ABSTRACT
Web-based services such as a data model of the business process, a database and virtual backend interface for managing the related information, related digital content (visualisation service), server and user interface on the internet seem to be an ultimate solution for customisation and personalisation in the building industry. This chapter is based on mass customisation projects devised to meet the need of our clients: the construction companies specialising in housing block apartments. The customer-driven thinking, which has been both a wish and a forced situation, is underlined, and we also explain how as a solution provider we have been assisting customers to formulate their ideas and combine them with ours in a web service. Chronological case studies including NCC’s manual configurator (2005), Skanska’s planning the future (2007), and YIT’s prototype (2008) have been used and the most recent project, YIT’s Stylemachine (2009), are also presented with prospects for future developments. Building on what has been learnt from this experience, some ideas for future development will be shared both for this specific purpose and generally for reinvigorating the concept of customisation within the building industry.
