En general el diseño de las políticas habitacionales ha prescindido del conocimiento de la demanda específica. La producción del hábitat popular ha sido a través del uso de técnicas constructivas industrializadas, adoptando estrategias de producción masiva, con una eficiente utilización de los recursos, pero ignorando las exigencias individuales de cada familia, la pluralidad y el dinamismo de la sociedad. En consecuencia surgen complejos que no se adecuan a las necesidades de la población, donde los usuarios intervienen incorporando necesidades no previstas en el desarrollo del producto. A partir de un escenario industrial competitivo donde la diversidad del mercado es un nuevo factor para las empresas, surge la customización masiva como una nueva estrategia, capaz de satisfacer a los consumidores con diferentes productos sin aumentar significativamente los costos y el tiempo de entrega. En programas habitacionales la oferta de customización es muy limitada debido principalmente a lograr una economía de escala de la producción. El objetivo principal de esta investigación fue proponer formas de retroalimentar el proceso de desarrollo del producto a partir de las intervenciones realizadas por los usuarios. Fueron realizados dos estudios de casos de programas residenciales, donde la participación del usuario en el desarrollo del producto es diferente. La investigación se realizó en tres etapas, siendo la primera etapa A de comprensión del proceso de desarrollo del producto, caracterizando la empresa y los emprendimientos. Fueron realizadas entrevistas con informantes calificados, visitas a los emprendimientos y análisis de documentos técnicos. La etapa B tuvo como objetivo la planificación del levantamiento de datos para capturar las informaciones de las intervenciones de los usuarios en la etapa de uso de las unidades. Para esto se realizóla colecta de datos a través de entrevistas, y cuestionarios estructurados a los usuarios, y análisis de las intervenciones a través de fotografías satelitales. La etapa C busco identificar oportunidades de procesamiento de los datos, para entender los requisitos de los usuarios y contribuir a mejorar el PDP. Se identificaron estrategias en el proceso de producción de un sistema industrializado de producción de viviendas, encontrando oportunidades de implementar mejoras en la capacidad de adaptabilidad del sistema a los cambios producidos por los usuarios, aumentando la variabilidad y flexibilidad de las opciones de viviendas ofrecidas por la empresa. Conjuntamente con la empresa fueron analizadas las intervenciones y se identificaron oportunidades para adoptar distintos grados de customización. Las principales contribuciones del trabajo es comprender cuales son los requisitos de los usuarios en la etapa de uso de las viviendas, para lograr un producto customizable en proyectos de vivienda de interés social y contribuir al desarrollo de productos industrializados que incorporen estos requisitos. / In general, housing policies have ignored knowledge on the specific needs of families in the design of housing projects. In fact, several industrialized building techniques have been used in social housing, often connected to the adoption of mass production ideas, with the aim of achieving a highly efficient use of resources, but ignoring the individual needs of each family, and the plurality and dynamism of the society. Consequently, there are many housing estates that do not fulfill the needs of the population, resulting in changes in the housing units carried out by the users so that their requirements can be properly considered. In an industrial setting that has growing competition, the diversity in the client needs has become a key factor for several companies in the manufacturing sector. In this context, mass customization has emerged as a new strategy, with the aim of satisfying users with different needs without significantly increasing costs and delivery time. However, in the social housing sector, very few programs offer the possibility of customization, mainly due to the need to achieve economies of scale. Thus, the aim of this research work is to propose guidelines for providing feedback to the product development process of social housing projects, based on product changes that have been made by the users after delivery. Two case studies were conducted in different residential projects, developed by the same company, in which the degree of user involvement in product development was different. The research method was divided into three stages. In stage A, the aim was to understand the product development process, the housing company involved in this investigation, as well as the three projects. The main sources of evidences used were interviews with company representatives, visits to the housing estates, and document analysis. Phase B involved the collection of data related to the product changes carried out by users in the three projects. The main sources of evidence used were interviews with a sample of users, direct observation of those changes, and analysis of interventions by using satellite photos. Phase C sought to propose guidelines for processing user requirement data, and to identify improvement opportunities in the product development process. Regarding the industrialized building system developed by the company, some improvements were proposed, mostly related to the capacity of adaptation of the system to the product changes often made by the users, increasing the variety and flexibility of the housing options offered by the company. In collaboration with company representatives, different degrees of customization were devised. The main contributions of this research work are concerned with how to capture and process requirements based on multiple sources of evidence, as well as to understand the nature of product changes demanded by the users, which can be useful for designing customized houses.

