What must be evaluated in a PLM?

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems are pivotal for organizations to streamline their product development processes and manage product-related information throughout its lifecycle. A top-notch PLM system is the backbone of successful product management. Here’s what sets the best apart:

  1. User Experience: A user-friendly interface is paramount. It not only ensures ease of use but also accelerates adoption across teams. The smoother the user experience, the more seamless the product lifecycle management.
  2. Functional Scope: The breadth and depth of functionalities determine how effectively a PLM system can cater to diverse needs. Comprehensive features are essential for end-to-end product management.
  3. Core Data Model: It’s crucial to have an accurate, rich, and extensible data model. This foundation determines how well the PLM can handle complex product information and changes over time.
  4. Business Logic and Core Algorithms: Features such as a Single Product Structure Engine and Occurrence Management algorithms streamline the management of products, ensuring optimal efficiency and accuracy.
  5. Architecture:
    • Unified Architecture: Cohesion and global unity ensure data consistency and alignment across teams and regions.
    • Type & Flexibility: Whether 3-Tier or 4-Tier, the architecture’s design impacts adaptability. Key elements like independence of the user interface, the number of databases, and potential for dockerization play pivotal roles.
    • Connectivity : An optimal PLM offers a multitude of web services (see customization)
    • Security: an optimal PLM keeps ethernet ports requirements minimal for efficient integration, and places a premium on cybersecurity.
  6. Openness: The ability to seamlessly interact or interface with third-party software, authoring tools, partners, customers … is vital. Capability to exchange (in and out) complex data, with strong filtering and traceability becomes a major feature of efficient PLM.
    It enables flexibility and ensures that the PLM can evolve with emerging technologies and needs.
  7. Performance: Both server performance and communication performance are crucial. Optimized LAN/WAN communication (considering chatiness and packet optimization) ensures real-time and smooth data access and collaboration.
  8. Customization & Sustainability: The future is in adaptability. A superior PLM offers APIs, web services, and seamless integration with low/no-code platforms. But customization doesn’t compromise sustainability; stable APIs and consistent web services ensure longevity. And what about software upgrades in case of customized solutions ?
  9. Scalability: As businesses evolve, a top-tier PLM adapts, ensuring it grows in tandem with organizational needs.

In conclusion, while many factors contribute to a successful PLM system, these key elements form the cornerstone. Investing in a PLM that embodies these characteristics can significantly bolster an organization’s product management efficacy.

Who must be involved for the solution evaluation?

For each of the nine topics concerning a great PLM system, different stakeholders within the organization will have varying perspectives based on their roles and expertise. Here’s a breakdown of who is most able to evaluate each topic:

User Experience :

  • End User: Primary evaluator, as they interact directly with the interface and can best judge usability.
  • Business Expert: Can also provide feedback on how well the user experience aligns with business processes.

Functional Scope:

  • Business Expert: Best positioned to understand if all necessary business functionalities are present.
  • PLM Expert: Can assess how well the functionalities match industry standards and best practices.

Core Data Model:

  • PLM Expert: Understands the intricacies of data modeling in PLM systems and can evaluate its adequacy.
  • IT Expert: Can assess the technical aspects of the data model.

Business Logic and Algorithms:

  • Business Expert: Can evaluate if the algorithms align with business needs and processes.
  • PLM Expert: Understands industry standards for business logic in PLM systems.

Architecture:

  • IT Expert: Most capable of assessing the technical architecture and its coherence.
  • PLM Expert: Can evaluate how the architecture aligns with PLM best practices.

Openness:

  • IT Expert: Primary evaluator for technical integrations with third-party tools.
  • PLM Expert: Can assess the PLM’s compatibility with industry standards.

Performance:

  • IT Expert:Best positioned to evaluate server performance and communication protocols.
  • End User: Can provide feedback on real-time performance issues they encounter.

Sustainability and customization:

  • IT Expert: Evaluates the quality and stability of customization tools and their potential long-term integration and evolutions.
  • PLM Expert: Understands the long-term requirements for PLM systems in the industry.

Scalability:

  • IT Expert: Can assess the technical scalability of the system.
  • Management: Can provide insights on future growth plans and if the PLM can accommodate such growth.

In summary, while different profiles can evaluate multiple topics, certain profiles are better suited to assess specific areas due to their expertise and daily interaction with the PLM system. Collaborative evaluation involving various profiles will provide a comprehensive assessment of the PLM’s capabilities.

#PLM #ProductManagement #Technology