The Option Value Of Modularity

Key to any modularised design, taking into account all the elements that need to be defined, is the assignment of such elements to a formalised plan. A formal plan, or set of rules to which all modules must comply, is a necessary pre-requisite for modularity but also a flexible boundary.

Within modular design, it is not the module itself that is valuable but the option to use the module. The key variables within the process of modular valuation are, (a) the technological potential of the module, (b), the cost of mounting independent design experiments, (c), the visibility of the module in question.