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`CONFIGIT 1050
`
`1
`
`

`

`
`1
`
`3974/:.943
`Introduction
`
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`The design and production of goods that satisfy the specific needs of
`3/;/:, .:8942078 ,70 41 .0397, 3907089 94 90 :7450,3 3/:897 %0
`individual customers are of central interest to the European industry. The
`-:83088 03;7432039 41 .425,308 ,8 .,30/ 3 80;07, 70850.98 %0
`business environment of companies has changed in several respects. The
`2,47 9703/8 ,70 /2383 109208 41 574/:.98 3.70,83 .42509 ,3/
`major trends are diminishing lifetimes of products, increasing complexity and
`3:2-07 41 ;,7,398 41 574/:.98 ,3/ 300/ 147 847907 0,/
`9208 3 90 8,08
`
`number of variants of products, and need for shorter lead—times in the sales—
`/0;07 574.08808 0 :80 90 9072 8,08
`/0;07 574.088 94 /08.7-0 , 90
`delivery processes.
`(We use the term .rn/ex—de/z'neij/ prom: to describe all the
`5,808 706:70/ 94 5745480 80 47/07 2,3:1,.9:70 ,3/ 13, /0;07 ,3
`phases required to propose, sell, order, manufacture and finally deliver an
`3/;/:, 574/:.9 94 , .:894207 4704;07 9070 8 3.70,83 57088:70 1742
`individual product to a customer.) Moreover, there is increasing pressure from
`90 .:8942078 ,3/ 90 .425099478 94 9,0 3/;/:, .:894207 706:7020398
`the customers and the competitors to take individual customer requirements
`394 ,..4:39 03 850.13 , .:894207
`850.1. 574/:.9 389,3.0
`into account when specifying a customer—specific product instance.
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`One major trend to cope with these changes in the business environment
`8 94 2574;0 .:894207
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`is to improve customer—specific adaptation with mnfignrn/a/epmdnm. This type of
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`product comprises a large number of variants and serves the specific needs of
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`the individual customer by allowing customer—specific adaptation of the
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`850.1. ,/,59,943
`product. The goal is to do this while keeping the customer—specific adaptation
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`920 41 90 8,08
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`easy, routine, and manageable, and the lead—time of the sales—delivery process
`8479 3 4907 47/8 , .431:7,-0 574/:.9 ,28 ,9 .42-33 90 -030198 41
`short. In other words, a configurable product aims at combining the benefits of
`2,88
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`41
`,
`3/ 574/:.98 %8 950 41 4507,943 ,8
`mass—produced and one—of—a—kind products. This type of operation has
`84209208 -003 .,0/ 2,88
`.:89428,943
`sometimes been called mass—customisationz.
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`
`Configurable products are often very complex. Pray/nit mnfzgnrnz‘or (or mn—
`1:7,947 147 8479 8 ,3 31472,943 88902 147 2,3,3 574/:.98 ,3/ 907
`fignrnz‘or for short) is an information system for managing products and their
`;,7,398 ,3/ 147 /43 .:894207
`850.1. ,/,59,943 41 90 574/:.9 40;07
`variants, and for doing customer—specific adaptation of the product. However,
`1 , 574/:.9 .431:7,947 8 94 -0 41 831.,39 05 3 90 8,08
`/0;07
`if a product configurator is to be of significant help in the sales—delivery
`574.088 90 574/:.9 ,84 2:89 -0 70,9;0 0,8 94 .431:70 ,33 90
`process, the product also must be relatively easy to configure. Changing the
`-:83088 41 90 .425,3 94 .431:7,-0 574/:.98 706:708 , 897,90. /0.843
`business of the company to configurable products requires a strategic decision.
`%0 574/:.98 ,3/ 90 70,90/ 574.08808 ,70 ,110.90/ %0 706:70/ 47,38,
`
`The products and the related processes are affected. The required organisa—
`943, ,3/ .:9:7, .,308 .,3 -0 ;07 831.,39 ,3/ /11.:9 94 ,.0;0
`tional and cultural changes can be very significant and difficult to achieve.
`3 98 ,79.0 0 9,0 , 574/:.9 ,3/ 574.088
`470390/ ;0 43 574/:.9
`In this article we take a product and process—oriented view on product
`.431:7,943 9,88 %0 ;0 8 , 839088 41 , 8:7;0 41 903 .425,308 9,9
`configuration tasks. The view is a synthesis of a survey of ten companies that
`/0;07 .431:7,-0 574/:.98 ,3/ 050703.08 ,30/ 3 439
`5740.98 9
`deliver configurable products3 and experiences gained in joint—projects with
`,1 , /403 4907 .425,308 %0 2,479 41 9080 .,808 070 1742 90
`half a dozen other companies. The majority of these cases were from the
`/8.7090 2,3:1,.9:73 3/:897 -:9 82,7 933 80028 94 -0 ,55.,-0 94
`discrete manufacturing industry, but similar thinking seems to be applicable to
`.425,308 9,9 574/:.0 807;.08
`companies that produce services.
`
`
`
`2 See e.g. Hales H. L (ed) Automating and Integrating the Sales Function: How to Profit From
` $00 0 ,08   0/ :942,93 ,3/ 3907,93 90 $,08 :3.943 4 94 !7419 742
`Complexity and Customization. Enterprixe Integration Stratqgiex, Vol. 9, no. 11, 1—9; Carson, C.
`42509 ,3/ :8942,943 39075780 3907,943 $97,9008 '4 34   ,7843 
`(1997) Intelligent Sales Configuration. PCAI, January/ February 1997.
` 390039 $,08 431:7,943 !  ,3:,7

