Page 145 - DMGT525_MATERIALS_MANAGEMENT

Materials Management

Notes costs are out of line with the value of that mechanism as derived from customer requirements
and function analysis.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

9. The Function Cost Matrix displays the ……………… of the product.
10. The total cost and …………. contribution of the functions of the item under study will
guide the team.

10.4 Function Analysis System Technique

Function Analysis System Technique (FAST) is an evolution of the value analysis process created
by Charles by the way. FAST permits people with different technical backgrounds to effectively
communicate and resolve issues that require multi-disciplined considerations. FAST builds
upon VA by linking the simply expressed, verb-noun functions to describe complex systems.
FAST is not an end product or result, but rather a beginning. It describes the item or system
under study and causes the team to think through the functions that the item or system performs,
forming the basis for a wide variety of subsequent approaches and analysis techniques. FAST
contributes significantly to perhaps the most important phase of value engineering: function
analysis. FAST is a creative stimulus to explore innovative avenues for performing functions.

The FAST diagram or model is an excellent communications vehicle. Using the verb-noun rules
in function analysis creates a common language, crossing all disciplines and technologies.
It allows multi-disciplined team members to contribute equally and communicate with one
another while addressing the problem objectively without bias or preconceived conclusions.
With FAST, there are no right or wrong model or result. The problem should be structured until
the product development team members are satisfied that the real problem is identified. After
agreeing on the problem statement, the single most important output of the multi-disciplined
team engaged in developing a FAST model is consensus. Since the team has been charged with
the responsibility of resolving the assigned problem, it is their interpretation of the FAST
model that reflects the problem statement that’s important. The team members must discuss and
reconfigure the FAST model until consensus is reached and all participating team members are
satisfied that their concerns are expressed in the model. Once consensus has been achieved, the
FAST model is complete and the team can move on to the next creative phase.
FAST differs from value analysis in the use of intuitive logic to determine and test function
dependencies and the graphical display of the system in a function dependency diagram or
model. Another major difference is in analyzing a system as a complete unit, rather than analyzing
the components of a system. When studying systems it becomes apparent that functions do not
operate in a random or independent fashion. A system exists because functions form dependency
links with other functions, just as components form a dependency link with other components
to make the system work. The importance of the FAST approach is that it graphically displays
function dependencies and creates a process to study function links while exploring options to
develop improved systems.
There are normally two types of FAST diagrams, the technical FAST diagram and the customer
FAST diagram. A technical FAST diagram is used to understand the technical aspects of a specific
portion of a total product. A customer FAST diagram focuses on the aspects of a product that the
customer cares about and does not delve into the technicalities, mechanics or physics of the
product. A customer FAST diagram is usually applied to a total product.

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