Market differentiation strategies must identify competitive advantages when offering a line of products varying in features, price, quality, and/or aesthetics. Although this concept is well-known, many companies still have difficulties positioning their own products within their own product lines and against competitors. Few approaches combine two or more facets to answer the product differentiation problem. In this study, two novel indices are proposed to audit shape and functional differentiation within a family of products. The shape index appraises the shape similarity between the products upon digitization, while the functional assessment is based on functions characteristics of the product. Customers’ perception data is obtained experimentally and compared to these indices to validate the result. Pairs of products are evaluated, and the average scores are considered as the indices for a product family. A case study illustrates the usage of these two indices and performance of these tools as well. This approach can be used during detailed studies as well as early stages of the design process to help validate product family positioning.
Skip Nav Destination
ASME 2008 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference
August 3–6, 2008
Brooklyn, New York, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Design Engineering Division and Computers in Engineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4325-3
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Assessing Functional and Shape Differentiation Within a Family of Products
Fabrice Alizon,
Fabrice Alizon
Keyplatform Company, Paris, France
Search for other works by this author on:
Jing Fu,
Jing Fu
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Search for other works by this author on:
Timothy W. Simpson,
Timothy W. Simpson
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Search for other works by this author on:
Sanjay B. Joshi,
Sanjay B. Joshi
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Search for other works by this author on:
Steven B. Shooter
Steven B. Shooter
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Search for other works by this author on:
Fabrice Alizon
Keyplatform Company, Paris, France
Jing Fu
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Timothy W. Simpson
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Sanjay B. Joshi
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA
Steven B. Shooter
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA
Paper No:
DETC2008-49428, pp. 1011-1017; 7 pages
Published Online:
July 13, 2009
Citation
Alizon, F, Fu, J, Simpson, TW, Joshi, SB, & Shooter, SB. "Assessing Functional and Shape Differentiation Within a Family of Products." Proceedings of the ASME 2008 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. Volume 1: 34th Design Automation Conference, Parts A and B. Brooklyn, New York, USA. August 3–6, 2008. pp. 1011-1017. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/DETC2008-49428
Download citation file:
4
Views
0
Citations
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Articles
Cost Effects of Modular Product Family Structures: Methods and Quantification of Impacts to Support Decision Making
J. Mech. Des (February,2017)
Data-Driven Styling: Augmenting Intuition in the Product Design Process Using Holistic Styling Analysis
J. Mech. Des (November,2017)
A Methodology for Modular and Changeable Design Architecture and Application in Automotive Framing Systems
J. Mech. Des (December,2015)
Related Chapters
Openings
Guidebook for the Design of ASME Section VIII Pressure Vessels
Introduction and Definitions
Handbook on Stiffness & Damping in Mechanical Design
Characterization and evaluation
Biocompatible Nanomaterials for Targeted and Controlled Delivery of Biomacromolecules