The vdR Group is the provider of OpenText’s Extended ECM for PLM. Extended ECM for PLM seamlessly and transparently connects leading product lifecycle management (PLM) and product data management (PDM) platforms with OpenText Extended ECM and ultimately helps manufacturers and engineering organizations break down barriers between product information and the enterprise.
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This week, I examine how silos of data are created when transitioning from quote team, to launch team, and how we should be leveraging information from the quote process.
First, I think we all agree that change management is a vital part of having a successful program launch. I would also suggest… the initial quote files are not only for reference, but the starting point on a project. Think about it … every company discipline was involved in the quote phase… and these same people will potentially be part of the change process post release. Once the project has been won, the launch team takes over the quote team files, and hopefully, they are not copying data. You have to understand this point! Last week I stated… disconnected silos are the bane of business! You are adding risk to meet delivery schedules, keep timing in check, and achieve margins, let alone the difficulty with data traceability... These silos are all direct hits to the bottom line. For those of you running programs … you know exactly what I mean. Think about this exchange… if your launch team is setting up folders in SharePoint, copying data onto their hard drives… this is the beginning of creating silo’s… you have now broken the digital thread. This does not resemble a repeatable process, and significantly impairs productive practices and generates poor collaboration within your own team. Your team is now in search mode during the APQP process, versus having real time visible information for getting work done.
I’ll give you an example:
The project engineer is working with the customer to change testing criteria on the Test Plan… the Program Manager timeline was created based on the original test plan. If the engineer has the new approved Plan on his laptop, the PM will not have access to the new requirements. This is just one example of hundreds of conversations that go on by the launch team during the APQP process, and why information should not be kept on a laptop.
The launch team should instead be verifying the quote versus the contractual agreement, in the same system as the quote team provided. If the quote does not match the PO, then the change process is initiated. Does your company have a consistent process to verify the quote matches the PO, and is there any team member accountable to verify what you actually won? Because, if you miss a scope change or changes from quote to PO, then it is like a waterfall, the change can affect timing, piece cost, capital, and tooling. Your design may already be going in the wrong direction. I think you get my point.
It’s not only about information reuse, but also eliminating the creation of these team member generated silos. Next week… I will provide examples on how these silo’s cost your company money and potentially damage your brand image.
Give me a call and we can discuss your challenges and share what we have done to help other suppliers. Contact me at … Lloyd@vdr.com or our website… vdR.com.
CPQ helps companies configure product offerings, price them and produce quotes and proposals. It is functionality used by sales people and can be extended to customers via a self-serve portal. Ultimately, it is about minimizing the quoting effort and accurately conveying the specific requirements for downstream processes. As can be seen in the acronym itself, CPQ involves multiple disciplines. The elements of a quote include …
Earlier this month, Desktop Engineering published an article by Brian Albright that provides a refreshing perspective on a familiar topic – engineering change. Albright suggests that many of the strategies and techniques used to manage engineering change (EC) are quickly becoming obsolete due to increasing product complexity and market demands. While this concept is not new, the article looks at the root causes of this issue and explores actionable solutions. The urgency of the problem is highlighted by thoughts and comments from industry experts and day-to-day EC practitioners. These perspectives represent a range of organizations, including Arena, M-Files, Omnify, Oracle, Synergis and others. It quickly becomes clear that a new approach to information management – whether it be PDM, ECM, or PLM – is key to modernizing EC. However, Albright is careful to avoid picking sides. Despite this impartial analysis, PLM seems to break away from the pack.
Read MoreThe vdR Group has recently formulated the PLM Maturity Quadrant as illustrated in the diagram below. The quadrant is comprised of two simple parameters. The x-axis is referred as the Data Cohesion variable and the y-axis characterizes Process Repeatability. The top right-hand quadrant represents the ideal PLM environment. The Data Cohesion variable considers how well data is connected. The expression “single source of truth” is often associated with the goals of PLM. This suggests that users seeking to access part and/or product related data can go to ONE place. The data doesn’t have to be in a single repository, but linkages need to be in place.
Read MoreHiep heads up solution architecture at The van der Roest Group. He has been with the group for 25 years and is involved in many of the technical activities surrounding the Group’s products and services. Martin: So Hiep, tell us a little about yourself. What do you do and what are your responsibilities? Hiep: Simply put, I build products and solutions for the Group. My responsibilities involve requirement gathering, determine the best technology to meet the needs, designing solutions, and helping…
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