A knowledge management framework to support product-service systems design

Abstract

This paper presents a framework for knowledge reuse in a Product-Service Systems design scenario. The project aim is to develop a methodology to capture, represent and reuse knowledge to support product development in a collaborative enterprise context. The three core elements are: design knowledge, manufacturing capability knowledge, and service knowledge. There are three principal components of the proposed methodology. The first is a process based design model: defining design according to specific tasks, and associating previous knowledge with those tasks. The second is manufacturing capability knowledge: supporting feature based design and manufacture through representing machining features, best practices in machining and inspection, and machining capability. The third component is service knowledge: ensuring that design takes account of the service requirement. The developing paradigm of Product-Service Systems and the requirement for co-design of products and services has influenced the structure of the knowledge base, as well as outlining specific service related requirements. This paper presents the proposed knowledge base structure along with a detailed case study in which the proposal was developed and validated.

Designing emotion-centred Product Service Systems: The case of a cancer care facility

“…Designing PSS that are emotion-centred has been put forward as an important step for PSS (Bitner et al, 2008;Steiner & Harmor, 2009;Bertoni, 2013). However, current PSS design focuses on the rationalistic modeling of flows of services and their appropriated products (Baines et al, 2007;Baxter et al, 2009;Bitner et al, 2008;Morelli, 2003). Further, tools like CAD help integrate representations of functions, service activities, and product behaviors (Hara et al, 2009;Isaksson et al, 2009;Bertoni, 2013), but not emotion considerations.…”

“…Currently, the systems-based design techniques employed in PSS design lack this capacity (e.g. Morelli, 2003;Bitner, 2008;Baxter et al, 2009;Bertoni, 2013). This is perhaps unsurprising in view of its engineering heritage (Spohrer et al, 2007;Tien and Berg, 2003;Chesbrough and Spohrer, 2006).…”

“…Other techniques that are used to help gather information for a PSS model include scenario development (Morelli, 2003;Baxter et al, 2009), schematics (Morelli, 2003 citing Vargo andLusch, 2004), and user analysis (Morelli, 2003citing Bijker, 1995. PSS designers also make use of a range of physical and digital tools including CAD and frameworks for knowledge reuse (Baxter et al, 2009).…”

“…PSS designers also make use of a range of physical and digital tools including CAD and frameworks for knowledge reuse (Baxter et al, 2009). CAD helps integrate representations of functions, service activities, and product behaviors (Hara et al 2009;Isaksson et al, 2009;Bertoni, 2013).…”

“…A common kind of systems technique employed by PSS designers is generically called process modeling. For instance, in the design of a manufacturing-based PSS, Baxter et al (2009) used a systems process modeling technique taken from the Design Roadmap method (Park and Cutkosk, 1999). An alternative technique -service blueprinting (Shostack, 1984) -was used both in the design of a transportation (Bitner et al, 2008) and a telecentre PSS (Morelli, 2003).…”