Who Holds The Keys To A PLM Implementation
The major success factors that make a high performing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) stand out from the rest include; strategic business alignment, process-based solution design, reduced customization of PLM and thorough role-based understanding and modification. Companies that take these approaches while implementing PLM achieve far greater results than those who take a beeline approach.
When it comes to PLM implementation, manufacturers tend to be impatient and focus on getting over with it ASAP. This results in taking a big bang approach to implementation. Moreover, manufacturers’ need to implement PLM at the earliest, drive the vendors to push manufacturers right into buying a license leading to quick or express implementations.
It is quite common for manufacturers to jump straight to the PLM implementation without enough research and analysis. They don’t usually give much consideration to mapping requirements, defining business process efficiencies and how the employees or stakeholders will adopt it. Due to lack of an effective PLM strategy, organizations don’t get enough time to plan the implementation so as to achieve better results.
What most companies don’t understand is that implementation of PLM is vastly different from implementation of various software tools like CAM, CAD, etc. PLM is an enterprise application and must be implemented keeping tabs of business process as well as technology. Although a PLM implementation brings forth plenty of technical challenges, it is the strategic process that makes it difficult to implement.
Manufacturing businesses especially the Small to Medium ones think of PLM as software install and lose sight of the importance of their business process in accordance with the PLM implementation. However, if assisted by an experienced implementing organization, the manufacturer can clearly understand the implementation requirements. The organization assesses the capabilities as well as the constraints following a thorough study of the business systems, processes, and other important aspects.
PLM implementation is a collaborative effort of the manufacturer, vendor, and implementing organization. But the truth is that the implementing company is one step ahead in terms of making a feasible implementation plan. Unlike others, the implementing organization treats PLM as a transformational process that initiates efficiencies across a well-defined supply chain, which is backed by best-in-line software. That’s why the importance of PLM implementation lies in the hands of the implementing organization.
The implementing organization focuses on creating a roadmap to implement PLM in an effective manner that helps improve business process. During the entire process, the organization holds the key to ensure a smooth and successful PLM implementation that maximizes benefits. What Organizations can do is tie up payments to these Implementing Organizations to the defined outcomes and their achievements of course all stakeholders need to take responsibility but the key still probably lies with the implementing organization and the lock with the end user how much he wishes to open up is their call.