Incorporating consumers in the design of their own products. The dimensions of product personalisation

Abstract

Product personalisation gives individual consumers the opportunity to act as co-designers and partly determine the appearance or functionality of the product they buy. Whether product personalisation can provide a competitive advantage depends on how it is implemented in new products and to which target group it is aimed. This article presents a classification study to uncover the dimensions of product personalisation to provide designers with an overview of the spectrum of personalisation options. Our research distinguishes the following seven dimensions: Mental effort, Physical effort, Flexibility, Initiation, Goal of product personalisation, Personalisation moment, and Deliberateness. On the basis of the outcomes of the study, new personalisation options can be developed. In addition, specific implications for targeting consumers are discussed.

Keywords:

• personalisation
• customisation
• consumer involvement
• product design