Modular Product Configuration Method Considering Perceptual Demands

Perceptual demand is an important element of customer demands as well as a critical factor to influence customer purchase behavior. To satisfy the customer perceptual demand in product configuration, this paper proposes a method of modular product configuration considering both perceptual demand and functional demand. Given the expressing features of customer perceptual demand, we designed a differential and multidimensional scaling to complete mapping from customer perceptual space to sensibility space to gain sentimental preference. This is followed by mapping rules and configuration rules referring to the specialty of perception realization. Considering the trade-offs between perceptual demand and function demand, we determined the solution to the modular product configuration. Finally, we took a case product of automobiles to explain the product configuration process considering perceptual demand.