Akao Prize
In 1996, Dr. Yoji Akao, co-founder of QFD, convinced that the substantial evolution and contribution of QFD world wide merited recognition of those who had made it possible, agreed to the creation of a Prize in his honor.
The Akao Prize is now awarded to individuals around the world who have demonstrated Excellence in their practice and dissemination of QFD for many years.
Taken into consideration are high level research, authorship, teaching, practical applications, innovation, and personal commitment and service to the QFD community world wide, including presentation at the International Symposium on QFD, contribution in QFDI/ICQFD research activities, and continual skills upgrading through QFD Certificates training.
Selection follows the model of the Deming Prize, whereby candidates are proposed by a committee of Dr. Akao, the Executive Director of the QFD Institute, and past Prize recipients. The Akao Prize is presented by Dr. Akao and the Executive Director of the QFD Institute annually at the International Symposium on QFD.
| Year | Recipients |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Sixten Schockert, Dipl. Wirt.-Inf. (Germany) Yoshimichi Watanabe, Ph.D. (Japan) |
| 2011 | Jutta Saatweber, Dipl.-Ing (Germany) |
| 2010 | Carey W. Hepler (USA) |
| 2009 | Wolfram Pietsch, Ph.D. (Germany) |
| 2008 | Akira Takayanagi (Japan) |
| 2007 | Thomas Saaty, Ph.D. (USA) |
| 2006 | Verónica González Bosch (Mexico) Toshiyuki Mochimoto, Ph.D. (Japan) |
| 2005 | Fatih Yenginol, Ph.D. (Turkey) Yasuhisa Tsuda, Ph.D. (Japan) |
| 2004 | Koji Tanaka (Japan) |
| 2003 | Harold Ross (USA) Tomoyoshi Naoi, Ph.D. (Japan) |
| 2002 | Atsushi Ootaki, Ph.D (Japan) Robert A. Hunt, Ph.D. (Australia) Ian A. Ferguson (UK) |
| 2001 | Noriharu Kaneko (Japan) Akashi Fukuhara (Japan) Satoshi "Cha" Nakui (Japan) Thomas Fehlmann, Ph.D. (Sweitzerland) |
| 2000 | Kozo Koura, Ph.D. (Japan) Georg Herzwurm, Ph.D. (Germany) Dilworth Lyman (USA) |
| 1999 | Michiteru Ono (Japan) Anders Gustafsson, Ph.D. (Sweden) John Terninko, Ph.D. (USA) Jack ReVelle, Ph.D. (USA) |
| 1998 | Bo Bergman, Ph.D. (Sweden) Glenn H. Mazur (USA) Tadashi Ohfuji (Japan) Richard E. Zultner (USA) |
| 1997 | Robert M. Adams (USA) Don Clausing, Ph.D. (USA) Alberto Galgano (Itlay) Hisakazu Shindo, Ph.D. (Japan) |
| 1996 | Bob King (USA) Larry Sullivan (USA) Tadashi Yoshizawa, Ph.D. (Japan) |
The Akao Prize is administered by the QFD Institute, per Dr. Akao's request.