Open architecture for product adaptability: challenges in design, evaluation and implementation

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Market competition and the rapid progress of technology development have led to wider diversity and shorter lifespans for industrial and consumer products such as machine tools, cars and cell phones. It is a challenge to design a product that can continuously meet changing user needs throughout its lifespan. In contrast to existing products, an adaptable product would be one that can be upgraded to meet user needs during the lifetime of the product. The research proposed here will develop methods using open architecture to improve product adaptability. It is proposed that an adaptable product would consist of three types of functional modules: common modules that serve as product platforms, customized modules for users to select when purchasing a product, and personalized modules that allow users to upgrade functions during the lifetime of the product. Adaptable products will provide open interfaces for users to upgrade functions in response to their changing needs without having to replace the product entirely. This represents an innovative concept in product implementation.