Product Platforming Effective Management and Creation

Product PlatformingProduct Platforming

Effective Management and Effective Management and Creation.Creation.

Product PlatformingProduct Platforming

TerminologyTerminology MotivationMotivation

• Why Study Product Platforms?Why Study Product Platforms? Managing PlatformsManaging Platforms

• Power TowerPower Tower• Platform EvolutionPlatform Evolution

Platform StrategyPlatform Strategy• Plan for the Design ProcessPlan for the Design Process• Develop Engineering SpecificationsDevelop Engineering Specifications• Concept GenerationConcept Generation• Develop ProductDevelop Product

ConclusionsConclusions

Product PlatformProduct Platform•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions Set of subsystems and interfaces Set of subsystems and interfaces

that form a common structure from that form a common structure from which a stream of derivative which a stream of derivative products can be efficiently developed products can be efficiently developed and produced.and produced.

Product PlatformProduct Platform•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Product FamilyProduct Family•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Set of individual products that share Set of individual products that share common technology (Platform) and common technology (Platform) and address a related set of market address a related set of market applicationsapplications

Product FamilyProduct Family

http://www.gillettevenus.com/experience/experience.asphttp://www.gillettem3power.com/mach3_f.asp

•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Why Study Why Study Product Platforms?Product Platforms?

Disadvantages of Single Product Disadvantages of Single Product DevelopmentDevelopment

• No commonality, standardization, or No commonality, standardization, or modularization of products or their component modularization of products or their component partsparts

• Using different materials for the same purposeUsing different materials for the same purpose• Components with same technical specifications, Components with same technical specifications,

but different scale, so parts are non-but different scale, so parts are non-interchangeableinterchangeable

Technology is developed at great expense Technology is developed at great expense to serve a single product.to serve a single product.


Advantages of Platform Advantages of Platform DevelopmentDevelopment

• When new derivative products are abandoned, When new derivative products are abandoned, no great cost is incurredno great cost is incurred

• ““If you generate one idea; it will most likely be a If you generate one idea; it will most likely be a poor idea. If you generate 20 ideas, you might poor idea. If you generate 20 ideas, you might have one good idea.” have one good idea.”

Platforms capitalize on the good stuff.Platforms capitalize on the good stuff.

Why Study Why Study Product Platforms?Product Platforms?


Benefits of PlatformingBenefits of Platforming•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Effective platform management Effective platform management maintains product innovation across maintains product innovation across multiple generations.multiple generations.

ObjectiveObjective•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Power TowerPower Tower

Models product and process Models product and process innovationinnovation

• Market ApplicationsMarket Applications• PlatformsPlatforms• Common Building BlocksCommon Building Blocks

The Power Tower integrates the “Bottom-The Power Tower integrates the “Bottom-up” and “Top-down” approach to up” and “Top-down” approach to initiating product innovation.initiating product innovation.


Power TowerPower TowerMarket ApplicationsMarket Applications

Market Applications take the form of Market Applications take the form of derivative products (Bottom-up)derivative products (Bottom-up)

Establish the need for a derivative product Establish the need for a derivative product or platform (Top-down)or platform (Top-down)

Examples of Bottom-up and Top-down products.


Power TowerPower TowerProduct PlatformsProduct Platforms

Platforms must be managed as evolving Platforms must be managed as evolving entitiesentities

Walkman Museum



Platforms should provide leveragePlatforms should provide leverage Sub-system interfaces can be strategicSub-system interfaces can be strategic



Sometimes the process is the platform.Sometimes the process is the platform.


Customer insightsCustomer insights ““Imagine that you are the product; then think about Imagine that you are the product; then think about

how you, as the product, frustrate your users.”how you, as the product, frustrate your users.” TechnologyTechnology

Integrate new technology into platformsIntegrate new technology into platforms Manufacturing processesManufacturing processes

““Process is the platform.”Process is the platform.” Organizational capabilitiesOrganizational capabilities

DistributionDistribution Customer SupportCustomer Support Organizational CapabilitiesOrganizational Capabilities

Power TowerPower TowerBuilding Blocks of PlatformsBuilding Blocks of Platforms


Create a Power Tower for Black and Create a Power Tower for Black and Decker’s versa-pak platform.Decker’s versa-pak platform.

Power TowerPower Tower•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Platform StrategyPlatform Strategy

1.1. Plan for the Design ProcessPlan for the Design Process

2.2. Develop Engineering SpecificationsDevelop Engineering Specifications

3.3. Concept GenerationConcept Generation

4.4. Develop ProductDevelop Product


Plan for the Plan for the Design ProcessDesign Process

Assemble the “Ocean’s 11” of Assemble the “Ocean’s 11” of Product PlatformingProduct Platforming

Exercise: What types of people Exercise: What types of people should be on a design team?should be on a design team?


