Defining Modules, Modularity and Modularization Evolution of the Concept in a Historical Perspective

Modularization is currently in focus as a means for increasing competitiveness of industrial companies. This is achieved by bridging the advantages of standardization and rationalization with customization and flexibility. But the phenomenon behind modularization itself is not very well described and understood in literature. In this paper, the evolution of the concept behind modularization is described in a historical perspective as a starting point for descriptions of the nature of modular systems. This leads to definitions of the terms: module, modularity, and modularization. Over time the meaning of the term module has changed from being defined by the physical presence into being defined by structure and functionality. It is argued that modularity today is a combination of systems attributes and functionality of the module itself. Furthermore, modularization has evolved in an industrial context and there seem to be three basic drivers behind the desire for modularity: creation of variety, utilization of similarities and reduction of complexities. This paper is mainly based on a literature survey complemented by the author’s own industrial experience. The paper will serve as a foundation for the author’s future research into more specific areas of modularization and product family development