Product Platforming Effective Management and Creation.

Product Platforming  Terminology  Motivation Why Study Product Platforms?Why Study Product Platforms?  Managing Platforms Power TowerPower Tower Platform EvolutionPlatform Evolution  Platform Strategy Plan for the Design ProcessPlan for the Design Process Develop Engineering SpecificationsDevelop Engineering Specifications Concept GenerationConcept Generation Develop ProductDevelop Product  Conclusions

Product Platform Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions  Set of subsystems and interfaces that form a common structure from which a stream of derivative products can be efficiently developed and produced.

Product Platform Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Product Family Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions  Set of individual products that share common technology (Platform) and address a related set of market applications

Product Family Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Why Study Product Platforms?  Disadvantages of Single Product Development No commonality, standardization, or modularization of products or their component partsNo commonality, standardization, or modularization of products or their component parts Using different materials for the same purposeUsing different materials for the same purpose Components with same technical specifications, but different scale, so parts are non- interchangeableComponents with same technical specifications, but different scale, so parts are non- interchangeable Technology is developed at great expense to serve a single product. Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

 Advantages of Platform Development When new derivative products are abandoned, no great cost is incurredWhen new derivative products are abandoned, no great cost is incurred “If you generate one idea; it will most likely be a poor idea. If you generate 20 ideas, you might have one good idea.”“If you generate one idea; it will most likely be a poor idea. If you generate 20 ideas, you might have one good idea.” Platforms capitalize on the good stuff. Why Study Product Platforms? Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Benefits of Platforming Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

 Effective platform management maintains product innovation across multiple generations. Objective Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Power Tower  Models product and process innovation Market ApplicationsMarket Applications PlatformsPlatforms Common Building BlocksCommon Building Blocks The Power Tower integrates the “Bottom- up” and “Top-down” approach to initiating product innovation. Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Power Tower Market Applications  Market Applications take the form of derivative products (Bottom-up)  Establish the need for a derivative product or platform (Top-down) Examples of Bottom-up and Top-down products. Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Power Tower Product Platforms  Platforms must be managed as evolving entities Walkman Museum Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Power Tower Product Platforms  Platforms should provide leverage  Sub-system interfaces can be strategic Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Power Tower Product Platforms Sometimes the process is the platform. Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

 Customer insights  “Imagine that you are the product; then think about how you, as the product, frustrate your users.”  Technology  Integrate new technology into platforms  Manufacturing processes  “Process is the platform.”  Organizational capabilities  Distribution  Customer Support  Organizational Capabilities Power Tower Building Blocks of Platforms Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Create a Power Tower for Black and Decker’s versa-pak platform. Power Tower Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Platform Strategy 1. Plan for the Design Process 2. Develop Engineering Specifications 3. Concept Generation 4. Develop Product Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Plan for the Design Process  Assemble the “Ocean’s 11” of Product Platforming  Exercise: What types of people should be on a design team? Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Develop Engineering Specifications 1. Know Your Market 2. Define Existing Platforms 3. Envision Future Platforms Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Engineering Specs Know Your Market  Identify major market segments (horizontal) and price performance tiers (vertical) Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Engineering Specs Know Your Market  Identify design drivers What does the market want?What does the market want? Use market research!Use market research!  Sunbeam Iron Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Cost Direct and indirect Direct and indirect Transportation Transportation Time and labor Time and labor Material Material Capital Capital Complexity Number of subsystems Number of subsystems Parts and components Parts and components Processes Processes Commonality Similar parts Similar parts Similar Processes Similar Processes Similar materials Similar materials Similar interfaces Similar interfaces Reliability and Quality Performance Performance Safety (fail safe) Safety (fail safe) Robustne ss Robustne ss Failure Failure Service life Service life Modes Modes Dimensions Weight Weight Volume Volume Mass Mass Flexibility and Variability Richness in ability to provide extremes in performance and features without system sub- optimization or loss of ‘elegance’ Richness in ability to provide extremes in performance and features without system sub- optimization or loss of ‘elegance’ Modularity Subsystems with elegant interface architecture allow for rich variety within sub function without causing disruptions to any other subsystem Subsystems with elegant interface architecture allow for rich variety within sub function without causing disruptions to any other subsystem Simplicity A customer-pleasing level of features and variability with a minimum number of parts and interfaces A customer-pleasing level of features and variability with a minimum number of parts and interfaces

Engineering Specs Define Existing Platforms  Where do your current products sit on the grid?  Where are your competitors? Get specific! Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Engineering Specs Envision Future Platforms  How could a new product address current market “holes”? Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Main Goal: Discover the product architecture and make the architecture common across many products. 1.Define aim 2.Define relevant existing products (including competition) 3.Define several product concepts 4.Realize over-arching architecture 5.Define a platform concept 6.Refine platform concept Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Define Aim  What should this product do?  Develop your design drivers ‘5+2’ Method‘5+2’ Method  Where do you intend to expand your product family? Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Define Relevant Existing Products  Patent Search  Rate in terms of function and cost  Composite Design Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Define Concept Products  Generate concepts that fit in your current and future markets Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Realize Over-Arching Architecture  What do all your concepts have in common?  What parts/sub-systems are crucial to the function?  What parts can be produced similarly? Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Define a Concept Platform  Pay attention to connection points  How will the platform save time and/or money?  Degrees of Freedom Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Concept Generation Refine Concept Platform  Complexity Complexity = N p + N t + N iComplexity = N p + N t + N i  N p, N t, and N i, are the number of parts, types of parts, and interfaces respectively. Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Develop Product Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions  Focus on the ‘one best way’  Using new equipment could lower unit cost substantially

Managing Platforms  Use the Power Tower Goes top-down and bottom-upGoes top-down and bottom-up Building BlocksBuilding Blocks PlatformsPlatforms Market ApplicationsMarket Applications Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions

Platform Strategy Terminology Motivation Managing Platforms Platform Strategy Conclusions  Planning Assemble a multi-disciplined teamAssemble a multi-disciplined team  Develop Engineering Specs Know your marketKnow your market Break it down into horizontal and vertical componentsBreak it down into horizontal and vertical components Define existing platformsDefine existing platforms Envision future platformsEnvision future platforms  Concept Generation 1.Define aim 2.Define relevant existing products 3.Define several concepts 4.Realize over-arching architecture 5.Define platform concept 6.Refine platform  Develop Product Decide on the best concept, and best manufacturing processDecide on the best concept, and best manufacturing process

Next Time Start thinking about ice scrapers.