Develop Engineering Develop Engineering SpecificationsSpecifications

1.1. Know Your MarketKnow Your Market

2.2. Define Existing PlatformsDefine Existing Platforms

3.3. Envision Future PlatformsEnvision Future Platforms


Engineering SpecsEngineering SpecsKnow Your MarketKnow Your Market

Identify major market segments Identify major market segments (horizontal) and price performance tiers (horizontal) and price performance tiers (vertical)(vertical)


Engineering SpecsEngineering SpecsKnow Your MarketKnow Your Market

Identify design driversIdentify design drivers• What does the market want?What does the market want?• Use market research!Use market research!

Sunbeam IronSunbeam Iron


CostCost •Direct and indirectDirect and indirect•TransportationTransportation

•Time and laborTime and labor•MaterialMaterial•CapitalCapital

ComplexityComplexity •Number of Number of subsystemssubsystems•Parts and Parts and componentscomponents

•ProcessesProcesses

CommonalityCommonality •Similar partsSimilar parts•Similar ProcessesSimilar Processes

•Similar materialsSimilar materials•Similar interfacesSimilar interfaces

Reliability and Reliability and QualityQuality

•PerformancePerformance•Safety (fail safe)Safety (fail safe)

•RobustnesRobustnesss•FailureFailure

•Service Service lifelife•ModesModes

DimensionsDimensions •WeightWeight •VolumeVolume •MassMass

Flexibility and Flexibility and VariabilityVariability

•Richness in ability to provide extremes in Richness in ability to provide extremes in performance and features without system sub-performance and features without system sub-optimization or loss of ‘elegance’optimization or loss of ‘elegance’

ModularityModularity •Subsystems with elegant interface architecture Subsystems with elegant interface architecture allow for rich variety within sub function allow for rich variety within sub function without causing disruptions to any other without causing disruptions to any other subsystemsubsystem

SimplicitySimplicity •A customer-pleasing level of features and A customer-pleasing level of features and variability with a minimum number of parts and variability with a minimum number of parts and interfacesinterfaces

Engineering SpecsEngineering SpecsDefine Existing PlatformsDefine Existing Platforms

Where do your current products sit on the Where do your current products sit on the grid?grid?

Where are your competitors?Where are your competitors?

Get specific!Get specific!


Engineering SpecsEngineering SpecsEnvision Future PlatformsEnvision Future Platforms

How could a new product address current How could a new product address current market “holes”?market “holes”?


Concept GenerationConcept Generation

Main Goal: Discover the product Main Goal: Discover the product architecture and make the architecture and make the architecture common across many architecture common across many products.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


Concept GenerationConcept GenerationDefine AimDefine Aim

What should this product do?What should this product do? Develop your design driversDevelop your design drivers

• ‘‘5+2’ Method5+2’ Method Where do you intend to expand your Where do you intend to expand your

product family?product family?


Concept GenerationConcept GenerationDefine Relevant Existing ProductsDefine Relevant Existing Products

Patent SearchPatent Search Rate in terms of function and costRate in terms of function and cost Composite DesignComposite Design


Concept GenerationConcept GenerationDefine Concept ProductsDefine Concept Products

Generate concepts that fit in your current Generate concepts that fit in your current and future marketsand future markets


Concept GenerationConcept GenerationRealize Over-Arching ArchitectureRealize Over-Arching Architecture

What do all your concepts have in What do all your concepts have in common?common?

What parts/sub-systems are crucial What parts/sub-systems are crucial to the function?to the function?

What parts can be produced What parts can be produced similarly?similarly?


Concept GenerationConcept GenerationDefine a Concept PlatformDefine a Concept Platform

Pay attention to connection pointsPay attention to connection points How will the platform save time How will the platform save time

and/or money?and/or money? Degrees of FreedomDegrees of Freedom


Concept GenerationConcept GenerationRefine Concept PlatformRefine Concept Platform

ComplexityComplexity• Complexity = NComplexity = Npp + N + Ntt + N + Ni i

NNp p , N, Ntt , and N , and Nii , are the number of parts, types of , are the number of parts, types of parts, and interfaces respectively.parts, and interfaces respectively.


Develop ProductDevelop Product•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

Focus on the ‘one best way’Focus on the ‘one best way’ Using new equipment could lower Using new equipment could lower

unit cost substantiallyunit cost substantially

Managing PlatformsManaging Platforms

Use the Power TowerUse the Power Tower• Goes top-down and bottom-upGoes top-down and bottom-up• Building BlocksBuilding Blocks• PlatformsPlatforms• Market ApplicationsMarket Applications


Platform StrategyPlatform Strategy•Terminology•Motivation•Managing Platforms•Platform Strategy•Conclusions

PlanningPlanning• Assemble a multi-disciplined teamAssemble a multi-disciplined team

Develop Engineering SpecsDevelop 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 GenerationConcept Generation1.1. Define aimDefine aim2.2. Define relevant existing productsDefine relevant existing products3.3. Define several conceptsDefine several concepts4.4. Realize over-arching architectureRealize over-arching architecture5.5. Define platform conceptDefine platform concept6.6. Refine platformRefine platform

Develop ProductDevelop Product• Decide on the best concept, and best manufacturing processDecide on the best concept, and best manufacturing process

Next TimeNext Time

Start thinking about ice Start thinking about ice scrapers.scrapers.

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Product Platforming Effective Management and Creation