Conclusions and Future Research

In this study three key challenges of customer co-design were identified, in response to the proliferation of digital media in the context of mass customization from a customer perspective. The first challenge considers the ability of the co-design process to further the discovery by customers of the product solution space. The collected data revealed that customers who engage in media with a higher social presence are more likely to discover unexpected product adaptations. It seems that digital media with a lower social presence tend to have a limited discovery yield and thus lower the perception of the potential solution space. When customers felt that they were not aware of the potential solution space, they perceived less value. In addition, managers reported that the variety of individualized products purchased substantially increased after introducing a new medium with a higher social presence.