Kivi – Methodical Framework for the Development of Customer-Specific Product Families based on Modular Product Structures
Final Report Abstract
Modular product families provide a solution in the conflict between standardization and differentiation. By configuring modules, product variants can be offered with minimal internal variety. Up to now, standardized, variant and optional modules have been used here. However, the trend towards individualization leads customers to want not just a range of product variants, but also a product tailored to their individual needs. Personalizable modules are introduced accordingly, having targeted personalization scopes to offer the possibility of adopting customer-specific attributes. Standardized processes and a compatible product architecture make it possible to better manage product individualization in a complexity controllable manner. However, existing methods for product structuring do not yet take personalizable modules sufficiently into account. The aim of the Kivi project is therefore to develop a method for personalizable product families. To do this, personalization indicators were first developed which can be used to identify components and product characteristics in the product architecture of a product family that are potentially suitable for personalization. In particular components, which have a relation to the fit or the appearance of a product, are individualized. In addition, the variety of a component or past special solutions also indicate an individualization significance. In the context of the project the existing impact model of modular product families (IMF) was extended by the modularity characteristic of personalizability to the IMF+P. Thus, company effects of modular product architectures with personalizable modules can be shown and assessed. Based on the results of all the analyses, method phases have been defined. For example, the identified indicators are used to design a method phase for identifying personalization potentials with subsequent concept definition. In a further method phase, the evaluation of the concept alternatives takes place on the basis of an operationalization of the customer and company benefits as well as the evaluation of the company-internal process impacts. Visualization tools support the different method phases. The applicability, usability and usefulness of the method was finally proven in validation studies. The findings of the project were successfully published. To sum up, it can be concluded that a method for the development of personalizable product families could be successfully developed within the scope of the project.
Publications
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Characteristic-Oriented Complexity Cost Analysis for Evaluating Individual Product Attributes. Lecture Notes in Mechanical Engineering, 686-693. Springer International Publishing.
Kuhl, Juliane; Rennpferdt, Christoph & Krause, Dieter
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Analyzing Dependencies between Product Architecture and Module Drivers. DS 119: Proceedings of the 33rd Symposium Design for X (DFX2022), 10-10. The Design Society.
Zuefle, Marc
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Identifying Potentials of Product Personalization. Volume 6: 34th International Conference on Design Theory and Methodology (DTM). American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Kuhl, Juliane & Krause, Dieter
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Effects of Product Personalization: Considering Personalizability in the Product Architecture of Modular Product Families. Journal of Mechanical Design, 146(4).
Vogt, Juliane; Woeller, Lea-Nadine & Krause, Dieter
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Methode zur individualisierungsgerechten Gestaltung modularer Produktfamilien, Dissertation, Technische Universität Hamburg, 2023
Vogt, J.
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Personalization Indication Radar (PIR), Zenodo, 2023.
Vogt, J. & Krause, D.
