An Approach for reducing Variety across Product Families
Year: 2012
Editor: Assoc. Prof. Poul Kyvsgaard Hansen, Professor John Rasmussen, Assoc. Prof. Kaj A. Jřrgensen, Assoc. Prof. Christian Tollestrup
Author: Eilmus, Sandra; Krause, Dieter
Series: NordDESIGN
Institution: 1: Aalborg University, Denmark; 2: Design Society, United Kingdom
ISBN: 978-87-91831-51-5
Abstract
Reducing internal variety in a company needs to move beyond the focus of development of product families, as industrial case studies have shown. To systematically achieve this, a methodical approach is needed to support product designers. Steps and tools from methods for product program planning and product family design as well as basic ideas of modularity, commonality and platform thinking are integrated into an approach for the Development of Modular Product Programs.
Keywords: Product Family, Product Program, Modularity, Platform, Commonality