ppXML: Towards Generic and Extensible Modelling of Platform Products

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Q. Huang ◽  
S. Bin ◽  
K. L. Mak
Keyword(s):  
Web Services ◽  
Product Development ◽  
Mass Customization ◽  
Data Representation ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Product Platforms ◽  
Extensible Markup ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Product Platform Development

ppXML is an information infrastructure that enables and facilitates meaningful information and knowledge management within and interoperability between web services (applications) for Platform Product Development (PPD) — a formidable approach to agile product development (APD) for mass customization (MC). There are four folds of meanings in ppXML. Firstly, ppXML represents a set of constructs that are consistent with concepts and methods of Platform Product Development for Mass Customization. Secondly, derived from XML (eXtensible Markup Language) as a sublanguage, ppXML is a standard and yet extensible modeling language dedicated to the modelling of products and product platforms for PPD web services. Thirdly, ppXML serves as a product platform repository and a PPD web service registry, together with a set of online facilities for data representation and transformation between different components and parties involved in the web services. Finally, ppXML is a proof-of-theconcept online PPD portal, incorporating some essential web-based Decision Support Systems (DSS) for product platform development and product platform customization. This paper presents an overview of ppXML together with its background and underlying philosophy.

Decisions in Product Platform Development Projects

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (01) ◽  
pp. 1550001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter E. Harland ◽  
Haluk Yörür
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Product Variety ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Development Projects ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Platforms ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Product Platform Development

Introducing "product platforms" in companies to achieve competitive advantages, like decreased costs and increased product variety, is a widely recognized strategy in research and industry. Nevertheless, there are certain challenges involved in developing product platforms. In order to address this complexity, we focus on the decision-making perspective of platform development in this paper. Based on a systematic literature review, we identify the decisions in product platform development projects (PPDP) and categorize them. We identified 21 decisions that are made within PPDP, which represent a greater scope of decisions than presented in the literature sources reviewed. The plausibility of these platform project decisions is illustrated with a case study of a perennial platform development project within the automotive supply industry. While most of the literature sources only mention very few decisions, the case study shows the complexity and high number of decisions required for an actual PPDP. In addition, it also recognizes all of the prior reviews of the decisions identified. Unlike in the literature, the decisions in the case study were made over a certain period of time. Therefore, we propose that the dynamics of the decision-making process in PPDP have to be taken into account. The set of PPDP decisions identified will help project managers to structure future PPDPs better and support researchers in building related product platform models.

INTER-FIRM PRODUCT PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

2005 ◽  
Vol 09 (02) ◽  
pp. 155-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
MAGNUS LUNDBÄCK ◽  
CHRISTER KARLSSON
Keyword(s):  
Economies Of Scale ◽  
Critical Factor ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
General Interest ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Platforms ◽  
Platform Architecture ◽  
Development Processes ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Product Platform Development

The product platform development process becomes critical and of general interest when different brand name products are developed from inter-firm developed product platforms. The inter-firm platform adds perspectives not considered in previous research. In this article areas related to the inter-firm product platform integration process are described. The study is a longitudinal, deep, explorative study aimed at identifying managerial challenges to inter-firm platform development and how they can be dealt with. Analysis shows that the factory sequence is a critical factor when developing inter-firm platform architecture. Also, making architectural concessions without jeopardising brand uniqueness places new demands on managers involved in the development processes. Further, we found a reciprocal interdependence between technological and managerial factors that created a need for innovative organisational and managerial solutions. Finally, reciprocal interdependences add complementary theoretical knowledge on how to better control and understand areas that hamper inter-firm product development projects from attaining cost-effective solutions and economies of scale.

scholarly journals Product platform design and customization: Status and promise

2004 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
TIMOTHY W. SIMPSON
Keyword(s):  
Product Development ◽  
Product Family ◽  
Lead Times ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Product Family Design ◽  
Research Activity ◽  
Global Marketplace ◽  
Product Families ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Product Platforms

In an effort to improve customization for today's highly competitive global marketplace, many companies are utilizing product families and platform-based product development to increase variety, shorten lead times, and reduce costs. The key to a successful product family is the product platform from which it is derived either by adding, removing, or substituting one or more modules to the platform or by scaling the platform in one or more dimensions to target specific market niches. This nascent field of engineering design has matured rapidly in the past decade, and this paper provides a comprehensive review of the flurry of research activity that has occurred during that time to facilitate product family design and platform-based product development for mass customization. Techniques for identifying platform leveraging strategies within a product family are reviewed along with metrics for assessing the effectiveness of product platforms and product families. Special emphasis is placed on optimization approaches and artificial intelligence techniques to assist in the process of product family design and platform-based product development. Web-based systems for product platform customization are also discussed. Examples from both industry and academia are presented throughout the paper to highlight the benefits of product families and product platforms. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential areas of research to help bridge the gap between planning and managing families of products and designing and manufacturing them.

A bottom-up method for module-based product platform development through mapping, clustering and matching analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 623-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng Zhang ◽  
Guo-xi Li ◽  
Jian-ping Cao ◽  
Jing-zhong Gong ◽  
Bao-zhong Wu
Keyword(s):  
Product Platform ◽  
Bottom Up ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Product Platform Development

Product Platform Design and the Gate Model: Lessons From Industry Case Studies

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence P. Chao ◽  
Kosuke Ishii
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Industrial Robot ◽  
Laser Printer ◽  
Product Platform ◽  
Platform Design ◽  
Ac Motor ◽  
Platform Development ◽  
Effective Product ◽  
Product Platform Development ◽  
Globally Distributed

Organizations that seek long-term success no longer depend on just one product but rather a platform of products that target key markets. Time-to-market pressures and globally distributed engineering design environments demand support through life-cycle models, particularly in the early stages of product development, for an effective product platform. Product definition and structured processes such as gate models are necessary in platform design for organizations to focus their effort on developing families of products that share common components and technology. This paper discusses conventions and research directions in different industries, describes methods in use, and explains a roadmap for product platform development. Case studies of laser printer, industrial robot, and AC motor drive controller platform development further explore challenges in platform design and the role of gate models. The paper concludes with gate model lessons and proposed work to further this research including decision analytic and system approaches.

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