Modular Design of a Product to Maximize Customer Satisfaction with Respect to Body Size: A Case Study for Designing Office Chair

Abstract

Modular design methodology is a very important design methodology that allows production of the maximal types of products with the minimal types of components and extending the components' compatibility to different types of products to satisfy a variety of customers. However, existing modular design methods do not consider customers' adaptability for products requiring physical interaction between different parts of body and product components. Our study proposes a modular design methodology from the perspective of maximum customer satisfaction considering physical interaction between human and product. Modular design of office chair is chosen as a case study to develop a modular design methodology for products with improved adaptability for customers of various body sizes. The proposal consists of customer requirement analysis, modularization, and modularization assessment procedure. Also the proposal includes a method to determine size variation of defined modules at the detail product design stage for mass customization.