Modularity

What?

Design that is based on a modular approach. A product contains several separable pieces that can be assembled in different ways by the user or a series of individual products that may be purchased and used alone, or collected and assembled in different ways over time by the user.

Why?

Modularity can support the functional lifespan and overall product longevity. Users can choose to buy products according to individual resources (economy), and users can build up their own selection in their own time. Components can be shared and swapped as well as changed to new ones if they become defect or broken (flexibility).

Challenges

• Users may find it challenging and complicated in use.
• Product continuity is needed to secure user satisfaction.

Examples

• Modularity understood as bits to be built together by the user such as the garment experiment by Berber Soepboer
• The platform, Phonebloks informs on companies that work with modular phone concepts (https://phonebloks.com)
• The concept, Clouds by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec in collaboration with Kvadrat provides a customisable sound insulation system.

Further Reading

Niinimäki (ed.) (2013). Sustainable Fashion: New Approaches. Aalto University, Helsinki.

Ribeiro et al. (2014). Mass customization: Modularity in Development of Fashion Products. International Journal of Management Cases 16(2), pp. 41-45.