Group Product Customization System with Hierarchical Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product customization systems are inefficient for customizing products for groups, as they focus on individual consumers and lack provisions for relating and customizing multiple products together, making it inconvenient and inefficient for teams or groups.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for customizing a collection of products, where an administrator sets common customizations, and team members or users can further customize products within set limits, using a group customization server and individual customization server to manage digital representations and user inputs over a network.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If individual-focused customization techniques are used, then single product customization is efficient, but group product customization becomes inconvenient and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual customization processes into a unified group customization workflow. The system merges administrator-defined common customizations with individual user customizations into a single coordinated process, allowing simultaneous customization of multiple products for a group without requiring separate individual operations for each product.
Solution Approach 2:
The customization system is designed to handle both individual and group customization needs through a universal platform. The same system infrastructure supports single-product customization while also enabling multi-product group customization with hierarchical control, making the system adaptable to different customization scenarios without requiring separate specialized systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If products are customized individually, then individual product flexibility is high, but coordination and relationship between products is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where administrator-defined common customizations serve as a baseline that individual users can build upon. The system tracks and maintains the hierarchical relationship between common and individual customizations, ensuring that product relationship information is preserved while allowing individual flexibility within the established framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The administrator performs preliminary customization actions by defining common customizations that apply to the entire group before individual users make their specific customizations. This preliminary action establishes the foundation and relationships between products, which then guides subsequent individual customization efforts while maintaining coordination across the group.
3Adaptability or versatility
If complete customization freedom is given to all users, then individual customization options are maximized, but control and coordination over the collection is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The customization authority is segmented into two distinct levels: administrator-level common customizations and user-level individual customizations. This segmentation creates a hierarchical control structure where the administrator defines the framework and constraints, while users operate within those boundaries to add their specific customizations, balancing freedom with coordinated control.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, apparatuses, and methods are provided for customizing collections of products. A first user selects a subset of products for customization, and subsequently causes those products to be customized. The first user may place limitations on further customization of the subset of products. A second user associated with the customized products further customizes those products. The further customization may be restricted by the limitations imposed by the first user.