From Concept to Execution: An AI-Agentic Decision Intelligence Framework for Product Planning and Concept Development

As most of the key properties of a product are determined by its design concept, customer orientation must be ensured very early in the conceptual design phase. Hierarchical concept development can help to reduce the complexity of this strategically significant task. This paper examines the process of hierarchical concept design by means of the House of Concepts (HoC) approach, which was conceived specifically to support customer-oriented concept development. This approach, which builds upon Quality Function Deployment (QFD), is compact, illustrative, enhances comprehensibility and can be considered both a method and a guiding principle. Supporting the creation of solution concepts by analysing the dependencies between requirements, functions, structure and properties with matrix-based methods allows verifying the suitable product concepts. The HoC method promotes customer orientation, especially during conceptual design, and supports systematic concept development at different levels of abstraction. Thus, it enables step-by-step development of product concepts and helps to reduce the complexity of this important engineering task. The HoC approach can be used to ensure customer orientation in the development of product concepts, which leads to an increase in effectiveness in product development.

Product development has become a focus of competition in many industries. Due to decreasing product life cycle, it is important to reduce the time and cost of product development. The product development process includes six main phases: product planning, concept development, system-level design, detailed design, testing and refinement, and production ramp-up [34]. Concept development process consists of four stages: identifying customer needs, establishing product specifications, and generating and selecting product concepts. Recent efforts have been made to improve the product development decisions [20], especially at the early stages of product development, since it has been recognized that nearly 75% of product life-cycle cost is committed by the end of concept development [26]. However, it is difficult to make product design decisions at the early development stages, because decision makers have to consider all life cycle issues [21, 22] with vague project information available.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">The scope and purpose of this paper is to give input and propose solutions to the creation of an efficient and productive geometrical measurement planning process. The case study outline what is important and how to identify and determine the preconditions and input data which is required to start the preparation and planning activities of geometrical measurements. That is why the following three main research and development questions should be answered:</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Firstly; What is the need and why does an efficient and productive geometrical measurement planning process contribute to decrease cost upstream as well as downstream in terms of reduced lead times in measurement planning process work?</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Secondly; Why are reduced uncertainties related to geometrical; functionality, specification and verification, important? And how are they linked to each other and how can they be theoretically modeled and defined in terms of uncertainties?</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The last question is; How is the current geometrical measurement planning process constructed and what does it contain and how is it functioning?</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">By applying a more systematic and holistic approach in product realization and measurement planning activities, the accomplished study indicates improvements and high potential for cost savings, from 3 up to 12 times. Hence the improvement potential is strongly dependent of the actual geometrical complexity level of the airframe assembly being studied. Results from this study will further improve and develop current applied geometrical measurement planning process and will contribute to a more effective and productive working methodology and process.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Sharing mobility has led to a reduction of car ownership with consequent decrease in impacts from a multiple economic, social and environmental perspective. One way of promoting sustainable mobility is to establish the use of electric vehicles (EVs), but insufficient knowledge and high uncertainty towards EV technology can represent a barrier to the acceptance of these new forms of mobility. Under-thirty are recognized as a prospective customer group for car sharing services, very receptive to technological innovation.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Based on this premise, the study proposed a double-structured methodological framework to investigate university student user profile defining the heterogeneous preferences regarding a mix of attributes of the service design and to assess the impact of car-sharing experience on acceptance of EVs. Preferences for specific service attributes have been explored (e.g. rate, different power systems) and possible predictors have been tested (e.g. car ownership, neighborhood walkability, ecological awareness) by using a quantitative analysis with car-sharing users and non-users.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This methodology has been implemented in the city of Enna (Italy), where university population constitute a high percentage of residents and a recent station-based car sharing service has been implemented. Besides the demographics characteristics, the students’ demand of mobility and acceptance of EVs have been investigated through a survey data analysis, considering several operational attributes and context-related variables in applying Likert scale.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The results show that experience in using, EV vehicles leads to higher acceptance of this new technology. Furthermore, it emerged a correlation between gender distribution and operating and infrastructural characteristics of the service, like the presence of reserved parking with charging stations.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This study lays the basis for more in-depth research for service design and reconversion through the introduction of shared EVs, improving their use both for home-school and home-leisure trips and discouraging the use of the private vehicle.</div></div>