O emprego de uma estrutura mista de aço – concreto (laje em concreto e vigas em perfis de aço) representa a priori uma solução mais eficiente para estruturas de pontes do que a consideração de uma estrutura toda em concreto ou toda em aço. No entanto para que isto ocorra na prática é necessário um dimensionamento criterioso desta estrutura, o que deve ser feito tendo como apoio softwares de simulação numérica. No CEMACOM tem sido desenvolvidos vários trabalhos nesse tema, os quais resultaram num código computacional com capacidade para simular vigas mistas submetidas a cargas de curta duração ou cargas de longa duração. Em contraponto, nesse trabalho a proposta é customizar um software comercial de elementos finitos (ANSYS) para realizar as mesmas tarefas. Depois do modelo construído tem se vantagens pois se dispõe da plataforma do ANSYS que permite analisar vários problemas associados ao assunto. Fez-se uma proposta de modelo numérico para se analisar vigas mistas no ANSYS. Tendo como ponto de partida os trabalhos de Lazzari (2015) e Lazzari et al. (2016) para a implementação do comportamento do concreto, fez-se algumas implementações numa rotina tipo usermat para fazer análises de cargas de curta duração. Os efeitos de longa duração, fluência e retração, foram implementados na rotina usermat tendo como base os trabalhos de Dias (2013) e Moreno (2016). O código customizado foi comparado contra resultados experimentais e numéricos que demonstraram o adequado funcionamento do mesmo. Finalmente o ANSYS customizado foi aplicado para modelar uma estrutura de ponte que havia sido previamente calculada por Schmitz (2014) empregando procedimentos de projeto normalizados. Os resultados obtidos são comparados contra o processo normalizado e são apresentadas as vantagens deste processo. / The use of composite steel and concrete structures (concrete deck and steel profile beams) represents a priori a more efficient solution for bridges structure than the consideration of a whole structure with concrete or whole with steel. However for this to occur in practice it is necessary a consistent design of this structure, and this should be done with the support of softwares of numerical simulations. In CEMACOM have been developed many works in this theme, which resulted on a computational code with the capacity for simulate composite beams submitted to loads with short duration or loads with long duration. In counterpoint, in this work the proposal was to customize a commercial software of finite elements (ANSYS) to do the same tasks. After the construction of the model it have advantages because it is able to use the ANSYS platform, which permit to analyze various problems associated with this subject. It was done a numerical model for analysis of composite beams in ANSYS. Considering as the start point the works of Lazzari (2015) and Lazzari et al. (2016) for the implementation of concrete behavior, some implementations were done in a routine of the type usermat to make analysis with loads with short duration. The effects of long duration, creep and shrinkage, were implemented on the usermat routine considering the jobs of Dias (2013) and Moreno (2016). The customized code was compared with experimental and numerical results that demonstrated a proper functioning. Finally, the customized ANSYS was applied to modeling a bridge structure, which was previously designed in Schmitz (2014) using standard proceedings. The obtained results are compared with the standard procedure and it is presented the advantages of this more complex proceeding.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo evidenciar os benefícios que as transformações sociais contemporâneas, alimentadas pela evolução tecnológica interativa, podem exercer sobre a indústria automotiva, notadamente na questão de customização do produto. A fim de estreitar as relações entre o contexto histórico e as mudanças na indústria automotiva, o trabalho traça um paralelo entre as transformações vividas pela sociedade e a evolução dos automóveis, analisando como as mudanças de contexto afetaram a indústria automotiva. Da mesma forma, é pesquisado sobre como a evolução do automóvel moderno moldou o estilo de vida da sociedade, nos últimos 125 anos. A relação entre o contexto histórico e as mudanças na indústria automotiva é a base que o trabalho utiliza para justificar o emprego das novas tecnologias interativas nos automóveis.São analisadas novas tecnologias interativas existentes e em estágio avançado de desenvolvimento, notadamente aplicadas a smartphones e tablets, e a influência que essas estão tendo no modo de vida contemporâneo. Foi verificado que, apesar dos automóveis terem evoluído concomitantemente com a sociedade, nos mais de cem anos desde sua invenção, estão demorando a