PLM Interest Group

The PLM Self-Assessment Toolkit enables the PLM Team to carry out an internal comparison of different parts of the PLM implementation; or to conduct a comprehensive, high-level assessment of the entire PLM setup; without recourse to external advisors.

It can be used by a new PLM Manager in the early stages of adoption to highlight barriers and areas of attention to senior management; or by an experienced implementation team to compare or balance progress between different parts of the organisation.

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The PLM Benchmarking Handbook contains a comprehensive, structured methodology for benchmarking any number of PLM environments against each other.

With step-by-step instructions and three levels of detail, comparisons can be made from overview to deep drill-down.

The process is straightforward and easy to follow, and the Handbook methodology captures the results for presentation and future use.

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The PLM Maturity Reference Manual contains the most detailed and accurate framework for assessing PLM Maturity.

It enables the PLM Team to answer the question: "How far have we progressed along the road to Full PLM?", and shows how to compile the findings to form a PLM Roadmap for the business.

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The PLMuERP Handbook is the definitive, neutral working manual for effective integration of PLM and ERP.

The Handbook formalises the neutral knowledge that exists on the subject.  It enables the technical teams to work together to create a long-term strategy that will unify the two environments.

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The PLM Standardisation Manual provides a structured methodology for 'productionising' your PLM implementation so that it runs more effectively.

It explains the current standards scenario, and why 'Standards' and 'Standardisation' are different.

Standardisation is a continual drive towards common, proven best practices; and is one of the cheapest and most productive ways of improving a mature PLM implementation.

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The management structure and approach that surrounds PLM can affect the performance and effectiveness of the whole implementation.

The PLM Governance Standard enables the management and governance of any PLM implementation to be compared against best practice.

The Governance Standard is easy to apply, and produces clear findings; with role-based conclusions and actions for stakeholders from the Board to the coal face.

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Understanding your company's product structure, across product types and divisions, is one of the most important aspects of PLM.  And this understanding is of no use unless it is embodied into the system-level PDM environment.

Any mistakes or errors can mean that the PLM investment is wasted.

The PLM Product Structure Standard is the most technical Standard that the PLMIG has produced, and enables PLM Teams to cross-check their setup against best practice.

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Keeping hardware and software configurations in step has intrinsic problems due to the differing release sequences.  The product design must be the master, and PLM must be able to reproduce past configurations if required for legal or fault-tracing reasons.

This task can be entrusted to a PLM-ALM system, but the PLM Team must be able to understand the logic if it is to manage the process.

The PLM-ALM Standard defines the level of integration that is required, and includes a Reference Manual to explain the theory.

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The CEO Briefing Document provides a rapid, tailored explanation of "What PLM Is" to Board members and VPs.

It gives a high-level overview of PLM principles, with examples that can be used to support presentations to the Board.

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For those new to PLM, it can be very difficult to find out about the subject. Google searches and blogs produce a confusing and often contradictory picture.

At the other end of the scale, practitioners who have been working in PLM for years can find their 'thought space' becoming restricted as they deal with the same type of problems in the same working environment.

The Compendium of PLM Ideas is a structured compilation of more than 300 pages of material distilled from PLMIG initiatives over the past 15 years.  It is an incomparable reference point for those who wish to expand or refresh their thinking.

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The Path to PLM is a comprehensive adoption framework that leads from the first decision to try to understand PLM, through to a fully-working implementation.

A clear and straightforward adoption process is set out in modular steps that can be extended or compressed as required by real events.

The process enables you to commit to having a working PLM implementation two years in advance of a selected 'go live' date, thus building momentum in the project and confidence in the outcome.

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People work better when they can see a picture of what they are working towards. PLM Teams are more effective if they are bold enough to aim for specific and well-publicised results.

Target-Oriented PLM is a method of putting PLM progress on a fast track, and using publicity and expectation to drive results.  It is a way of being sure that your implementation is going in the right direction for the business, and pulling it along that path at optimal speed.

Over time, it creates a natural, annual regeneration of the PLM horizon that advances towards Full Maturity year on year.

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The scope of PLM does not shrink for Small or Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs), but SMEs do not have the resources to spend $millions and man years on adoption.

The PLM Handbook for SMEs explains how to create a very specific approach that is tailored to the SME's role in the product ecosystem and their internal ways of working.

This approach focuses as much on the principles (which are free) as the technology.  As well as helping the SME serve its PLM-oriented Customers, it can open up ideas for new opportunities within the Value Chain.

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There is still no central definition of what it means to be a PLM Manager, or what a PLM Manager should do.

The PLM Manager's Handbook brings together some of the fundamental management concepts and principles that set a PLM Manager apart from his or her colleagues.

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When you get to a critical point in your implementation, you do not want to have to re-invent the wheel.  PLMIG Toolsets have been developed from years of workshops and embody the wisdom and experience of the many PLM practitioners who contributed.

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Whatever your PLM question, you will find a Dashboard of ideas here....

Find some answers >>>

PLM encompasses a huge range of subjects, from Adopting PLM for novices, to Recovery and Redirection when things are not performing so well.

