Most companies are experiencing changes in the competitive environment that typesets different sets of requirements in product development management. Action research into the implementation of platform-based product standardisation shows that there are four key elements that organisations must consider jointly before implementing the concept. These elements are: current and future needs and wants of customers, the organisation’s own core competencies, effects on the supply chain of suppliers and distributors, and dominant (i.e. key) technologies built into the products. The paper is intended to raise questions and initiate a discussion about new approaches in product development management, as existing methods are not suitable for current situations.