The Importance of Choice Navigation in Starting Configurator Projects

Ottar Bakås (), Lars Skjelstad, Børge Sjøbakk, Maria K. Thomassen, Paul Blazek and Martina Partl
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Ottar Bakås: SINTEF Technology and Society
Lars Skjelstad: SINTEF Technology and Society
Børge Sjøbakk: SINTEF Technology and Society
Maria K. Thomassen: SINTEF Technology and Society
Paul Blazek: cyLEDGE Media GmbH
Martina Partl: cyLEDGE Media GmbH

A chapter in Customization 4.0, 2018, pp 341-356 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Choice navigation can support customers in identifying their own solutions while minimizing complexity and the burden of choice. Product configurators are used as an interactive tool to help customers in this process. For companies aiming to develop a configurator from scratch, there are many hurdles. Particularly for SMEs, there are additional challenges, such as shortage of resources, experience, and knowledge in developing a viable configurator tool. In this paper, we explore the process of designing choice navigation through a product configurator tool. We review existing methodologies and propose a new process model. Empirical data come from a case study of three SMEs embarking on the process of establishing a choice navigation tool. The proposed model is developed in the context of the research project CustomR. The new process model is cyclic and customer-driven and aims to develop need-based configurators (as opposed to a linear, technology-driven, and function-based approach). The paper reports on challenges and success factors from an ongoing configurator development project.

Keywords: Mass customization; Choice navigation; Configurators; Customer-oriented (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-319-77556-2_21

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-77556-2_21

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