Get to grips with the complexities of PLM, and cover all the bases for an effective implementation.  The PLMIG has the widest range of neutral tools and advice, laid out in a way that is easy to understand.

Discover PLM >>>

To demystify PLM, there are 8 "must know" things that a good PLM Manager should provide. These should be part of every well-managed implementation.

See the list, and make sure they are part of your company's awareness material.

Demystify PLM >>>

PLM Managers concentrate on establishing an environment that will enable their company to develop products Right First Time - but forget that PLM itself should also be implemented Right First Time.

The tools and techniques to do this are already available.  All you have to do is use them.

Right First Time >>>

PLM Teams have to make 5-year and 10-year plans, but what kind of future should be planned for?

Looking back at predictions that were made in the past decade, the PLM industry has actually made very little progress.  There needs to be a common industry vision if this is to improve.

Industry Vision >>>

For those at the early stages of discovering and adopting PLM, the whole subject can seem very hard to understand.  There is a saying that understanding PLM is like "grasping fog".

The good news is that PLM does have a structure, and there is a correct and effective way to guide your company through the process of PLM adoption.

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Membership of the PLMIG means you always have someone to provide an answer to your question.  

Many PLM problems can be resolved with some simple feedback, rather than a full-blown consultancy exercise.

The PLMIG has a standard response method for Members that can provide the necessary insights.

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PLM Governance is fundamental to the successful management of PLM.  Rather than merely responding to events and time pressures, there should be an integrated management structure that connects the Board with the operational direction of the implementation.

The PLMIG has published the PLM Governance Standard, which can be used to confirm or improve the existing management framework.

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The PLMIG is supporting the Professional PLM Initiative that aims to establish a well-defined, worldwide professional structure for the PLM industry and the people who work within it.

The Initiative now has its own web site.  If you are a PLM practitioner, this is something you should keep up to date with, and you can follow the latest developments via the link below.

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For genuinely advanced implementations, an accurate and thorough assessment of PLM Maturity provides all of the material that you need for Roadmapping and long-term planning.

As one of the tools of the Class A PLM programme, the PLM Maturity Manual contains instructions for determining the Perimeter of Interest, generating the scores, and presenting the results in a Roadmap format.

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Harmonising PLM and ERP costs companies millions of dollars worldwide.

The PLMIG has developed a comprehensive toolset that can be used by the PLM and ERP teams to define the optimal, harmonised solution.

Based on a series of workshops in Europe and North America, the new approach not only builds a more advanced product management system, but also eliminates the technical and ideological conflicts that manufacturing companies face in this area.

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A major concern is the impact of Industrie 4.0, IIoT, connectivity, AI/AR, and related Digital technologies on PLM.

This is covered during the Foundation Stage of the Professional PLM Initiative, whose Digital Future Group will explore the possibilities of PLM across all industries in this future world, and generate the template for applying them with PLM in real, effective manufacturing environments.

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Whatever the size and scale of your PLM implementation, one question remains the same:-

"How do we know that we are doing
PLM as well as possible?"

It is time to capture the knowledge and experience of skilled and PLM practitioners, and to raise the worldwide standard and ambition of PLM.

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Class A PLM is a very high, consistent and pervasive level of performance.  It is usually higher and more comprehensive than the status quo.

Working towards Class A PLM generates direct improvements to your implementation; hybridises your current thinking with ideas from the wider PLM world; produces a KPI framework that can demonstrate high performance; and focuses future roadmapping on worldwide best practice.

The PLMIG programme for 2023 provides a structured framework for raising the performance of your PLM implementation so that it can reach a new standard of performance: Class A PLM.

This enables you to calibrate the performance and direction of your implementation with respect to international best practice.

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Proving that PLM is worth the investment is only the starting point.  You should be showing that it will have a transformational impact.

A corporate PLM implementation should gain millions of dollars or euros for the business worldwide. Achieving this requires a positive and well-planned approach.

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Less glamorous than 'Transformation', this activity is often overlooked - but it can produce long-lasting improvements, in a short timescale and with relatively little effort.

Different ways of working normally include ineffective ways of working; and the differences and inconsistencies can waste time, effort and resources.

The goal of PLM Standardisation is to establish, document and implement a mixed set of standardisation elements that eliminate this waste, and reinforce best practice.

The PLMIG has worked extensively in this area, and has produced an effective methodology for the PLM Team to apply.

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Excellence in PLM is a concept, a mindset, and an outcome.

Even at an Advanced PLM level, progress may be variable due to everyday, real-world pressures and constraints.  The pursuit of Excellence requires these to be addressed and remedied.

Rather than just "trying to be good at everything", the PLMIG has identified 6 areas to focus on that will have the greatest and most immediate impact.

The aims are to achieve excellence, and to demonstrate that excellence has been achieved.

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Even when things are running well, they may short of being excellent - which, at the highest level, is a kind of failure.

There are 24 areas in which PLM implementations should perform.  These have been listed in the form of a PLM Excellence Challenge.

If you believe your PLM implementation to be excellent, then you can cross-check against this list.  This list may help you to discover the areas where it ought to improve.

