Last week, I sat down with Infor’s Chris Krechting to discuss the release of the new PLM. I learned more about how the product will operate and how it’s being rolled out.
Seemless Integration of ERP
For Krechting, one of Accelerate’s most valuable features is its seamless integration with Infor’s ERP system.Today, PLM solutions are ubiquitous. Almost every major player in the CAD world has their own PLM platform with the same goals in mind – transparency across design departments, better communications with clients and vendors, and the reduction of product development costs. So, one has to wonder: what’s Infor’s Accelerate got that singles it out as a worthy PLM option?
Anyone trying to integrate a PLM solution with an ERP platform knows what a headache it can be. Infor has designed PLM Accelerate to have ready-made, seamless integration with its ERP platform to separate itself from the pack.
To organize the glut of information presented in a PLM-ERP framework, Infor has turned to its ION web-based platform to curate all of the relevant information that a product design team could need.
From the ION dashboard, product designers have access to numerous data organization and visualization tools that give context to varying streams of data. With a clean layout, ION’s greatest asset is its ability to keep a team on task, delivering up to date and relevant information so it can produce focused output.
Social PLM is Critical
Although robust software is critical for complex product development, communication in between your teams and third parties is equally important. As part of its Acclerate platform, Infor has included a social tool named Infor Ming.le.
With Ming.le, social collaboration tools are at your fingertips. Design teams need a space to collaborate and centralize their workflow –Ming.le provides that real estate.
Beyond internal collaboration, Ming.le also gives you access to tools that can help you reach an audience. Additionally, it provides a secure method for sharing documents and designs with manufacturers, material vendors or other outside partners.
My one concern about social PLM has always been its ability to be too much of a good thing. I think we can all attest that a richer social media landscape leads to a dramatic loss of productivity. Is Ming.le really the social PLM extension that can bring focus and social richness to the industry?
Infor’s Customer Driven Roll-out
Infor’s dedication to its previous customers is a core strategy of Accelerate’s roll-out. According to Krechting, Infor’s PLM Accelerate roll-out will “grow with its current customers” in the near future and expand its customer base once it knows its solution is meeting the needs of clients already implementing their PLM software.
To that end Krechting also emphasized the fact that Infor is in the process of a massive hiring boom that will double their development and support teams in an effort to make implementing their software as easy as could be.
For me, that speaks volumes about the company’s dedication to its customers. When it comes to complex product development, that type of dedication can go a long way towards making a product successful.
Conclusion
Admittedly, Infor’s re-entry into the PLM market makes it an exciting but young platform in a field crowded with legacy software. For many, that lack of new-ness may be a disadvantage. But for others, it might be a sign of innovation. Building on its previous PLM experience could mean that Infor’s PLM Accelerate offers the best of both worlds.
With the ability to quickly integrate into a company’s product design environment and its multi-functional ION platform, PLM Accelerate looks like a strong addition to the PLM market. Will it grow to be a real competitor in a crowded and mature market? We’ll see.
Infor’s Acceleration platform is currently available across North America with a European release planned for early-summer.
Source: Infor