embarcar tais desenvolvimentos tecnológicos, continuando, em sua maioria, máquinas análogas e isoladas das outras partes que compõem o trânsito. Este trabalho se propõe a analisar tais tecnologias interativas, estudar quais podem ser embarcadas nos automóveis, exemplificando as possibilidades de aplicação das mesmas, através de um modelo tridimensional, criando um produto customizável em massa, condizente com as tendências sociais contemporâneas, que atenda o maior número de consumidores em potencial, com uma mesma linha de produto, evidenciando o diferencial competitivo que este proporcionaria ao seu fabricante ante a concorrência. / The objective of this paper is to highlight the benefits that contemporary social changes, fueled by the interactive technological evolution, can exert on the automotive industry, mainly in the aspect of product customization.In order to strengthen the relation between historical context and changes in automotive industry, this paper draws a parallel between social changes and automobile evolution, evidencing how context changes affect the automotive industry. Also, this paper demonstrate how the evolution of the modern automobile framed society life style in the past 125 years. The relation between historical context and automotive industry changes is the base that this paper use to justify the insertion of interactive technologies in automobiles.New and advance stage technologies are analyzed, mostly the ones applied to smartphones and tablets, and the influence of such technologies in contemporary lifestyle.It is shown that, despite cars have evolved together with society for over a century since its invention, they are holding up the insertion of this new technologies, remaining, mostly, analog machines isolated from the other traffic components.This paper proposes to analyze these interactive technologies, studing which one can be applied in automobiles, demonstrating the applications possibilities through a tridimensional model, creating a mass customizable product, consistent with contemporary social trends, that reach most of the potential buyers with a single product line, demonstrating this product manufacturer competitive advantage against competition.

No Brasil, o amplo incentivo e a disponibilidade de financiamento à produção habitacional de baixa renda, nos últimos anos têm estimulado a padronização do produto e aplicação de conceitos de produção em massa neste setor. No entanto, a entrega de produtos altamente padronizados a clientes com diferentes necessidades, desconsiderando seus modos de vida e percepções de valor, frequentemente resulta em produtos inadequados, os quais necessitam ser modificados logo após a entrega. A customização em massa tem se destacado como uma estratégia para aprimorar a geração de valor e aumentar o grau de satisfação de clientes na indústria da manufatura. No contexto da habitação de baixa renda, a definição de um conjunto de opções relevantes do ponto de vista dos clientes, baseado na sua percepção de valor, é um dos principais desafios para a implementação desta estratégica. O objetivo da presente pesquisa consiste em propor um método para identificar atributos customizáveis da empreendimentos habitacionais customizados, baseado em um modelo conceitual denominado cadeia meios-fim. Este modelo foi adaptado ao contexto de habitação de baixa renda, de forma a ser utilizado para relacionar os atributos do produto com os valores dos clientes, por meio da aplicação da técnica laddering. Além disso, a pesquisa tem como objetivo específico desenvolver dispositivos visuais que apoiem a tomada de decisão sobre a oferta de espaços de solução para unidades habitacionais customizadas. Com o objetivo de testar a aplicabilidade da solução desenvolvida, foram realizados dois estudos empíricos. O primeiro estudo foi desenvolvido para o segmento de mercado específico de uma empresa construtora de habitações, enquanto no segundo estudo fez-se a comparação de quatro segmentos de mercado delineados no Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida. A principal contribuição do método proposto é indicar as unidades de customização que são mais relevantes para os clientes finais e modelar a geração de valor na perspectiva dos usuários finais, de forma a entender as prioridades estabelecidas pelos mesmos. Além disso, os resultados permitem entender diferenças sobre a geração de valor para diferentes perfis de clientes e identificar oportunidades de melhoria em produtos habitacionais existentes. / In Brazil, high incentives and availability of funding for low-cost housing projects, in recent years, have encouraged product standardization and the application of mass production ideas in that sector. However, the delivery of highly standardized housing units to customers with