A multi-criteria framework for screening preliminary product platform concepts

Abstract

A platform must effectively support multiple product variants over a prolonged period of time. This makes platform concept evaluation a more challenging task than a single product concept evaluation. Existing platform methods develop specific criteria in depth, yet an evaluation of alternative platforms should be based on a broad set of criteria. Based on expert interviews, personal experience, and a literature search we propose here a framework of 19 metrics for multi-criteria platform evaluation. The metrics are group into six categories: customer, variety, flexibility, complexity, organization, and after-sale. The method is focused on the early platform architecture phase, before proof-of..