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PLMIG Membership puts you on the inside track as the industry moves to develop and establish a recognised PLM Profession.

With ongoing updates as new material is developed; interaction at the draft stage to input your views; and formal guidance in how to apply the new ideas; you can build professionalism into your implementation as the Initiative gathers speed.

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PLM Leadership is not just about training, or being a driver for improvement within your own organisation.

The PLM industry as a whole needs leadership.  It needs proactive people who want to change the world of PLM so that it is a better place for the young PLM managers who will follow.  We must capture the expertise of the senior practitioners: those who have been doing PLM for 20 years, have seen it all evolve, and know how it needs to be improved.

If you are one of these experienced practitioners, then now is the time to invest in the future and show the world what you know.

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It is time to throw away the myth that the benefits of PLM are unquantifiable.  Every single benefit that can be attributed to PLM can be calculated and expressed in financial terms.

The PLM Team can produce fully-costed project justifications with accurate ROI, and can also work with the vendor to show that the planned results have been delivered.

This is the starting point - the level of basic financial competence that every PLM implementation should have.

When you have control, you can go further and predict the financial benefits that future PLM projects will achieve, creating a Board-level drive for more progress.

When the toolsets and methods below are applied, the perception of PLM as some kind of 'financial drain' is finally banished.

Go to the starting point >>>

It is now possible to identify real financial metrics that will support your next PLM project or CapEx submission.  The techniques are logical, thorough, and work in every PLM situation.

The PLM Justification Handbook contains a standard, neutral methodology to quantify the costs, benefits and commercial value of implementing PLM.

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Clear guidelines are needed for PLM definition and measurement, so that everyone can see that PLM is successful.

The PLM Delivery Handbook takes the justification of new PLM projects to a new level, enabling vendors to participate in the process and demonstrate their commitment to the results.

Application of the Handbook methodology enables users to demonstrate that they have received exactly what they have paid for when they implement PLM.

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The perception of PLM in North American companies is different to the European view, and for any idea to succeed in America it needs a compelling message.

The message is that PLM can be quantified, and the value of PLM to the business can be proven in dollar terms.

The methodology is clear and accurate, and everyone can see how the figures will be generated.

See the Compelling PLM message >>>

PLM Managers expect colleagues to have a general understanding of PLM - and yet also expect to produce valid financial justifications without any specific knowledge of accountancy.

Small wonder that quantifying financial benefits can seem so hard to do, but in fact the basic methodology of accountancy is quite easy to understand.

The Accountancy Overview explains the accountancy principles used even by the largest corporations, with easy-to-follow examples.  It enables the PLM Manager to work constructively and knowledgeably with Finance Department colleagues.

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The tools above enable you to get proper financial control of your PLM implementation, with justification for all of the improvement projects you need to make.

But there is a level that is even more advanced than this.

By integrating the PLM financial structure with the accounting structure used by the Finance Department, the PLM out-turns can become part of senior management decision-making.

This enables you to monetize PLM, devising projects that meet the Board's strategic aims.

See the methodology >>>

The PLM User Initiative enables PLM Managers to meet with and learn from each other, in a constructive environment that is completely vendor- and advisor-independent.

If you are working at the 'PLM coalface' in a user company, you will face technical and operational issues that only other PLM Managers will understand.

User Forum meetings enable you to get together and collaborate.

User Forum meetings are 1-day workshops open to participants from user companies from any country that is within the time zone.

Delegates choose the subjects they will cover; present their ideas to each other; and work together to generate solutions.

The PLMIG adds theory and best-practice knowledge to enhance the discussions, and provides a written record of the results.

This means that participants receive brand-new instruction material to use back at base, and can follow up the ideas with other users as they wish.

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The 'Voice of the User' is a separate issue in its own right.

There is a widespread feeling amongst PLM user companies that vendor roadmaps are designed to serve a few very large customers, and that the race to add new features can push users in directions they don't want to go.

It is also clear that users themselves need to be expert in dealing with their providers, because many things that users wish for are, in fact, the user's own responsibility.

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PLM is a complex subject, and every organisation is different in PLM terms. Sometimes problems can be solved only when the context is fully understood.

If your PLM environment needs some specific external input, the PLMIG can offer support to:-

• gain Executive Buy-In
• conduct a formal Status Review
• diagnose a specific problem
• provide mentoring for staff

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A Technical Cross-Check is 'Step 0' of any refocusing action, and this can be carried out as a concise, stand-alone activity.

This can focus on the specific sticking points that you are experiencing, and provides clear advice and documentation as a record of the findings and as the starting material for any corrective action.

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The first Stage on the path to Class A PLM is to have a clear, accurate, written picture of where you are now.

The 3 Steps of Groundwork, Governance and Performance confirm that the basic platform for Class A PLM is in place, and act as a timely Status Review of your implementation.

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There are more and more reports in the media of major PLM implementations failing and being abandoned.

There are even more implementations that are slowly "progressing backwards" on their way to possible failure.  It is important to react as soon as this becomes apparent.

If your implementation is seen to be under-performing, there is a process to follow that will retain and utilise the most value from your existing investment.

How to Recover >>>