Vocabulary

  Product platforms are a set of standardised components, processes, and knowledge used to create a variety of products and services. Borrowed from the software and manufacturing industries, this concept supports rapid innovation and growth by leveraging shared elements to achieve economies of scale and production flexibility (Lessing, 2006).  A product platform is closely related to the concept of solution space, highlighted by many authors as being one of the fundamental capabilities to implement mass customisation strategies (Salvador et al., 2009). A solution space refers to the range of potential designs or configurations that can be generated within the constraints of a given product platform. It encompasses all the possible variations and customisations that can be achieved using the standardised components and processes defined by the platform (Piller, 2004). Therefore, the product platform provides the kit-of-parts, production processes and knowledge, while the solution space defines the extent to which those elements can be varied to meet specific needs and preferences. Product platforms are central to the development of customised and industrialised housing solutions. By sharing standardised components across various housing products, companies can achieve significant cost reductions while allowing for customisation to meet specific market demands. This balance enhances the ability to provide affordable and tailored housing without sacrificing quality or functionality. Other industries, such as automotive and electronics, have demonstrated the efficiency benefits of product platforms by streamlining production processes, reducing costs, and quickly adapting to market changes. Adopting a similar approach in housing can accelerate innovation and reduce overall costs in the construction sector. Product platforms provide a structure for predefined technical solutions, requiring thorough documentation and continuous improvements, and serving as a backbone for technical information and related processes in a company and its supply chain (Jansson et al., 2014). Robertson and Ulrich (1998) identified four elements that constitute a product platform: components, processes, knowledge, people and relationships. These platforms must integrate common elements and technologies across a range of products, considering manufacturing capabilities and constraints early in the process. This integration ensures that the product platform is not only flexible in the early definition of a housing solution but is also practical and efficient to produce. Flexibility is both key to the success of a product platform in housing and a challenge for scaling manufacturing. It is crucial to find the right balance between standardisation and customisation to meet customer demands efficiently. Therefore, it is vital to integrate customer focus in product-oriented house-building processes (Barlow et al., 2003) and to define the Customer Order Decoupling Point (CODP) in the production process – the point in which the product will be customised to meet specific needs. The CODP determines the production strategy of a product platform, which will consequently affect its inventory management, lead times, and overall supply chain strategy. The production strategy defines the boundaries and degrees of customisation within a product platform, classified into four levels: Made-to-Stock (MTS), Assembled-to-Stock (ATS), Made-to-Order (MTO) or Engineered-to-Order (ETO) (Barlow, 1998; Smith, 2019). Product platforms allow us to understand a building in a systematic way, as a group of components or smaller subsystems that can be designed independently yet function together as a whole. This approach enables continuous improvement of the platform, as insights from one project can drive more efficient use of components in subsequent projects, creating learning loops that enhance overall productivity and innovation. Additionally, a product platform developed with Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and Design for Disassembly (DfD) principles can significantly contribute to a circular economy. Standardised components can be easily repurposed or reconfigured, reducing waste and promoting environmental sustainability. This flexibility ensures that buildings can adapt to changing needs over time, extending their lifespan and minimising the environmental impact of demolition and new construction. Finally, there are four principles that should be considered when developing product platforms for the delivery of housing: (1) Modularity:  Product modularity enables a manufacturer to absorb changes in customer needs by reconfiguring and adapting modules based on a set of parameters within a defined solution space.  (2) Automation: Integrating digital workflows to automate repetitive tasks such as manufacturing instructions, building reports or a bill of quantities would ease the development of a variety of housing solutions in an efficient way. (3) Platform rules: The rules and relationships between platform components would have to be properly defined to ensure that consistency in quality and performance are maintained even when designs are customised or scaled. (4) Parametric software tools: The success of a product platform relies on how data generated in the manufacturing and assembly phases is encapsulated within the components and incorporated into the early stages and project planning. Parametric software can facilitate the iteration of options without leaving the product platform’s solution space, optimising the design based on performance data, environmental parameters, or user feedback.