From modular ambition to successful implementation

Many companies recognize the potential of modularization. They expect faster product development, lower complexity, greater flexibility, and a stronger competitive position. Yet one question remains:

Why do some modularization initiatives create lasting business value while others fail to deliver?

Project OMS (Operationalizing Modular Strategy) was established to answer exactly that question.

As a three-year collaborative research project between NEM, DTU, and leading industrial companies, OMS develops a practical framework that helps organizations successfully implement modular strategies: from the first idea to organization-wide adoption.

Why Project OMS?

Modularization has proven its value across industries. Companies such as Volkswagen and Electrolux have demonstrated how modular product architectures can improve efficiency, accelerate innovation, and strengthen competitiveness.

However, many organizations still struggle to translate the concept into lasting business success. Existing frameworks often describe what modularization is—but not how to successfully implement it within a company’s unique organizational context.

Project OMS closes this gap by identifying the critical success factors behind successful modularization initiatives and transforming them into a practical operational model.

What we are working on

Over the course of the project, the OMS team will:

• Analyze leading modularization cases from multiple industries.

• Study real implementation journeys, including goals, investments, challenges, and achieved business impact.

• Identify the organizational prerequisites, strategic decisions, and implementation practices that drive success.

• Develop a structured implementation model describing the different phases of a modular transformation—from initial exploration to full-scale deployment.

The result will be a practical roadmap that helps companies understand not only what to do, but when, why, and how to do it.

A research-based approach with practical relevance

OMS combines academic research with real industrial experience.

Instead of relying solely on theory, the project examines successful and unsuccessful modularization initiatives to understand what truly makes the difference in practice. By comparing different approaches, industries, and organizational settings, the project creates an evidence-based framework that companies can confidently apply in their own transformation.

The goal is to reduce uncertainty, avoid common pitfalls, and accelerate successful modularization programs.

Project Leadership

Project OMS is led by Kenneth Eskildsen, Program Director at NEM.

With more than 15 years of practical experience in modularization, Kenneth combines industrial expertise with a strong commitment to bridging research and real-world application. Throughout the project, he coordinates the collaboration between industry partners, researchers, and NEM members to ensure that the resulting framework delivers measurable value for companies.

Benefits for participating companies

Project OMS helps organizations:

• Understand why modularization initiatives succeed or fail.

• Learn from proven industrial case studies.

• Identify the organizational conditions required for successful implementation.

• Reduce implementation risks and costly false starts.

• Build a structured roadmap for modular transformation.

• Apply research-backed methods validated across industries.

Building the future of modular strategy

Project OMS is more than a research initiative—it is an investment in making modularization more accessible, more predictable, and more successful for industrial companies.

By combining research, industrial collaboration, and practical experience, the project will create a common operational foundation that enables companies to accelerate their modular journey with greater confidence and measurable business impact.

Whether your organization is just beginning to explore modularization or looking to scale an existing strategy, Project OMS aims to provide the guidance needed to move from ambition to successful execution.