Practical incorporation of lifecycle flexibility into products at their early development stage

Abstract

This article presents a practical design guideline for the incorporation of lifecycle flexibility into products at their early development stage. In a world of constant uncertainty, flexibility to avoid risks and exploit opportunities represents a competitive advantage. While considering the entire lifecycle improves the overall product value, early design considerations enable effective and efficient implementations. To date, literature still lacks practical engineering procedures to design for lifecycle flexibility (DFLF). The innovative design guideline extends the focus from current requirements to future circumstances. Such substantial shifts in engineering practice require the demonstration of support for designers, applicability on products, and benefits for companies. Aiming to better understand the impacts of designing products for lifecycle flexibility, the DFLF guideline was applied on a practical use case. Battery packs represented relevant products due to critical uncertainties and high costs. Experts of a renowned engineering company in the automotive industry provided valuable insights into the design process. Based on a real reference project, they expected reductions of criticality and costs throughout the lifecycle. Therefore, these experts recognized the effects of uncertainty and valued the early incorporation of useful flexibility into products. The application of the DFLF guideline on a realistic use case has demonstrated its support for designers, practical applicability, and benefits for the company. Participating experts stated their intention to apply the DFLF guideline for the design of future battery packs. Since uncertainty affects various products, their incorporation of lifecycle flexibility represents an interesting opportunity for further research.