Design Rules: The Power of Modularity

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a simple model that provides an explanatory foundation for these phenomena based upon the inventive design process, which assumes that invention arises through probabilistic analogical transfers that combine existing knowledge by combining existing individual operational ideas to arrive at new individual operating ideas.

TL;DR: A quantitative algorithm to identify common sets of elements within a product, as well as, across products, based on a Euclidean distance that compares different modules’ inputs and outputs is developed.

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors empirically examined operations data for about 300 distribution centers within a major soft drink bottling company in 2010-2011 and found that the benefits of converting an existing distribution center into a sourcing hub are both real and significant.

TL;DR: The materiality of digital artifacts, particularly the separation between their material and i-materials, is the focus of research and development work on how digital and physical components are combined to produce novel products.