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12
Using TRIZ to Overcome Mass Customization Contradictions
Darrell L. Mann1
and Ellen Domb2
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Bath, UK
2 PQR Group, Upland, CA, USA
The mass customization concept carries with it inherent contradictions
between versatility and user benefit versus productivity or cost. Traditional
trade-off and compromise based business approaches offer little to help
overcome these contradictions. Thus, while many organizations are beginning
to recognize the need for mass customization, few actually know how to
tackle the issues involved in turning the concept into profit-making reality.
The chapter discusses how systematic innovation methods are beginning
to be used to successfully to overcome rather than accept the trade-offs
and compromises often held to be inherent. Case study examples include
design of mass customized bicycle seats, shoe products, novel room lighting
solutions and home-customizable food products. The chapter ends with a
discussion of these and other disruptive contradiction-breaking technology
solutions in general.
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