Yoji Akao

Yoji Akao (赤尾 洋二, Akao Yōji^?, born 1928) is a Japanese planning specialist recognized as the developer of Hoshin Kanri (a strategic planning methodology). With the late Shigeru Mizuno, he developed Quality Function Deployment (a group decision making technique). Akao and Mizuno also co-founded the Quality Function Deployment Institute: a non-profit organization dedicated to dissemination and advancement of QFD.

Akao received a Ph.D. in 1964 from the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Akao authored or co-authored several books:

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