work.

4. Finally, Mr. Chuck Jones concluded that if companies could work on the product design as per the customer want and need, they could realize the financial returns and for that he and his team brought a metrics-based approach which helped management to make the investment decisions on the

basis of a certain fact not on the basis of just a opinion. This also could able the companies to realize the financial returns as well.

Case Questions & Answers

Question-1:

Would you characterize product design decisions as structured or unstructured problems ??

Ans :

We characterize the product design decisions as a unstructured problem. Because it has the non-recurring in nature and occurs rarely. In this case Mr. Chuck Jones, the product designer is worried about to improve the process of product design decision. Such process occurs rarely. Because businesses never invests on that product who does not meet the customer need and want and for that, they do a lot of market investigations and expenses on it. After the report of investigation committee, management come to take decisions whether to invest or not. So, such kind of activities in business are done not in a frequently basis. Customer wants are not changes frequently (at least within a year).

Question-2:

Describe and evaluate the process Chuck went through to change the way design decisions were made. Describe and evaluate the company's new design decision process.

Ans :

Description of the process Chuck went through

to change the way design decisions were made :

When Mr. Chuck Jones