different requirements, without considering their lifestyles and perceptions of value, often results in inadequate products, which need to be modified soon after delivery. Mass customization has been pointed out as an effective strategy to improve value generation and increase the degree of client satisfaction in the manufacturing industry. In the context of low-cost housing, the definition of a set of relevant options from the point of view of clients, based on their perceptions of value, is a major challenge for the implementation of this strategy. The aim of this research work is to propose a method for identifying value-adding attributes in customized housing projects, based on a conceptual model named means-end chain. That model was adapted to the low-cost housing context in order to connect product attributes to clients’ values, by applying the laddering technique. Besides, this investigation has the secondary aim of devising visual devices that can support decision-making related to the solution space of customised housing units. Two empirical studies were carried out in order to assess the applicability of the proposed solution. The first study was developed considering the specific market segment of a house-building company, while in the second study a comparison was made between four segments of the My House My Life Program. The main contribution of the proposed method is to identify which customization units are the most relevant ones for the final clients, as well as to model value generation from the point of view of clients, with the aim of understanding the priorities established by them. Moreover, the results explain differences in value generation for distinct client profiles, and identify improvement opportunities for existing housing products.

No Brasil, o amplo incentivo e a disponibilidade de financiamento à produção habitacional de baixa renda, nos últimos anos têm estimulado a padronização do produto e aplicação de conceitos de produção em massa neste setor. No entanto, a entrega de produtos altamente padronizados a clientes com diferentes necessidades, desconsiderando seus modos de vida e percepções de valor, frequentemente resulta em produtos inadequados, os quais necessitam ser modificados logo após a entrega. A customização em massa tem se destacado como uma estratégia para aprimorar a geração de valor e aumentar o grau de satisfação de clientes na indústria da manufatura. No contexto da habitação de baixa renda, a definição de um conjunto de opções relevantes do ponto de vista dos clientes, baseado na sua percepção de valor, é um dos principais desafios para a implementação desta estratégica. O objetivo da presente pesquisa consiste em propor um método para identificar atributos customizáveis da empreendimentos habitacionais customizados, baseado em um modelo conceitual denominado cadeia meios-fim. Este modelo foi adaptado ao contexto de habitação de baixa renda, de forma a ser utilizado para relacionar os atributos do produto com os valores dos clientes, por meio da aplicação da técnica laddering. Além disso, a pesquisa tem como objetivo específico desenvolver dispositivos visuais que apoiem a tomada de decisão sobre a oferta de espaços de solução para unidades habitacionais customizadas. Com o objetivo de testar a aplicabilidade da solução desenvolvida, foram realizados dois estudos empíricos. O primeiro estudo foi desenvolvido para o segmento de mercado específico de uma empresa construtora de habitações, enquanto no segundo estudo fez-se a comparação de quatro segmentos de mercado delineados no Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida. A principal contribuição do método proposto é indicar as unidades de customização que são mais relevantes para os clientes finais e modelar a geração de valor na perspectiva dos usuários finais, de forma a entender as prioridades estabelecidas pelos mesmos. Além disso, os resultados permitem entender diferenças sobre a geração de valor para diferentes perfis de clientes e identificar oportunidades de melhoria em produtos habitacionais existentes. / In Brazil, high incentives and availability of funding for low-cost housing projects, in recent years, have encouraged product standardization and the application of mass production ideas in that sector. However, the delivery of highly standardized housing units to customers with different requirements, without considering their lifestyles and perceptions of value, often results in inadequate products, which need to be modified soon after delivery. Mass customization has been pointed out as an effective strategy to improve value generation and increase the degree of client satisfaction in the manufacturing industry. In the context of low-cost housing, the definition of a set of relevant options from the