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Optimize a product that exists for years, is not always an easy task. These products, of simple concept, are created and maintained without significant changes along its life. This is the case, for example, of the fuel level senders and valves of motorcycle's fuel tanks. This work presents an example of a new product that add value to the fuel tank system with a reduced global cost. Usually, the concern relies on the improvement of individual parts. The concept developed looked for an integration of both parts in just one product. The advantages of this integration are: reduction of fuel tank system components by 40% in average, reduction of fuel leak potential, increase of the value add, cost reduction and improvement at the motorcycle assembly line, etc. This work start with a study of the motorcycle market, analyzing current products and then concluding with showing the advantages and differences of the new product concept.</div>

From experience: Developing new product concepts via the lead user method: A case study in a “low-tech” field

A bilevel-optimization approach to determine product specifications during the early phases of product development: Increase customer value and reduce design risks

<div class="htmlview paragraph">A presentation of the factors considered in the development and implementation of digital instrumentation on agricultural tractors. Market and economic conditions that affect the content and functions of digital instrumentation will be discussed. Test and development of the components, relative to state-of-the-art design will be presented.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Market acceptance, training and service considerations after product release will be reviewed.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The impact on product planning and future applications of similar systems will also be discussed.</div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">To achieve global climate goals, greenhouse gas emissions must be drastically reduced. The energy and transportation sectors are responsible for about one third of the greenhouse gases emitted worldwide, and they often use internal combustion engines (ICE). One effective way to decarbonize ICEs may be to replace carbon-containing fossil fuels such as natural gas entirely, or at least partially, with hydrogen. Cost-effective development of sustainable combustion concepts for hydrogen and natural gas/hydrogen mixtures in ICEs requires the intensive use of fast and robust simulation tools for prediction. The key challenge is appropriate modeling of flame front propagation.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper evaluates and applies different approaches to modeling laminar flame speeds from the literature. Both appropriate models and reaction kinetic calculations are considered. The most promising approaches are then combined with various approaches for turbulent combustion as the basis for determining zero-dimensional burn rates. In developing these approaches, one particular challenge is to make the models able to correctly represent flame front propagation with a 0-100% share of hydrogen in the mixture as well as consider the resulting effects. In particular, the destabilizing effects of an increasing share of hydrogen, which can be described by the Lewis number not equal to one, are examined.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Finally, validation of the model results involved not only classic comparison of analyzed cylinder pressure curves and other engine performance parameters but also direct comparison of measured and modeled flame front propagation based on experimental measurement data from ion current probes. The measurements were made on a single-cylinder research engine with a cylinder head equipped with ion current probes attached to the spark plug sleeve around the spark plug.</div></div>

The transition of the electricity system to smart grids requires residential end-users to be more involved in managing energy demand and supply. New innovative products and services could help to support end-users to play a more active role in the management of the future electric power system. This paper evaluates the role of Industrial Design Methods (IDMs) in the development of new innovative smart grid related product concepts at the household level. Based on students' design projects, carried out within a master study programme, various IDMs were systematically utilized to develop new innovative products for smart grid households. Our study shows that five IDMs, namely: platform-driven product development, delft innovation model, theory of inventive problem solving, technology roadmapping, and innovative design and styling were mainly applied in the development of the conceptual products. This study shows that a thorough and careful application of various IDMs helped to develop inspiring potential smart grids product concepts that could support end-users at the household level to gain more insight into their energy use, and contribute to balancing energy demand and supply. These concepts include various in-home displays, smart plugs, and smart wall sockets. The resulting product concepts are presented in this paper. We conclude that the systematic use of various IDMs helped to identify and incorporate various technological, societal, market, and end-user aspects necessary for creating innovative smart grid related products that meet end-user and future market expectations.

