Product portfolio map: a visual tool for supporting product variant discovery and structuring

doi:10.1007/s40436-014-0077-y

Abstract

Abstract: A fundamental criterion for reusing and continuously improving knowledge in product development is ensuring that the knowledge is explicit and visual. This
paper is based on the situation of an engineer-to-order (ETO) manufacturing company, where historically grown product variety and related knowledge are diffuse (tacit).Consequently, several resources are used in (re)developing derivatives of previous products rather than innovating new ones. To establish a more competitive configure-to-order (CTO) product strategy, product knowledge needs to be revealed, systemized, and structured, and thus made explicit. Hence, product-specific knowledge and product variants have been analyzed and subsequently mapped at architectural, functional, and physical levels in one unified map and tested in the form of a proof-of-concept (POC) demonstrator with the introduced SME company. The result is a product portfolio map that forms a base for defining a systemized, transparent, unified product variant overview, which can be used as a basis for implementing a cross-variant product architecture and supporting knowledge-based approaches.

Key words: Knowledge-based development (KBD) , Knowledge discovery , Product architecture , Product portfolio mapping

So¨ren Ulonska ? Torgeir Welo. Product portfolio map: a visual tool for supporting product variant discovery and structuring[J]. Advances in Manufacturing, 2014, 2(2): 179-191.

TrendMD

References

1. Kumar S, Wellbrock J (2009) Improved new product develop ment through enhanced design architecture for engineer-to-order companies. Int J Prod Res 47(15):4235–4254

2. Sanchez R (2004) Creating modular platforms for strategic flexibility. Design Manag Rev 15(1):58–67

3. Shankar R, Mittal N, Rabinowitz S, Baveja A, Acharia S (2012) A collaborative framework to minimise knowledge loss in new product development. Int J Prod Res 51(7):1–11

4. Wang KS (2013) Towards zero-defect manufacturing (ZDM)—a data mining approach. Adv Manuf 1(1):62–74

5. Agard B, Kusiak A (2004) Data mining for subassembly selection.J Manuf Sci Eng 126(8):627–631

6. Wang K (2007) Applying data mining to manufacturing: the nature and implications. J Intell Manuf 18(4):487–495

7. Gupta A, Jain PK, Kumar D (2013) A novel approach for part family formation using k-means algorithm. Adv Manuf 1(3):241–250

8. Stump B, Badurdeen F (2012) Integrating lean and other strategies for mass customization manufacturing: a case study. J Intell Manuf 23(1):109–124

9. Kennedy BM, Sobek DK, Kennedy MN (2013) Reducing rework by applying set-based practices early in the systems engineering process. Systems Eng

10. Bessant J, Caffyn S, Gallagher M (2001) An evolutionary model of continuous improvement behaviour. Technovation 21(2):67–77

11. Kusiak A, Huang CC (1996) Development of modular products.Compon Packag Manuf Technol 19(4):523–538

12. Agard B, Bassetto S (2012) Modular design of product families for quality and cost. Int J Prod Res 51(6):1648–1667

13. Harlou U (2006) Developing product families based on archtectures.Dissertation, Technical University of Denmark

14. Kuroda M, Mihira H (2007) Strategic inventory holding to allow the estimation of earlier due dates in make-to-order production.Int J Prod Res 46(2):495–508

15. Ramesh B, Tiwana A (1999) Supporting collaborative process knowledge management in new product development teams.Decis Support Syst 27(1):213–235

16. Gieskes JFB, Langenberg I (2001) Learning and improvement in product innovation processes: enabling behaviors. Systems Eng 4(2):134–144

17. Nonaka I, Takeuchi H (1995) The knowledge-creating company.Oxford University Press, New York

18. Hines P, Holweg M, Rich N (2004) Learning to evolve: a review of contemporary lean thinking. Int J Oper Prod Manag 24(10):994–1011

19. Sanchez R, Collins RP (2002) Competing—and learning—in modular markets. Long Range Plan 34(6):645–667

20. Shook J (2008) Managing to learn: using the A3 management process to solve problems, gain agreement, mentor and lead. Lean Enterprise Institute, Cambridge

21. Nonaka I, Toyama R, Konno N (2000) SECI, BA, and leadership:a unified model of dynamic knowledge creation. Long Range Plan 33(1):5–34

22. Mortensen NH et al (2008) Implementing a product platform in 35 man-days: the visual thinking approach. Int J Mass Cust 2(3):240–263

23. Colosimo BM, Poggi A, Tolio T (2002) The tooling system configuration in a new manufacturing system architecture. Int J Prod Res 40(15):3779–3790

24. Mortensen NH, Hansen CL, Hvam L (2011) Proactive modelling of market, product and production architectures. In: The 18th international conference on engineering design, Copenhagen,pp 133–144

25. Mortensen NH et al (2008) Modelling and visualising modular product architectures for mass customisation. Int J Mass Cust 2(3):216–239

26. Larsson F (2007) Managing the new product portfolio—an end to-end approach. Dissertation, Technical University of Denmark,Lyngby 27. Patterson ML (2005) New product portfolio planning and management. In: Kahn KB (ed) The PDMA handbook of new product development. Wiley, Hoboken

28. Simpson TW (2004) Product platform design and customization:status and promise. AI EDAM 18(01):3–20

29. Haug A (2012) Improving the design phase through interorgani sational product knowledge models. Int J Prod Res 51(2):626–639

30. Pimmler TU, Eppinger S (1994) Integration analysis of product decompositions. In: ASME design theory and methodlogy conference,Minneapolis, pp 343–351

31. Steward DV (1991) Planning and managin the design of systems.Technology management: the new international language, Portland,pp 189–193