point of view of clients, based on their perceptions of value, is a major challenge for the implementation of this strategy. The aim of this research work is to propose a method for identifying value-adding attributes in customized housing projects, based on a conceptual model named means-end chain. That model was adapted to the low-cost housing context in order to connect product attributes to clients’ values, by applying the laddering technique. Besides, this investigation has the secondary aim of devising visual devices that can support decision-making related to the solution space of customised housing units. Two empirical studies were carried out in order to assess the applicability of the proposed solution. The first study was developed considering the specific market segment of a house-building company, while in the second study a comparison was made between four segments of the My House My Life Program. The main contribution of the proposed method is to identify which customization units are the most relevant ones for the final clients, as well as to model value generation from the point of view of clients, with the aim of understanding the priorities established by them. Moreover, the results explain differences in value generation for distinct client profiles, and identify improvement opportunities for existing housing products.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo evidenciar os benefícios que as transformações sociais contemporâneas, alimentadas pela evolução tecnológica interativa, podem exercer sobre a indústria automotiva, notadamente na questão de customização do produto. A fim de estreitar as relações entre o contexto histórico e as mudanças na indústria automotiva, o trabalho traça um paralelo entre as transformações vividas pela sociedade e a evolução dos automóveis, analisando como as mudanças de contexto afetaram a indústria automotiva. Da mesma forma, é pesquisado sobre como a evolução do automóvel moderno moldou o estilo de vida da sociedade, nos últimos 125 anos. A relação entre o contexto histórico e as mudanças na indústria automotiva é a base que o trabalho utiliza para justificar o emprego das novas tecnologias interativas nos automóveis.São analisadas novas tecnologias interativas existentes e em estágio avançado de desenvolvimento, notadamente aplicadas a smartphones e tablets, e a influência que essas estão tendo no modo de vida contemporâneo. Foi verificado que, apesar dos automóveis terem evoluído concomitantemente com a sociedade, nos mais de cem anos desde sua invenção, estão demorando a embarcar tais desenvolvimentos tecnológicos, continuando, em sua maioria, máquinas análogas e isoladas das outras partes que compõem o trânsito. Este trabalho se propõe a analisar tais tecnologias interativas, estudar quais podem ser embarcadas nos automóveis, exemplificando as possibilidades de aplicação das mesmas, através de um modelo tridimensional, criando um produto customizável em massa, condizente com as tendências sociais contemporâneas, que atenda o maior número de consumidores em potencial, com uma mesma linha de produto, evidenciando o diferencial competitivo que este proporcionaria ao seu fabricante ante a concorrência. / The objective of this paper is to highlight the benefits that contemporary social changes, fueled by the interactive technological evolution, can exert on the automotive industry, mainly in the aspect of product customization.In order to strengthen the relation between historical context and changes in automotive industry, this paper draws a parallel between social changes and automobile evolution, evidencing how context changes affect the automotive industry. Also, this paper demonstrate how the evolution of the modern automobile framed society life style in the past 125 years. The relation between historical context and automotive industry changes is the base that this paper use to justify the insertion of interactive technologies in automobiles.New and advance stage technologies are analyzed, mostly the ones applied to smartphones and tablets, and the influence of such technologies in contemporary lifestyle.It is shown that, despite cars have evolved together with society for over a century since its invention, they are holding up the insertion of this new technologies, remaining, mostly, analog machines isolated from the other traffic components.This paper proposes to analyze these interactive technologies, studing which one can be applied in automobiles, demonstrating the applications possibilities through a tridimensional model, creating a mass customizable product, consistent with contemporary social trends, that reach most of the potential buyers with a single product line, demonstrating this product manufacturer competitive advantage against competition.