PurposeThis research aims to generate consumer knowledge to facilitate the development of new product concepts with optimal product design attributes for new fermented functional cereal beverages (FFCBs) with high market potential.Design/methodology/approachThis research employed a sequential mixed research approach which integrated both qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 12 in‐depth interviews and three focus groups were carried out to identify product concepts for new FFCBs. A conjoint model (n=299) was then developed to evaluate product‐specific factors that influenced consumer acceptance of FFCBs.FindingsPotential target consumers of FFCBs were more likely to be young females who had relatively high educational and income levels. “Flavour” and “health/nutritional claim” were found to be the most important product attributes for consumers. The simulation analysis predicted two FFCB concepts for target consumers.Research limitations/implicationsAs there is a limited range of FFCBs on the market, the concept of FFCBs may be novel to consumers. Further research would be beneficial that closely integrates the strategic marketing of FFCBs with sensory analysis conducted on a range of these beverages.Practical implicationsDuring the early stages of the new product development (NPD) process, a market‐oriented research methodology can help optimise product concepts in terms of product attributes that drive consumer acceptance.Originality/valueThis paper provides an important insight into the significance of market‐oriented knowledge generation techniques for the development of new cereal‐based functional foods. It provides market‐oriented information on FFCBs which can be valuable for food manufacturers to maximise NPD performance and to gain competitive advantage in the functional beverages market.

A segmentation of Swiss fluid milk consumers and suggestions for target product concepts

<div class="htmlview paragraph">This is a study of practical and economic applications of automated testing in Bendix’s electronics manufacturing plant. In addition to automatic functional testing of a variety of assemblies, some automated troubleshooting and automatic circuit calibration has been accomplished.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A major production test facility, based on the AN/GJQ-9 programmer-comparator was established during the past three years.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">An Automatic Fault Isolation Test System has completed initial development and is undergoing evaluation in the production facility. This computer-controlled system uses guarded measurement techniques and a novel test fixture for making in-circuit component tests.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">A new facility, in the planning stage, will incorporate the new Bendix computer-controlled M-200 automatic test system. This is the key element in an overall plan to reduce redundant development of test equipment, programming, and troubleshooting techniques between the factory, aircraft manufacturer, and airline maintenance shop.</div>

The Last Planner®System (LPS) supports the proactive planning and control of project activities. This allows project teams to improve teamwork in a methodical, structured, effective and productive manner, whilst enhancing continuous improvement efforts. Also, insufficient utilization of resources leads to a final product which is undesirable to the end customer. It is therefore crucial to investigate the use of emerging product concept development (PCD) approaches, such as Kanban, which are inherited from Lean philosophy, to increase the value in customized PCD processes. PCD mainly involves knowledge work. This study presents the use of LPS in a PCD process in an academic project that involves knowledge work. It also demonstrates that it is not possible to deliver desirable results just by implementing LPS; however, to achieve successful PCD outcomes, close cooperation between all members of the project is essential.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">ADAS features development involves multidisciplinary technical fields, as well as extensive variety of different sensors and actuators, therefore the early design process requires much more resources and time to collaborate and implement. This paper will demonstrate an alternative way of developing prototype ADAS concept features by using remote control car with low cost hobby type of controllers, such as Arduino Due and Raspberry Pi. Camera and a one-beam type Lidar are implemented together with Raspberry Pi. OpenCV free open source software is also used for developing lane detection and object recognition. In this paper, we demonstrate that low cost frame work can be used for the high level concept algorithm architecture, development, and potential operation, as well as high level base testing of various features and functionalities. The developed RC vehicle can be used as a prototype of the early design phase as well as a functional safety testing bench. The paper will also discuss the feature development at the concept phase, as well as the potential implementation of concepts into the conventional vehicle applications.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper proposes a low cost, unique and practical control framework for quick development of ADAS related concepts. The proposed frame work could also be used for testing and validation of various prototype features.</div></div>