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`
`3 Tiihonen, ]., Soininen, T., Mannist'o, T. and Sulonen, R. State of the practice in product
` %4303  $43303 % 3389 % ,3/ $:4303 # $9,90 41 90 57,.9.0 3 574/:.9
`configuration — a survey of 10 cases in the Finnish industry. In Know/edge Intensive CAD, Firxt
`.431:7,943
` , 8:7;0 41  .,808 3 90 338 3/:897 3 340/0 39038;0  789
`Edition, T. Tomiyama, M. Mantyla, S. Finger, editors. Chapman & Hall 1996.
`/943 % %42,2,  39 $ 307 0/9478 ,52,3 ,  
`
`
`
`2
`
`

`

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`2
`Configurable products
`
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`In this article the term prodmz‘ is used to mean the abstract specification or
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`design of an entity that a company sells. Sometimes the terms ‘product family’
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`or ‘product model’ are used in the same sense. The product specification
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`contains the information required by,
`for example, marketing,
`sales and
`574/:.943 %0 9072 574/:.9 389,3.0 8 :80/ 94 20,3 , 850.1. 58., 574/:.9
`production. The term prodmz‘ z'mz‘ame is used to mean a specific physical product
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`that is to be delivered to a customer or a design of a physical product which is
`.43.7090 034: 94 807;0 ,8 , 850.1.,943 147 2,3:1,.9:73 3 4907 47/8
`concrete enough to serve as a specification for manufacturing. In other words,
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`850.1. ,/,59,943 41 90 574/:.9
`a product instance is a customer—specific adaptation of the product.
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`A product consists of mmpomm‘x. The term ‘component’ is used to mean
`,3 3907,90/ 40 . 8 .438/070/ , 20,331: /893.9 5,79 41 90
`an integrated whole which is considered a meaningful distinct part of the
`574/:.9 0 :80 90 90728 .42543039 ,3/ .42543039 389,3.0 3 90 8,20
`product. We use the terms ‘component’ and mmpomm‘ z'mz‘ame in the same
`2,3307 ,8 90 90728 574/:.9 ,3/ 574/:.9 389,3.0 94 70107 94 , 0307.
`manner as the terms ‘product’ and ‘product instance’ to refer to a generic
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`specification and a physical entity. A component may correspond to one or
`2470 58., 5,798 41 90 574/:.9 -:9 2, ,84 -0 ,3 3907,90/ 40 .
`more physical parts of the product but may also be an integrated whole which
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`is relevant for marketing purposes. The latter type of components are often
`.,0/ 24/:08  570
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`:8,-0 850.1.,943 . 0907
`called modules. A pre—dengfled mmpomm‘ is a re—usable specification which either
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`completely specifies a unique manufacturable or saleable entity or a clearly
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`defined set of such alternative entities. The latter type of component is
`95., , 5,7,2097. .42543039 %0 /893.943 -09003 574/:.98 ,3/
`typically a parametric component. The distinction between products and
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`components is somewhat ambiguous, because it depends on the point of view
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`For example, a product can sometimes be considered a component of another
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`product. Some components may be sold separately, typically to be used as a
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`spare part in or an extension of an existing product.
`3 ,7.90.9:70 .439,38 90 31472,943 43 90 0307, ,77,302039 41 90
`An art/az'z‘etz‘we contains the information on the general arrangement of the
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`product. The architecture can contain information on the structure,
`the
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`required and optional components, and their topological or geometrical
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`placements in the product.
`
`
`2.1
`
`,8. .,7,.90789.8
`Basic characteristics
`
` .431:7,-0 574/:.9 ,8 90 1443 -,8. 574507908
`A configurable product has the following basic properties:
`
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`0 Each delivered product instance is tailored to the individual needs of an
`3/;/:, .:894207
`individual customer.
`
`N %0 574/:.9 ,8 -003 570
`/0830/ 94 2009 , ;03 7,30 41 /1107039
`0 The product has been pre—designed to meet a given range of different
`.:894207 706:7020398
`customer requirements.
`
`N ,. 574/:.9 389,3.0 8 850.10/ ,8 , .42-3,943 41 570
`/0830/
`0 Each product
`instance is specified as a combination of pre—designed
`.425430398 47 24/:08 %:8 9070 8 34 300/ 94 /083 30 .425430398
`components or modules. Thus, there is no need to design new components
`,8 , 5,79 41 90 8,08
`/0;07 574.088
`as a part of the sales—delivery process.
`
`
`
`3
`
`
`