32. Bruun HPL, Mortensen NH (2012) Visual product architecture modelling for structuring data in a PLMsystem. In: Rivest L, Bouras A, Louhichi B (eds) Product lifecycle management towards knowledge-rich enterprises. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 598–611

33. Bruun HPL, Mortensen NH, Harlou U (2013) Interface diagram:design tool for supporting the development of modularity in complex product systems. Concurrent Engineering. doi: 10.1177/1063293X13516329

34. Harlou U (2008) Developing product families based on architectures:contribution to a theory of product families. Dissertation,Technical University of Denmark

35. Hvam L, Mortensen NH, Riis J (2008) Product customization.Springer, Heidelberg

36. Morgan JM, Liker JK (2006) The Toyota product development system: integrating people, process, and technology. Productivity Press, New York

37. Womack JP, Jones DT, Roos D (2007) The machine that changed the world: the story of lean production–Toyota’s secret weapon in the global car wars that is now revolutionizing world industry.Free Press; Reprint edition (March 13, 2007)

38. Khan MS, Al-Ashaab A, Shehab E et al (2011) Towards lean product and process development. Int J Comput Integr Manuf 26(12):1105–1116

39. Welo T (2011) On the application of lean principles in product development: a commentary on models and practices. Int J Prod Develop 13(4):316–343

40. Ulonska S, Welo T (2013) New perspectives in the quest for unification of ‘‘lean’’ with traditional engineering design methodology.CIRP design conference. Springer, Bochum

41. VDI2221 (1993) Methodik zum entwickeln und konstruieren technischer systeme und Produkte. VDI-Verlag, Du¨sseldorf

42. Gershenson J, Prasad G, Zhang Y (2003) Product modularity:definitions and benefits. J Eng Design 14(3):295–313

43. Ulrich K (1995) The role of product architecture in the manufacturing firm. Res Policy 24:419–440

44. Da Cunha C, Agard B, Kusiak A (2007) Design for cost: modulebased mass customization. Autom Sci Eng 4(3):350–359

45. Agard B, da Cunha C, Cheung B (2009) Composition of module stock for final assembly using an enhanced genetic algorithm. Int J Prod Res 47(20):5829–5842

46. Kristjansson AH, Hildre HP (2004) Platform strategy: a study of influencing factors. In: NordDesign conference, Tampere,pp 114–123

47. Hansen CL et al (2012) Towards a clsssification of architecture initiatives: outlining the external factors.In: NordDesign 2012,Aalborg University, Aalborg

48. Caux C, David F, Pierreval H (2006) Implementation of delayed differentiation in batch process industries: a standardization problem. Int J Prod Res 44(16):3243–3255

49. Ivanovic´ A, America P (2010) Customer value in architecture decision making. Software architecture. Springer, Heidelberg,pp 263–278

50. Hansen CL, Mortensen NH, Hvam L (2012) On the market aspect of product design: towards a definition of an architecture of the market. In: International design conference—design 2012, Dubrovnik,Croatia

51. Huffman C, Kahn BE (1998) Variety for sale: mass customization or mass confusion? J Retail 74(4):491–513

52. Baldwin CY, Clark KB (2003) Managing in an age of modularity.Harv Bus Rev 75(5):84–93

53. Cai S, Goh M, de Souza R, Li G (2012) Knowledge sharing in collaborative supply chains: twin effects of trust and power. Int J Prod Res 51(7):2060–2076

54. Pahl G et al (2007) Konstruktionslehre, 7th edn. Springer, Berlin

55. Ulrich K, Eppinger S (2004) Product design and development. Irwin McGraw-Hill, Boston

56. Go¨pfer J (1998) Modulare produktentwicklung—Zur gemeinsamen gestaltung von technik und organisation. Deutscher Universita ¨tsverlag, Wiesbaden

57. Ulonska S, Welo T (2012) A methodology for combining functional,principal and product structures applied to manufacturing technology development. In: IWAMA, Wang K, Strand-Hagen JO, Tu, Dawe, Trondheim, pp 139–146

58. Sudjianto A and Otto K (2001) Modularization to support multiple brand platforms. Proceedings of DETC2001

59. Mortensen NH et al. (2000) Conceptual modeling of product families in configuration projects. In: Workshop at the 14th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, Berlin

60. Cranefield S, Purvis M (1999) UML as an ontology modelling language 900

61. van Veen E, Wortmann J (1987) Generic bills of material in assemble-to-order manufacturing. Int J Prod Res 25(11):1645–1658

62. Kennedy MN (2003) Product development for the lean enterprise.The Oklea Press, Richmond

63. Baldwin C, Clark K (2006) Modularity in the design of complex engineering systems. In: Braha D, Minai AA, Bar-Yam Y (eds) Complex engineered systems. Springer, Heidelberg, pp 175–205

64. Holland JH (1992) Adaption in natural and artificial systems.MIT Press, Cambridge

65. Riitahuhta A et al (2011) Open product development. In: Birkhofer H (ed) The future of design methodology. Springer,London, pp 135–146

66. Sosa ME, Eppinger S, Rowles CM (2004) The misalignment of product architecture and organizational structure in complex product development. Manag Sci 50(12):1674–1689

67. Mankins JC (1995) Technology readiness levels. White Paper, 6 April

68. Matta A et al (2000) A new system architecture compared with conventional production system architectures. Int J Prod Res 38(17):4159–4169

69. Henriksen B, Rolstada°s A (2009) Knowledge and manufacturing strategy—how different manufacturing paradigms have different requirements to knowledge. Examples from the automotive industry. Int J Prod Res 48(8):2413–2430

70. Haug A, Lisberg T, Hvam L (2008) A software tool for design and documentation of configurator knowledge bases. Mass customization services. DTU Management, Kongens Lyngb,pp 199–218