PurposeProduct configurators are expert systems that support product customization by defining how predefined entities and their properties may be combined. Developers of configuration systems act as designers, although they do not often recognize that they are performing as such. Moreover, exploring solution spaces is typically not integral to configuration projects, as this task is typically perceived as mapping existing knowledge to the configurator. This article argues that developing configurators may be understood by distinguishing between the problem and solution spaces using design thinking (DT).Design/methodology/approachA multiple-case-study approach with four configuration projects is adopted to study two projects involving DT and compare them to two similar projects not involving DT. Data collection depended on multiple data sources via workshops and semi-structured interviews.FindingsFirst, DT methods and concept–knowledge (C-K) theory are integrated into configuration projects. Second, the application of DT during configurator development is presented through workshops and interviews, which demonstrates the benefits of DT in overcoming existing challenges.Research limitations/implicationsThe case studies demonstrate the successful implementation of DT in developing configurators. However, a limited number of cases in only one company limits the generalizability of the results.Practical implicationsThe framework's individual steps create a structured approach to supporting industrial companies with a toolbox of DT techniques and methods for configuration projects.Originality/valueThe results show that the application of DT to configuration projects can improve user motivation, stakeholder satisfaction and knowledge acquisition.

中文翻译：

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设计思维在产品配置项目中的应用

目的产品配置器是通过定义如何组合预定义实体及其属性来支持产品定制的专家系统。配置系统的开发人员充当设计人员，尽管他们通常不会意识到他们正在这样做。此外，探索解决方案空间通常不是配置项目的组成部分，因为这项任务通常被视为将现有知识映射到配置器。本文认为可以通过使用设计思维 (DT) 区分问题空间和解决方案空间来理解开发配置器。 设计/方法论/方法 采用具有四个配置项目的多案例研究方法来研究两个涉及 DT 的项目并进行比较到两个不涉及 DT 的类似项目。数据收集依赖于通过研讨会和半结构化访谈的多个数据源。发现首先，DT 方法和概念知识 (CK) 理论被集成到配置项目中。其次，通过研讨会和访谈介绍了 DT 在配置器开发过程中的应用，展示了 DT 在克服现有挑战方面的优势。研究局限性/影响案例研究证明了 DT 在开发配置器中的成功实施。然而，只有一家公司的有限数量的案例限制了结果的普遍性。实际意义该框架的各个步骤创建了一种结构化的方法来支持工业公司使用 DT 技术和配置项目方法的工具箱。