Inovação em produtos e processos pode ser a diferença entre sucesso e fracasso para vender produtos em outros países. Dentro desta perspectiva, a gestão tecnológica destaca-se como uma alternativa, de menor custo e mais rápida, de customizar produtos para novos mercados. O estudo sobre a decisão de customizar produtos nos mercados internacionais é especialmente importante para as organizações que decidem abrir uma subsidiária em outro país, mediante aquisição de uma empresa ou construção de suas próprias instalações. Qualquer que seja a decisão, a empresa fica exposta a riscos internacionais além de elevados custos; resultando na necessidade de diluí-los em âmbito global. Nesse contexto, existe a necessidade da empresa decidir quais produtos deverá customizar para o país em questão e quais produtos ela deverá padronizar, tendo em vista as vendas para outros países. O objetivo geral desta pesquisa é identificar, na função marketing de empresa internacionalizada, os fatores de influência relacionados com decisões sobre customização de produtos industriais e produtos de consumo para um determinado país. Dentro desta perspectiva, elaborou-se uma revisão da literatura sobre os temas: internacionalização, marketing internacional, decisões sobre customização de produtos e fatores de customização de produtos - base para a fundamentação teórica. Quanto aos aspectos metodológicos, em uma primeira fase qualitativa foram realizados quatro estudos de caso de caráter exploratório - duas empresas americanas e duas empresas europeias. Como resultado, elaborou-se um ranking de fatores considerados essenciais na decisão sobre customização de produtos: 1º Características do cliente (B2B)/consumidor (B2C); 2º Retorno sustentável sobre o investimento; 3º Lucro sustentável; 4º Exigências legais; 5º Vendas de outros produtos do portfólio; 6º Diferenças no clima. Na segunda fase quantitativa, elaborou-se uma survey, aplicada pela internet, resultado do levantamento empírico do estudo de casos. Como consequência, foram obtidos 123 registros válidos de uma amostra não probabilística intencional. Os resultados sugerem diferenças no ranking dos fatores de influência na decisão sobre customização de produtos. Outros achados advindos da pesquisa: fatores ligados à logística de distribuição de produtos tangíveis devem ser considerados na decisão sobre customização; tanto em mercados B2B, quanto em mercados B2C, produtos tangíveis possuem grande carga de serviços associados. Espera-se, com estes resultados, um avanço na contribuição para estudos futuros em decisão sobre customização de produtos. / Innovation in products and processes can be the difference between success and failure to sell products in other countries. Within this perspective, technology management is highlighted as an alternative, less expensive and faster, to customize products for new markets. The study on the decision to customize products in international markets is especially important for organizations that decide to open a subsidiary in another country by way of purchasing a business or building their own facilities. Whatever the decision, the company is exposed to international risks and high costs; which leads to reduce them on global basis. In this context, a company needs to decide which products to customize for the country in question and which products to standardize for sale other countries. The overall objective of this research is to identify, with respect to the marketing activities of an international company, the factors that influence decisions related to the customization of industrial products and of consumer products for a particular country. Thus, a literature review gathered information on the topics of: internationalization, international marketing, decision on product customization and product customization factors - the theoretical basis for the research. Regarding the methodological aspects, in the qualitative first phase, were conducted four exploratory case studies, at two American companies and two European companies. As a result, it was elaborated a ranking of factors considered essentials in deciding on customization of products: 1st Characteristics of the customer (B2B) / consumer (B2C); 2nd Sustainable Return On Investment; 3rd Sustainable income; 4th Legislative requirements; 5th Other products sales in the portfolio; 6th Differences in weather. Subsequently, the quantitative second phase, based on the empirical case studies, a survey was elaborated and applied online. As a result of the online survey, it was obtained 123 valid records of a willful non-probability sampling. The results have suggested differences in the factors of influence in decision on product customization ranking. Other findings have derived from research: factors related to the distribution logistics of tangible products should be considered in deciding customization; tangible products have great load of associated services, both B2B and B2C markets. It is expected from these results, a step forward in contributing to future studies about decision on product customization.

