| | June 20168CIOReviewTransforming a CompanyPLMBy Tim Brown, Director, PLM, Smiths MedicalPLM transformation is more than just a one-time project that took place a couple of years ago. Effective PLM management is more than just activities that the business performs as Business-As-Usual. Engaging the business with ongoing PLM process development can lead to faster product development turnaround times and improve product changes. If you wait to improve portions of a process the company will find a way around the problem. They will begin to manage PLM in their proverbial department silos increasing their workload and inefficiency. There is no getting around it. The payoff is improved product data and improved product development information that is useful throughout the company. Several years ago I sat in a room with colleagues, a white board full of circles and lines, engaged in a discussion about PLM processes. We began to realize that across all markets there are four key elements to effectively manage PLM as a transformational business process; 1) Future Vision, 2) Strong Leadership, 3) Great Technology, and 4) Employee Capability and Knowledge. Together these elements continue to transform companies, their product and customer offerings.1) Future VisionIn every growing company and organization, I've been a part of, they have a vision for what they want to accomplish. Driving that vision becomes a focus of the entire organization. Yes there are other activities that are needed, but this supports the company's future and desired growth. PLM transformation needs a vision to ensure programs and activities have direction and focus. I'm not talking about a statement of work or project proposal, but a simple declaration that people can capture and understand why the continual effort is needed.A PLM vision changes the expectation of everyone involved in the organization. It changes the expectations of our customers in the development of new and better products. It changes the expectations of product development and the feedback they receive. It changes the expectations of operations and quality in the information they receive for their processes. Their expectations for your output become bigger, superior, and more consistent productivity. A few areas that a PLM transformational vision has become relevant for me include the following; standardization of data and how information is presented and measured; globalization of processes so everyone can use that same process; information visibility where it doesn't take forever to find something or ask several different departments; and a culture of responsibility where people can identify their actions and move forward. There are other characteristics of a good vision that should be followed these have helped me stay focused on transformation.Take time to develop the vision and share that vision with others. Develop it as you would a product or a company vision. Share and align this vision with other leaders in the organization. The execution of that vision will take everyone's involvement. You can't do this continued PLM transformation alone. 2) Strong LeadershipWhile we tend to think PLM is one person's responsibility in reality there are multiple people In MyOpinion
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