2plm
2PLM NewsletterJohn Stark Associates April 29, 2013 - Vol15 #21 |
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Welcome to the 2PLM e-zine This issue includes :
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| Coverage of PLM Initiatives by John Stark |
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In a recently completed survey, we investigated the type of PLM components that companies include in their PLM Initiative. The range of components included, in alphabetical order:
We always advise clients that the many components of PLM should be addressed together. If some components are ignored, then the PLM initiative becomes unbalanced and is unlikely to achieve its objectives. For example, if PDM applications are the only component of PLM that is addressed, the initiative will soon run into trouble. Questions will be raised about the definition, structure and status of the product data that the application will manage. However, as product data is out of scope, and not in the project plan, no time will have been planned to look at these questions, and there will be no resources available to answer them. And, questions will arise about the processes and activities that create and change product data. Again, as processes are out of project scope, and not in the project plan, no time will have been planned to look at them, and there will be no resources available to answer the questions. And perhaps the Business Process Department wouldn't help anyway as it wasn't included in the initial project. |
And there will be other questions concerning changes to the organisational structure to enable the most effective application of the processes and the best use of product data - "available when it's needed, where it's needed". Again, though, there won't be the time or resources to answer these questions.
Not surprising that management might feel that the Initiative is out of control and should be stopped. We found the following percentage of the PLM Initiatives we surveyed addressing particular components:
In a follow-on survey, we aim to find out why so many projects:
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| PLM Financial Framework Launch by Roger Tempest |
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| PLM has always been seen as a subject that is difficult to quantify in financial terms. The PLMIG aims to change this.
Obviously, (and particularly for companies in the USA), there needs to be a thorough, neutral definition of the costs and value of implementing PLM. This is important, but we aim to go further. PLM is an enterprise-wide activity, extending along the Customer and Supply chains. There needs to be a comprehensive framework that integrates all of the PLM-related operations under proactive financial management. This is important, but we aim to go further. Once we have established what the structure and metrics are, we need a toolset that enables the PLM Team to implement the new environment. The end goal is for PLM to be fully integrated into the financial and accounting mechanism of the company. If this can be achieved then the current "bid and hope" method of justifying PLM projects will become obsolete. |
The PLM Team and their financial colleagues will be able to input the 'what if?' parameters, and the financial model will show the impact on the company accounts.
This will be a major challenge, but the recent PLMuERP initiative showed how it can be done. Facing a similarly difficult problem, that initiative progressed from 'How to Fix PLM-ERP' (Jul. 30 2012) to 'The Resolution of PLM-ERP' (Apr. 01 2013) via a series of linked workshops. The new PLM Financial Framework initiative launches in June with parallel workshops in Manchester and Toulouse that will be combined to produce a Version 1.0 PLM Financial Handbook. Registration is now open, and we are gathering feedback about where the series should continue.
Roger Tempest is co-founder of the PLMIG. Membership of the PLMIG is available via membership@plmig.com. |
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| The PLM Journey by Scott Cleveland |
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| PLM implementation is an on-going journey, not a destination. You can't just install PLM and stop, you have to walk on.
Once implemented in a company, a PLM solution should function as intended. However, over time, the company will change. That means its requirements for PLM will change. And implementation will continue. The only constant is change. A few examples:
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And people will see how beneficial it is for others to manage their information, and the processes that govern them, in PLM. So they'll also want to manage their information and processes in the PLM environment. This will result in more changes/modifications. Not surprising that many companies have at least one full-time person who is altering and maintaining their PLM solution.
The Take Away....
Your Thoughts....
Scott Cleveland can be contacted on +1 408-464-6387
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