IC設計公司的間接成本高，須追求規模經濟，但對物聯網這種少量多樣的應用又有厚望。因此多會謹慎投入，怕投入如流水，又怕咬不到餅。 面對整體龐大的物聯網產業，歐美大廠運用優勢，嘗試建立特有的生態圈將各方納入。案例IC設計公司的規模很難和歐美大廠對作，但也有其優勢，不過原規模經濟的商業模式不再適用。 IC複雜使其位居重要位置，而案例IC設計公司擁有許多優秀工程人才，再加上成熟產品線廣，且和物聯網關聯，都是優勢資源。但做的是B2B生意，接觸不到終端市場，而新IC開發時間長，導致對終端需求掌握度低，且現有工程師數量是無法支援有多樣需求的微型物聯網業者，這些就是劣勢資源。 如案例IC設計公司將微型物聯網業者及獨立工作者拉到平台上，提供工作者自主工作機會，同時滿足物聯網業者不足的支援人力。案例IC設計公司須貢獻包含工作者的訓練與認證、協助物聯網業者找到符合的工作者、設計專案流程管理機制同時確保工作者收得到價金。如此解決了對微型物聯網業者支援不夠的問題，還可藉由平台獲取最真確的需求資訊，又解決另一困境。 三方都有得且無太多風險，可行性確認。用波特的五力分析，案例IC設計公司導入新商業模式有相當優勢，早投入更可建立先行者優勢。

Construction is often defined as a project-oriented industry that develops complex one-of-a-kind products using an engineer-to-order (ETO) design process. The technical solutions that are developed in specific projects often have integral product architectures that are difficult to re-use in continuous improvement processes. The ETO process also means that very few components can be produced before being ordered, which is necessary for creating economies of scale in production. In contrast, Modify-To-Order (MTO) Configure-To-Order (CTO) or Select variant-To-Order (STO) design processes based on theories of mass customization reuse technical solutions from earlier projects to varying degrees. However, many researchers argue that results and theories from the manufacturing industry cannot be used in the contexts of construction because each construction project has different functional requirements and local site conditions whose interaction mandates the creation of unique end products that cannot be modularized as is done in manufacturing industries. The purpose of this thesis was to investigate how mass customization principles could be utilized in the design of construction products, especially how the adoption of platform architectures and configurators could support the reuse of technical solutions between projects. Several case studies of projects using different specification levels (MTO, CTO and STO) were conducted to test theories of mass customization in the context of construction. The results obtained show that when working at the MTO and CTO specification levels, platform architectures should be based on modules that can be developed incrementally. STO products can be developed with integral product architectures, but if the needs of customers in the target market segment change this presents a risk of ad-hoc end product customization that will adversely affect the production system downstream in the value chain. For all studied specification levels, it is important to determine whether the target market volume is sufficient to justify the cost of developing a product platform. The introduction of design modules in modular platform architectures enables the development and use of configurators in ETO construction design processes. Such tools allow MTO platforms to be customized using a mixture of traditional ETO design and the configuration of predefined modules. Configuration tools for module customization at the MTO and CTO levels must therefore be integrated with the traditional design tools used in construction. The configuration of modular platform architectures also facilitates the effective use of information and its transfer between domains. As the use of pre-defined modules in the product specification process increases, the need to involve multiple design disciplines decreases. At the STO level, the design work can be reduced to such an extent that customization can be achieved using web-based configurators.Overall, the results presented in this thesis indicate that the Products in Product mass customization concept introduced by Erixon (1998) can be implemented at multiple specification levels in the traditional design of construction products. By introducing the new design module category into the platform architecture, predefined construction product platforms can be integrated with the traditional ETO design process and developed incrementally. / Construction is often defined as a project oriented industry developing complex one-of-a-kind products in an engineer-to-order (ETO) driven process by temporary organizations. That is resulting in a fragmented design process with loose connection between different disciplines. Many studies indicate that the early stages of product development is critical for product constructability, but technical solutions that are developed in specific projects lead to integral product architectures that are difficult to re-use in a continuous improvement process. The ETO process also means that very few components can be produced before ordering, a prerequisite for creating economies of scale in production. By changing the product realization process to "modify- to-Order" (MTO), "configure- to-order" (CTO) or "select variant" (STP), which is based on the theories of mass customization, technical solutions can be reused between the specific projects. However, several researchers in the construction industry proclaim that the contexts of construction industry cannot be compared with other industries and products. The variation of interacting functional requirements creates unique end products that cannot be separated in similar way as in the manufacturing industry. Arguments are based on the uniqueness