`

`N %0 574/:.9 ,8 , 570
`/0830/ 0307, 897:.9:70 47 ,7.90.9:70 47 , 809 41
`0 The product has a pre—designed general structure or architecture or a set of
`9080
`these.
`
`N %070 8 34 300/ 94 /4 .70,9;0 47 334;,9;0 /083 ,8 , 5,79 41 90 8,08
`
`0 There is no need to do creative or innovative design as a part of the sales—
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`delivery process. Rather, the specification of a product instance can be done
`in a routine manner.
`3 , 74:930 2,3307
`
`%0 1789 5745079 3 90 89 /1107039,908 .431:7,-0 574/:.98 1742 411
`90
`
`The first property in the list differentiates configurable products from off—the—
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`self, mass—produced products, which are not tailored for each customer. The
`80.43/ 5745079 7010.98 90 1,.9 9,9 9070 8 , .0,7 290/ 7,30 41
`second property reflects the fact
`that
`there is a clearly limited range of
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`different customer requirements that the product is aimed at. In other words,
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`the company does not intend to satisfy all the possible requirements with the
`574/:.9
`product.
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`
`The rest of the properties differentiate configurable products from one—
`41
`,
`3/
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`of—a—kind—products which are in principle designed from the scratch for each
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`/0830/ 43.0 ,8 , 5,79 41 , # 
`customer. Configurable products are pre—designed once as a part of a R&D
`#080,7. ,3/ 0;0452039 574.088 ,3/ 903 98 ,/;,3.0 /083 8 :80/
`(Research and Development) process, and then this advance design is used
`,,3 ,3/ ,,3 3 90 8,08
`/0;07 574.088 94 850.1 574/:.9 389,3.08
`again and again in the sales—delivery process to specify product instances
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`according to the requirements of each customer. In particular, one does not
`/083 30 .425430398 47 30 ,8 41 .42-33 .425430398 94 574/:.0
`design new components or new ways of combining components to produce
`30 1:3.9438 9,9 4:/ 8,981 ,3 .:894207 706:7020398 ,8 8 3 573.50
`new functions that would satisfy any customer requirements, as is in principle
`5488-0 147 430
`41
`,
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`possible for one—of—a—kind products (see the section Product development
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`process produces configuration models).
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`Typical examples of configurable products include computers, lifts, trucks,
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`/:9 /080
`03308 147089
`telephone switches, modular
`furniture, heavy—duty diesel—engines,
`forest
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`harvesters and dentist chairs. The products tend to be investment goods with
`.47708543/3 57.0 7,308 ,94: 9070 80028 94 -0 , 9703/ 94 .431:73
`corresponding price ranges, although there seems to be a trend to configuring
`,84 .4224/9 44/8 0850., 3 90 .425:907 3/:897
`also commodity goods, especially in the computer industry.
`
` !74/:.9
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`2.2
`Product-related processes
`
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`The above properties of configurable products already hint at how configur—
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`able products are developed and subsequently sold and delivered. The product
`/0;0452039 574.088 ,3/ 8,08
`/0;07 574.088 41 .431:7,-0 574/:.98 ,70
`development process and sales—delivery process of configurable products are
`805,7,90 0 9480 41 411
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`separate, like those of off—the—self, mass—produced products and unlike those
`41 430
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`,
`3/ 574/:.98
`of one—of—a—kind products.
` 03 /0;0453 , 30 2,88
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`When developing a new mass—product, the design process produces a
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`specification of a single product which then is produced time and again in
`0,.9 90 8,20 1472 47 90 430
`41
`,
`3/ 574/:.9 90 /083 3 573.50
`exactly the same form. For the one—of—a—kind product, the design in principle
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`specifies a single product instance which is produced only one time, although
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`some parts of the design may be re—used in other products. The product
`/0;0452039 574.088 147 , .431:7,-0 574/:.9 574/:.08 , .431:7,943 24/0
`development process for a configurable product produces a ton/figuration model,
`. 05.9 /01308 90 -,8. 574/:.9 574507908 ,3/ 90 5488-908 147
`which explicitly defines the basic product properties and the possibilities for
`9,473 902 :70  %0 .431:7,943 24/0 8 :80/ ,,3 ,3/ ,,3 3
`tailoring them (Figure l). The configuration model is used again and again in
`90 5,798 41 90 8,08
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`the parts of the sales—delivery process related to configuration task, called
`
`
`
`4
`
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`

