Identification of modular platform potential in complex product portfolios using data analytics

Abstract

The trend of product individualization results in a growing product variety while at the same time the globalized competition forces companies to react on the severe cost rivalry. An increasing number of companies develop new or adapt existing modular product platforms for their product portfolio as an approach in order to tackle these challenges. The structure of modular platforms thereby plays a fundamental role for the efficiency of product realization and hence the profit for the company. Customer requirements, their functional realizations as well as technical solutions must be analyzed for portfolio products to provide a good overview of potential modular platform candidates. Using data analytics in the early planning stages supports the process of gaining transparency, understanding how product attributes are related and generates important knowledge for the following stages of modular platform development. A comprehensive approach helps to optimize the scope of modular platforms and shows the allocation of suitable product candidates for the modularization process based on decisive criterions.