Customer FAST Diagramming: A Process to Facilitate Vehicle Development

The effect of Value Engineering on vehicle development has been successfully applied to facilitate automotive sub systems. The results have dramatically supported the Concurrent Engineering process and also helped identify problems early on in the development process, and also facilitated the problem resolution process early in the conceptual phase. This work includes results from sub system clinics and the concept alternative phase.

The objectives of this paper is to:

• Explain the purpose and benefits using Customer FAST diagramming to understand end user's and/or owner's needs and desires as they relate to vehicle subsystems
• Describe the features of a Customer FAST diagram
• Explain how to construct a Customer FAST diagram
• Explain how to use the information generated from a Customer FAST diagram.