The reason for my confusion is because if the person asking the question is considering PDM, then they must be considering it for a reason.  Obviously their existing system has issues.  Therefore, if you’re asking about PDM, then it must be time for you to implement PDM.  That should be the end of the conversation, but it never is.

Workarounds and the Hidden Factory

Source: http://www.free-six-sigma.com/lean-enterprise.html

Interestingly enough, the conversation doesn’t progress to helping decide on the right PDM system.  The questions posed always seem to relate to the company’s current mode of operation and whether or not PDM could be successfully implemented and would they realize a benefit from it.  To answer that question, we always have to look at their processes.

Return on Investment (ROI) is difficult to calculate if the proper metrics haven’t been included in the workflow in the first place.  That’s why I start the discussion by referencing something they are already familiar with, CAD. 

How your company uses CAD can tell you a lot about how successful you will be with PDM

For example, how many of you roll out the next version of your design software every year, usually to justify paying the annual subscription maintenance?  Now, how many of you actually change the way you design in order to take advantage of the new features in the design software?  I’m willing to bet few actually do.  I’m even willing to bet some of you have been doing workarounds with your CAD software for so long that you forgot that it is a (time-consuming) workaround.  As of today, it’s just your method of doing business. 

If you first look at a company’s design and CAD workflows, you can determine whether there are changes that could make the design process more efficient.  At the same time, you can gauge whether or not the designers and engineers are open to change.  Those are three key criteria to a successful PDM implementation.

• Are the CAD users stuck with their current methods and unwilling to consider new techniques?
• Are the CAD users comfortable with “doing it the way they’ve always done it”?
• Are the design standards dictated by contractual requirements or other external specifications?

While we can’t do much about the third one; the first two will be your barriers to adoption.

Convincing Your Team– Barriers to Adoption

Return on Investment is the key variable to convince management to adopt new technology.  But what if you don’t have the metrics necessary to calculate a ROI? 

Simple, ask your boss to sit down with you the next time you have to make a design change.  Once they walk a mile in your shoes and the see the pains you go through for file management, data management, file properties, link management, and everything else that goes into modern day CAD, they usually agree to make improvements without a full ROI calculation.  (By the way, this also works for those pesky inquiries as to why it takes so long to make a “simple” drawing change.)

Don’t try to speak everything to everyone, sell PDM by focusing on your audiences’ specific needs

Convincing coworkers to change requires a different tactic.  Appeal to their pain points.  Show them how a new system, a new technology, or a new workflow reduces the pain points in their daily lives and they will be keen to adopt the new approach. 

Forcing coworkers to adopt new technologies never works, and often backfires making the implementation more difficult.  People, in general, are resistant to change unless they understand the reason for change and can foresee a personal benefit.  Put on your sales hat and illustrate that benefit.

I have found that by starting with something known, such as CAD, getting support for new technology is easier.  Instead of trying to convince management and coworkers of the benefit of PDM, instead show them how PDM can supplement their existing design tools and remove pain points in the design process.

PDM Overkill – The Difference Between PDM and PLM

Inevitably the conversation brings in another three letter acronym, PLM, and the confusion between the similarities and differences between PDM and PLM and whether or not PDM/PLM is overkill for their company.

Source: http://www.plmtechnologyguide.com/

I refer back to my original statement, if someone asks me about implementing PDM, then they must have a reason to believe that their current system is insufficient.  But, the question of overkill is a legitimate question.  PLM can be very expensive and comes with many functions and features.  Do you really want to pay for functionality that your company will never use?

Like your company, data management should grow in phases

Ever hear the one about trying to swallow the whole elephant?  Trying to go from zero to PLM is like that.

Company size is not the dictating factor in deciding to implement PDM or PLM.  Even small suppliers require the same level of compliance as large OEMs.  The law doesn’t differentiate.  Therefore, it is likely that even the smallest companies could eventually realize a benefit from PLM.  But a company doesn’t grow to a multibillion dollar success overnight, and neither should its data management system. 

The first step to implementing any system is to get the data under control first, then add on features like: workflow, compliance management, change management, or supply change management.  And that begins with PDM.  Whether the PDM is a stand-alone PDM system or a subset of a PLM system, there are many options that will fit the needs of any company.  While it is easy to select a data management system from the same vendor that develops your CAD tool, the right size data management solution may not come from the same supplier.  Information is the life blood of your company so it pays to take the time to properly investigate the many options out there for data and information management.

Is PDM Right for Me?

You will find it helps your PDM implementation to ask yourself why you are considering PDM.

1. Is it because of media influence or vehement reseller tactics?
2. Are your peers/competitors implementing PDM so you think you must in order to remain competitive?
3. Do you have a contractual obligation to implement a data management system?
4. Are you looking for ways to improve your design workflow?

PDM can be a big investment.  If you are on the fence debating the benefits versus cost of PDM, perhaps the best way is to try it by using a system with a low upfront cost, low administrative burdens, and low commitment.  Try a cloud-based PDM system like Workbench from GrabCAD.

Try it for free at grabcad.com/workbench.

Additional information available at resources.grabcad.com.

GrabCAD has paid a fee to ENGINEERING.com to promote their cloud-based PDM solution. They have not had editorial input to this post. – Scott Wertel