23. DfX-Symposium 2012 Matrix based approach in assessing opti- mum robust product architectures Krešimir Osman, Dorian Marjanovi ć Department of Design, Chair of Design and Product Development Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, University of Za- greb, Croatia 1 Abstract This paper proposes a matrix based approach with aim to help mechanical designers tackle the problem of risk emerging in assessing product architec- ture under the uncertain operating conditions in early design stages. The presented approach combines existing matrix based methods - Quality Func- tion Deployment (QFD) and Multiple-Domain Matrix (MDM) methods with the Function-Based Failure Propagation (FBFP) method. The QFD method is an integrated set of tools for recording user requirements, engineering charac- teristics that satisfy these requirements, and any trade-offs that might be necessary between the engineering characteristics, while the MDM method is applied to model structural arrangements and dependencies between the domains and within themselves. The FBFP method is applied at the functional level providing information of potential failure based on product functions during conceptual design in product subsystems. As a result of the proposed approach, risk analysis of subsystems becomes possible and feedback on structural analysis of product architecture could be provided. To obtain the optimum robust product architectures from available alternative solutions a continuous risk analysis of the system is proposed. The analysis is performed through all stages from initialization through later refinements with several evaluation criteria: complexity, interdependency and process duration.