Smart, connected open architecture product: an IT-driven co-creation paradigm with lifecycle personalization concerns

Nowadays, the emphasis on manufacturing has shifted from a manufacturer-dominating to a customer-centric manner by actively involving users into the co-creation process to realise individual satisfaction. In such era, the rapid development of information and communication technology (e.g. wireless sensor network, and cyber-physical systems) enables a promising market of IT-driven product, i.e. smart, connected product, and also changes the way of user–manufacturer interaction in the product development process. However, to the best of authors’ knowledge, co-creation manner in such context is scarcely reported. Meanwhile, there is a lack of any paradigms given to enable such product open innovation along the lifecycle for personalisation concerns. Aiming to fill this gap, this paper, as an explorative research, proposes a new product development paradigm, i.e. smart, connected open architecture product (SCOAP). It follows the adaptable design principles for product extendibility and lifecycle consideration. Moreover, it enlarges the scope of existing open architecture product by involving IT-driven innovation consideration as well. Hence, the definitions, characteristics, evaluation criteria, development method, and lifecycle co-creation context of SCOAP are presented in details. To make it more concrete, a demo project of a smart, connected open architecture bicycle is given at last.