`
`
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`Product development process
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`fientify market
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`Configuration
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`modules and
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`1 Develop modules
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`Figure 1. Product development process for configurable products
`
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`mnfigumz‘z'on protest, as the source of information on the basis of which products
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`are ton/figured to produce customer—specific product instances. The task needed
`94 574/:.0 , .431:7,943 8 7010770/ 94 ,8 .431:7,943 9,8  95., .431:7
`
`to produce a configuration is referred to as ton/figuration task. A typical configur—
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`able product
`therefore enhances the re—use of design knowledge when
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`,
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`compared to a similar one—of—a—kind product. Configuring a product on the
`-,88 41 .:894207 706:7020398 574/:.08 , .431:7,943 , /08.75943 41 90
`basis of customer requirements produces a ton/figuration, a description of the
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`product instance to be delivered (Figure 2).
` .431:7,943 24/0 .439,38 , 90 706:70/ 31472,943 43 90 5488
`
`A configuration model contains all the required information on the possi—
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`bilities of tailoring the configurable product according to the customer needs.
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`In effect, a configuration model implicitly represents many, often millions,
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`different products that could be treated as different mass—produced products.
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`A configuration model represents the valid combinations of the compo—
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`nents that can be used to obtain the desired functions for the customer. The
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`architecture(s) of the product,
`the available components from which the
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`production—consumption relationships, etc.) between the components,
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`configuration models of the same product. These are typically meant
`to
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`support the different phases of the configuration process, for example sales
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`and engineering configuration tasks, at a suitable level of abstraction. The sales
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`Figure 2. Sales—delivery process of configurable products
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`example, a detailed Bill—of—Material (BOM) of the product as a part of the
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`configuration. This information is needed in the engineering configuration
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`tasks for configuring the product. The sales persons may prefer to view the
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`product as a set of alternative and optional functions that it may produce or as
`a set of alternative modules.
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`Product development process produces configuration models
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`The role of the product development process is to develop the product and its
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`configuration model (Figure 1). After market segments and their requirements
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`have been identified, one must decide to which segments the product and each
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`of its modules are targeted. Matching the product architecture and modules to
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`typical combinations of requirements is critical. A mismatch either nullifies the
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`A configurable product concept is typically implemented with a modular
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`product architecture because integral product architectures do not facilitate
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`configuring and evolution of the product4.
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`product and which should be treated as separate products (“Should we have 50
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`simple or 5 more complex products?”). Quite often, less complex models are
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`favoured due to difficulties in the maintenance of complex models and due to
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`It is possible to extend a configurable product by adding new modules or
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`replacing old ones to meet new or changed customer requirements. This may
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`enable longer product life cycles. This option should not be used as a poor
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`substitute for finding out the real requirements of the market. The reasons are
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`numerous, but they include: 1) lost sales due to a longer time required to
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`develop a viable product and due to inappropriate offerings while the product
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`complicated product is error—prone and may be beyond the technical capabili—
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`ties of sales persons. Although configurators can handle even very complex
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`module interactions,
`the maintenance of such configuration models may
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`become prohibitively difficult. Good results in using a configurator can be
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`expected only when the product has been designed for easy configurability.
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`Documenting the product configuration model systematically is a major
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`task, but it is vital for both manual configuration tasks and successful use of a
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`configurator. Decisions on the contents of the configuration model should be
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`done early in the product life—cycle. In an ideal case a product expert with a
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`If a computer expert enters the configuration model, he/ she should not have
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`to invent the configuration model or gather the required information from
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`multiple sources. Product policy and commercial and technical restrictions of
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`the product are typically clearly out of scope of expertise of these persons.
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`Many companies want to serve all the customers and deliver products that
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`are tailored beyond the possibilities defined in the configuration model. Usually
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`the required modifications concern only one or two modules. Quite often in
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`these cases most of the product can be configured and only the customer—
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`specific variations need to be designed. It may be more cost—effective to
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`engineer rare variants case by case rather than try to extend the product to
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`cover all the possible requirements.
`
`
`
`4 Ulrich, K. and Eppinger, S. Prodmt Deng” and Development. McGraw—Hill, Inc., 1995.
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