An Adaptable Customer Decision Support System for Custom Configurations

Abstract

In the online world of complex and customizable products, the Internet can offer more than just electronic order forms and data transfer — it has the ability to provide customers with automated tools to custom configure products. This paper develops a basis for an online customer decision support system that offers product configurator functionality. A prototype for such a system, based upon the types of matrix methods employed in the process of quality function deployment, is described. In addition to the development of a new and functionally useful application that offers value-added implications, the prototype provides a basis for organizing and advancing important implications with respect to the key features and enablers of online custom configuration.

• Electronic commerce
• Decision support
• Product configurator
• Internet marketing
• Online shopping
• Customization