Abstract
A modular product architecture plays a critical role in managing complex systems by enabling the use of customizable, standardized, upgradeable, or interchangeable components. Existing approaches to designing modular architectures tend to emphasize technical or strategic considerations within engineering. However, the development of modular products is inherently interdisciplinary and benefits from methods that integrate diverse disciplines. Exploring modularity across various scientific fields, including Design, Biology and Architecture, have the potential to provide new multidisciplinary insights that enhance the methodologies used to design modular products. Through a literature review of these diverse approaches to modularity, this research identifies unique characteristics such as human-centered design, aesthetics, theories of biological evolution and prefabrication techniques, and evaluates their capability to complement the design of modular products. This research promotes enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration among product development teams, enabling increased innovation in modular product development.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Product Development, Product Architecture, Modularity, Multidisciplinary
