A classification framework for product modularization methods

The modularization of product architectures and the standardization of components and modules across a product family or product portfolio constitute approaches to reduce the internal variety in an enterprise while keeping the range of the external variety. Thus costs and development time can be reduced through scale effects and further transparency within the product portfolio can be enhanced as well. In this context a plethora of methods and approaches to identify modules in product architectures has been introduced. These methods differ in the application area and the procedure and show different benefits and weaknesses. This paper introduces a classification framework for modularization methods and approaches that provides a systematic overview on past and current developments. Therefore an extensive literature survey on modularization was carried out to identify the major methodologies introduced in the last years.