________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Key mass personalization strategies for manufacturers
Successfully shifting to mass personalization requires more than product flexibility. It demands integrated planning, structured variability management, and digital continuity across the enterprise. Without the right strategies, technology, and governance in place, organizations risk higher costs, longer lead times, and missed reuse opportunities. Here are three foundational areas where manufacturers must focus to ensure success:
■ 1. Modularization across products and processes Modularization is critical for managing product complexity in a scalable way. By designing products as collections of standardized, self-contained modules or subassemblies, manufacturers can create flexible configurations without reengineering the entire product.
Each module can be independently designed, sourced, updated, and reused – allowing for faster customization while maintaining architectural integrity. In PLM, modularization also supports robust configuration management, traceable change tracking, and better collaboration across teams.
Strategic modularization enables organizations to deliver variety without compromising efficiency. Many seek out expert guidance to develop a modular mindset that extends beyond products to operating models and infrastructure.
■ 2. Accurate demand forecasting for variant complexity As personalization grows, so does the need for precise, dynamic demand forecasting. Manufacturers must estimate demand not just for core products, but across multiple configurations, regions, and customer segments – often while managing complex regulatory requirements.
Advanced statistical models help forecast demand across product variants and anticipate risks in sourcing and supply. Effective forecasting ensures that materials and components are available when needed, reducing excess inventory and avoiding stockouts that could disrupt the customer experience.
■ 3. Advanced product line management As product lines expand to meet market demand, advanced product line management has become essential. Modular designs are just the beginning. PLM solutions must also support the rapid addition and retirement of product options, ensure consistency, and automatically validate configurations against established rules.
Manual checks are no longer viable when variant volumes scale. A flexible PLM platform must adapt to the organization’ s evolving needs while maintaining
36