Product Configuration Systems

Abstract

Product configuration systems are considered to be important enablers of the mass-customization strategy. They are the most successful applications of e-technologies and artificial intelligence in e-business, particularly in customer interaction. Product configuration systems support the acquisition of the customers’ requirements while automating the order-taking process, and they allow customers to configure their products by specifying their technical requirements. In this article, the state of the art is explained and the different product configuration systems are classified in a morphological box. The analysis of the criteria according to which configurators are designed thus far reveals a neglect of the front-end perspective. Therefore, necessary enhancements and development directions toward a comprehensive tool for customer interaction in mass customization are analyzed.