User-centred machinery design for a small scale agricultural-based community using Quality Function Deployment

ABSTRACT

Design Thinking is a user-centred framework that captures unmet needs of users and generates ideas for sustainable solutions. Quality Function Deployment is a tool that translates the voice of customers into engineering attributes required for product and process design. Both concepts are globally adopted in various fields including but not limited to; manufacturing industries, business and service sectors, education, research, health care and social innovation. This study aims to propose a methodological framework that combine principles from user-driven ideation and customer-focused product/process design for the development of a sustainable solution in the context of small-scale agricultural community. The framework is validated with a case study at a learning community centre in Thailand. The machine was built with functions that allowed it to shred plants and mix the fertiliser simultaneously which was well accepted and sustainably used in the community. A policy recommendation based on this study is when working with community-based problems, the designers should immerse themselves with the community to completely understand the problem and solution context. A co-creation between the designers and the community users is encouraged to obtain impactful solutions. Local resources and accessible technology should be taken into account to reassure an effective and sustainable solution.

KEYWORDS:

• Agricultural machinery
• user-centered design
• design thinking
• co-creation
• stakeholder engagement
• sustainable solution

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the collaboration with Singapore Polytechnic on a transnational social innovation programme (Learning Express). We acknowledge students, instructors and staff of Soontharomattaprachasun School, RMUTT and Singapore Polytechnic for their participation in the DT process. We acknowledge the support from the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Department of Industrial Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, RMUTT.

Disclosure statement

All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organisation or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

Data availability statement

All data generated or analysed during this study are included in this published article.

Additional information

Funding

No funding was received for conducting this study.

Notes on contributors

Sanidda Tiewtoy

Sanidda Tiewtoy is an Assistant Professor at the Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) Thailand. She received a DEng in Water Engineering Management, Asain Institute of Technology. Her research expertise is irrigation engineering and water management.

Weerasak Moocharoen

Weerasak Moocharoen is a lecturer at Agricultural Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) Thailand. His research is agricultural machinery and power system.

Natha Kuptasthien

Natha Kuptasthien is an Associate Professor at the Industrial Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) Thailand. She received MS and PhD in Engineering Management from University of Missouri-Rolla, USA. Her research areas are Production and Operation Management and Engineering Education.