In my last post on this topic (“How to Get More Value from PLM”), which I published back in June, I wrote that many companies are not getting the value from their PLM system they potentially could. The reason I had found was that most companies are using only a small part of PLM because of a lack of awareness of PLM, its capabilities and its potential benefits.
Now it looks like Kalypso, where (in the interest of full disclosure) I used to be a partner, together with Tech-Clarity picked up on this topic and did some research as well. It turns out their analysis confirms my previous findings that most companies use PLM only tactically to manage engineering data and processes (PDM), and that only very few companies use extended or even strategic capabilities of their PLM systems. Their analysis further states that what they call “top performers” have implemented twice as many “advanced” modules than “others”, presumably the not top performing companies.
Although their analysis does not talk about causality, that is whether using more advanced PLM modules is in fact the reason for the better performance, it is my experience that companies that use more capabilities of their PLM system are in fact able to develop better products, reduce time to market, improve compliance, lower costs and increase revenues and profitability. Or in other words, companies that use more PLM capabilities across the organization do achieve better results.
Where does your organization fall? How many capability areas of PLM are you using and how does this compare with other, similar companies?
As a first step I recommend completing our PLM Self-Assessment, which will provide a good initial understanding of the maturity of your organization’s use of PLM across all capability areas and levels (foundational, extended, integration and strategic).
Based on that you can then determine how to best proceed. Possible next steps are:
- To do nothing
- To create more awareness about PLM in the organization
- To develop a strategy how to expand the current use of PLM into more advanced or even strategic capability areas
Please contact us to discuss how PLMadvisors can help you and your organization to get more value out of your PLM solution.