PLM Maturity Analysis in an organization – An empirical model for analysis of a PLM implementation to improve the ROI and streamline an implementation
Is my organization’s PLM mature? When a business user asks this question to either the process group or the IT group – the standard answer is Yes. Can you look at the usage of the systems, processes and the amount of data that is out there.
When the next question hits the deck – how have we improved over the last one year, every organization gets into a catch 22 situation. Reason – Quantification of an implementation is missing. Is there a way to quantify a PLM implementation?
This blog will provide certain key input into a maturity model that can be tailored to organizations to apply for their own benefit.
PLM is a combination of process, technology, systems, applications that cuts across the various components of the lifecycle from concept to retirement of the product multiplied by the usage of features that cut across various levels from Strategy, Planning, Management and Execution as shown in the picture below.
The maturity of PLM can be measured broadly under four categories which are not mutually exclusive. Due to the integral nature of PLM and the means of implementation, this set of four major categories provides a means to define the maturity of the system driven purely based on measurable quantities.
1) Process Indicators
Every process looks to be operating perfectly until challenged – A statement made by an Engineer in Toyota that drove to a new culture in the organization. Process indicators are well confused by everyone. Some people collect process characteristics to define the maturity of processes while others do it for weighing the outcome of the process. Process indicators need to be a combination of process parameters and the product that comes out of the process. Key Metrics need to be gathered from various processes and identify the critical process indicators that matter the most.
2) Technology Indicators
Technology is an enabler to any process. While Technology brings in a value add in various forms, it is also imperative that they bring in certain overhead. Identifying the critical technology indicators that assist in accelerating product development with minimal non value adds to the organization will be an ideal technology to be deployed within the organization. Identifying the right technology is a critical piece to an organization that should be spent time and effort on.
3) Usage Indicators
Process can be at its best leveraged by the best available/afforded technology only when it is being used with the right set of trained people. Usage of an application, as complex as a PLM System, is very critical and every organization needs to find out the critical usage factors that suits their needs. Usage indicator when tied up with the correct set of process and technology indicators can bring out the best and worst in a simple manner.
4) Data Indicators
Data is a central piece that is created, updated and deleted. The rate of growth of data in the system and the type of data that is being used from the system provides critical information regarding the usage of the system. The assessment provides a simplistic view on the data which can provide a direction to the roadmap with respect to the next steps of the implementation.
5) System Indicators
System indicators provides a systemic view with respect to the PLM System maintenance, upgrade and ease of operation from a system perspective. Since PLM is a long-term journey – an ease from the System point of view is as critical as any of the other listed above and this section provides a simplistic view of the critical pieces from a system side.
With these five arms being defined exhaustively, the empirical model for a PLM assessment that has been developed, provides a very good starting point and a critical decision maker in the key aspects of an organization’s PLM direction.
A detailed analysis of each of the above section will be published shortly.
