The performance requirements analysis with fuzzy logic

This paper presents an innovative approach based on fuzzy logic to the Performance Requirements Analysis which is the first step of Target Costing. This analysis provides relevant information to designers on the importance of functions and components of the product. Traditional models are not able to process qualitative information provided by customers. In the first part of the paper we describe the model, while in the second part we show experimental results obtained by interviewing the customers of a large Italian company. The fuzzy model has many practical advantages: the company can process qualitative information, can consider the degree of uncertainty and imprecision of respondents, can calculate reliable values of importance of functions and components of the product.