PLM – common misconceptions and how to avoid them
Sometimes there are expectations that a Product Lifecycle Management solution will magically make all challenges and problems disappear. Being aware of the benefits of PLM can make it tempting to start chasing them all at once. At Nextage, we recommend our customers to build their PLM processes and system support step by step, starting with the most value-bringing PLM elements for their business.
Luckily, there are best practices and recommendations to guide you and help you avoid a PLM project that may turn time-consuming and costly for your organization.
In this blog post, Nextage services team list 5 common misconceptions and objections to PLM and how you can meet them.
❗ “We don’t work with PLM”
This is not true. Regardless of whether the company is providing a product or service, there are supporting processes and ways of working in the background. They might be unwritten, unspoken or not fully supported by a tool but nevertheless, they are there and too important to your success to be overlooked.
❗ “PLM is a one-time project defined by Gantt charts”
On the contrary, PLM is more of a business transformation journey. It is continuous work and should be adapted to fit and support the future growth and visions of your company. With this mindset, companies can increase the value of their PLM implementation as they go and grow.
❗ “PLM is a tool that solves all problems”
Yes, and no. User tools must support the processes and ways of working. Therefore, it is important to review and sometimes reevaluate the processes in place before implementing a PLM solution. When it follows your company’s information flow and gathers all relevant and needed information it can provide that one source of information that is so important to facilitate high productivity amongst your coworkers and maintain high quality in your deliveries.
❗ “We can let a PLM tool tidy up our product data”
True, PLM can help clean your data. But, if the supporting files, such as structures, drawings, documents, etc. are a mess to start with, installing an additional tool will not fix this fundamental issue.
First, you must define how to organize and manage your products’ data in a structured way.
❗ “PLM is driven, developed, and implemented by our IT department”
While PLM tools might be installed and maintained by IT, the PLM visions, goals, and processes should be developed and driven by the entire organization.
To sum up: take time to consider your existing processes, how you want to work in the future, and align with the path your company is on. Keep your vision and goal in mind, and all other things will fall into place.
Nextage has a unique approach to helping companies implement and increase the value of their PLM solutions. Contact us and we will help you get started with a value-bringing PLM solution that is both flexible and scalable and can be developed with your company.
