MIT, July 31-August 3, 2006, Tuition: $2,800, Professors: Olivier de Weck and Timm Simpson
Info: http://web.mit.edu/mitpep/pi/courses/product_family_design.html
This class of MIT's Professional Education Program may be interesting for some of you, as it teaches some of the fundamentals of a mass customization strategy: the ability to deploy and manage a family of products in a competitive manner. The class will examine both strategic as well as implementation aspects of this challenge. A key strategy is to develop and manufacture a family of product variants derived from a common platform and/or modular architecture. Reuse of components, processes and design solutions can lead to advantages in learning curves and economies of scale, which have to be carefully balanced against the desire for product customization and competitive pressures. Latest theory, methods and tools in this field will be presented as well as a number of case studies from industries that have successfully leveraged platforms. Recent strategic issues such as embedding flexibility in product platforms as well as the effect of platforming on a firm's cost structure will also be presented.
Related open enrollment courses at MIT:
Demand Driven Supply Chain Management, July 19-20, 2006 (info)
Individual Choice Behavior: Theory and Application of Discrete Choice Analysis, June 19-23, 2006 (info)
Scientific Marketing: Modeling and Optimization for Strategic Promotions, June 19-20, 2006 (info)
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