Certification Processes FSP
Functions, Solutions & Processes Certification (FSP)
To become a certified FSP professional, please use the contact form to submit your request. You can specify the type of product you wish to work on, such as medical devices, machinery, electrical equipment, etc. By email, you will receive your assigned product, service, or system to analyze, along with information on the application cost. You can then decide whether to proceed or withdraw. No fees are involved in this step.
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Follow all the steps below using only open-source materials. No proprietary information shall be used. Compile all results into a report, ensuring that no proprietary information is included. Submit the report for review and potential approval. Please note that we will not review your report until the fee has been paid.
Ensure each section of your analysis is clear, concise, and well-documented. You need to demonstrate the knowledge and skills expected of all "Certified FSP Professionals".
WoW Products (Chapter 1)
It is essential to understand what a WoW product is and the benefits it provides for an organization. A WoW product can be recognized by specific criteria that are important to identify.
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1.1 List three products that you think are good examples of WoW products. Explain why they are good examples, using specific criteria such as innovation, customer satisfaction, business success, or some other criteria.
1.2 The chapter mentions nine common mistakes organizations make. Give examples from your own experience of one or several of these mistakes, or add a different mistake that you think could be added to the list. Use specific examples to support your answer.
1.3 Investigate the market for your assigned product. Is there any manufacturer's product on the market today that can be regarded as a WoW product? Motivate your understanding.
1.3 Of all the different competing products on the market for your assigned product, you should select one manufacturer's product to work on. Motivate why you chose that product. This product will be referred to as the "defined product" in the following steps.
Unlocking Customer Value (Chapter 2)
Customer Value is often just a cliché, but it needs to be transformed into a practical tool to drive product development and innovation. It is essential to understand the steps involved in this transformation.
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2.1 Give one example of a product that has gone through all the phases of the S-curve and has also at one time gone through a radical shift to a new S-curve. Explain the reasons behind this shift and the impact it had on the product and the organization involved. Use specific examples and data to support your answer. In the slide presentation, the mobile phone is used. Do something similar but for a different product.
2.2 Position your defined product on the S-curve and explain why it is at that stage. Are there different competing products at other positions on the S-curve? Explain and motivate your answer.
2.3 In which of the six dimensions for increasing value (Problems, Results, Feelings, Time, Money, Effort) has your defined product excelled? In which of the six dimensions do you think the potential is the greatest to build more value? Motivate your answer.
Five domains of information (Chapter 3)
Specific information could be handled, for example, in a PDM system. However, value-critical information should be handled using the five domains of information. You need to be fluent in analyzing information and placing it in the right domain. To be fluent in analyzing information and placing it in the right domain means being able to quickly and accurately identify the type of information and determine which domain it belongs in.
3.1 On slide 3:23 different types of information for a mobile phone are listed. Place each information piece (sound bite) in the right information domain. For example, Gorilla Glass Screen is a technical solution in the solution domain.
3.2 Do the same for your defined product. Give examples of two possible pieces of information or sound bites in each of the five domains.
3.3 Do the Why/How logic for one customer need listed in 3.2.
Determine the Functions (Chapter 6)
Clarifying functions that affect customer value is crucial in understanding how any product or service creates and destroys value. It is the foundation for benchmarking, specification, or value-based selling.
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6.1 Formulate 10 functions your defined product performs that impact customer value. Express them clearly in the appropriate syntax (Verb-noun-verb-(clarifier)). It should include examples of Main, Additional, Unwanted, and Support functions. Motivate why a function belongs to that category.
6.2 Develop a Value chart for your defined product with at least five metrics for one main, one additional, and one unwanted function from 6.1. Give examples of current and possible target values.
6.3 ​Product Architecture: Outline a simple architecture with around ten components or subsystems.
6.4 Functional Diagram: Draw a diagram showing the relationships and interactions between different functional providers. Highlight where value is created and where it is lost.
6.5 Value-Increasing Challenges: Formulate at least five challenges, using the correct syntax ( How to ...).
Create the Solution (Chapter 7)
Creating a solution that meets customer needs requires knowledge and skills in using powerful, innovative tools.
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7.1 Mini ARIZ Analysis: Take one challenge through the mini ARIZ process, detailing each step, and provide possible solutions.
7.2 ​Inventive Principles: Apply at least two inventive principles to your product or system and illustrate the proposed solutions schematically.
7.3 AI System Application: Utilize an AI system to address one value-increasing challenge and document the resulting insights.
​7.4 Trends of Evolution: Apply at least two trends of evolution to your product or system and show the possible solutions schematically.
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Define the Processes (Chapter 8)
Clarify how your proposed new product or system supports the entire customer journey. Making it is easy, effortless, and enjoyable.
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8. 1 FMEA Analysis: Identify three functional deviations of the main function and calculate their impact (RPN value).
8.2 Customer Interaction Steps: Walk through five steps of customer interaction, formulating a core theme for each.
Write the Report
Compile all results into a report, ensuring no proprietary information is included. Submit the report for review and potential approval. Make sure each section of your analysis is clear, concise, and well-documented to demonstrate your competence.
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Final Interview
The final step is an interview conducted over Zoom or Teams, during which we will discuss your report in detail. You will have the opportunity to explain how you performed the steps above. This is also an opportunity for you to ask questions regarding any unclear parts of the WoW concept.