... 13.3PART FOURPART FOURDEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENTMcGrawHill/IrwinCopyright ©2006 The McGrawHill Companies, Inc. All right reserved. Product ArchitectureProduct ArchitectureThe process by which a customer need is developed into a product design.Solid architecture improves speed to market, and reduces the cost of changing the product once it is in production.Product components are combined into “chunks,” functional elements are assigned to the chunks, and the chunks are interrelated with each other.Product Architecture and Product Product Architecture and Product PlatformsPlatformsProduct architecture development is related to establishing a product platform.If chunks or modules can be replaced easily within the product architecture, “derivative products” can be made from the same basic platform as technology, market tastes, or manufacturing skills change.Examples: 200 versions of the Sony Walkman from four platforms.Assessment Factors for an Industrial Assessment Factors for an Industrial DesignDesignFigure 13 .5 Prototype DevelopmentPrototype DevelopmentComprehensive Prototype: complete, fullyfunctioning, fullsize product ready to be examined by customers.Focused Prototype: not fully functioning or developed, but designed to examine a limited number of performance attributes or features.Examples: a crude, working prototype of an electric bicycle; a foam or wood bicycle to determine customers’ reactions to the proposed shape and form.Model of the Product Design ProcessModel of the Product Design ProcessFigure...