of the end products that is analysed with regards to the highest level in the product architecture, which is why a more nuanced view is required.Mass Customisation can be described as an approach to combine economies of scale from mass production with increased customization for the end customer. To successfully achieve this, the generic product architecture need to be based on a modular architecture with clear separation between functional requirements (FR) and design parameters ( DP) and well-specified interfaces between the modules. Selected market segment affects the demand for product customization relatively the order point and thus affects its product realization process; MTO, CTO and STP, whereupon the selected specification level also affects the generic product architecture with its product platform and how the customization can be done. The purpose of this thesis is to describe whether and how mass customization can be used in the construction industry by describing the relationships between product architectures and the specification levels.Several case studies in the specification levels MTO, CTO and STP have been made based on theory of mass customization. The case studies have been performed in a deductive approach where theories have been tested in real cases and validated through experiments. Results from the cases have improved the understanding in this area and been used in following case studies, why the thesis as a whole can be described as abduction.Research results shows that in the MTO and CTO specification level, product platforms should be based on modules that can be developed incrementally. STP products can be developed with integral product architecture, but if changes in the customer segment occur there is great risk that production will be affected negatively. In all studied specification levels, it is important to understand the market segment volumes to justify the development costs. Introduction of "Design variant module" for modular systems means that configurators for subsystems can be developed. Customization of MTO platforms then consists of a mixture of traditional design and configuration of modules. But to accomplish this, the link between ICT tools in the MTO and CTO process needs to be connected with traditional ICT tools in the construction industry. However, using modular product architectures in the design greatly reduce the information exchange between disciplines. If STP products are developed customization can be done using a web interface.In conclusion, if using the "Products in Product" concept (Erixon, 1998) it is possible to implement theories from mass customization in construction. It is also seen that modular product architecture creates opportunities to repair information chains and minimizes the exchange of information between different disciplines, enabling the use of ICT tools developed in other industries. By introducing a new module category to the existing theory, namely "Design variant module", the traditional design process (ETO) can be coupled with predefined product platforms and develop incrementally. / Godkänd; 2014; 20140416 (patjen); Nedanstående person kommer att disputera för avläggande av teknologie doktorsexamen. Namn: Patrik Jensen Ämne: Byggproduktion/Construction Engineering Avhandling: Configuration of Platform Architectures in Construction Opponent: Professor Lars Hvam, Department of Management Engineering, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark Ordförande: Professor Thomas Olofsson, Avd för byggkonstruktion- och produktion, Institutionen för samhällsbyggnad och naturresurser, Luleå tekniska universitet Tid: Tisdag den 17 juni 2014, kl 13.00 Plats: F1031, Luleå tekniska universitet

The paper addresses localization of web applications with extra focus on its principles. The goal of the paper was to design a localization methodology that might be used by startups as a handbook during development of their service that aims at customers abroad. The first partial goal was design of a questionnaire used to find out important aspects of localization from user's perspective. The second partial goal was to provide recommendations for Webgarden regarding enhancing cultural customization. The third partial goal was comparison of localization among Webgarden's competitors that represents a platform for generating websites. The main goal as well as all partial goals have been achieved. The phases of internationalization and localization were discussed in detail, therefore readers can get a good command of what needs to be done. The paper nonetheless doesn't go into much detail in technical matters. The Hofstede's cultural model has been introduced and has been used with cultural customization for different cultures. I used the methodology as well as the research results to suggest recommendations for the improvement of Webgarden's localization. It's been evaluated positive by native speakers and as such the methodology has been validated. My contribution was the design of the methodology and to provide Czech-based startups that are considering expanding to foreign markets with important information and guidance; another contribution were new recommendation for Webgarden.