Many small/new companies don't appreciate the value of the 'process' of innovation and design. In fact many entrepreneurs don't really believe in the 'process' of innovation at all. "You can't control design" and "It's a creative process that you can't constrain" are both comments I have heard more than a few times.
This attitude often leads to rapid, uncontrolled design. Loose specifications are delivered, often verbally, to technology leaders in the organization. Sometimes the specifications are delivered to each technology leader independently from the other group leaders. They interpret these specifications according to their own understanding of the requirements and then engage their small independent teams to develop the hardware and software required to meet the undocumented requirements.
At some time down the track the individual bits come together for the first time and the initial prototype is born. Sometimes it all works and all fits. More often it doesn't fit and it doesn't work as required. It can't be tested properly because no-one knows exactly what they are trying to achieve. In the time it has taken to get the prototype together something about the requirements or company imperatives has changed and not been communicated. So rework is undertaken based on an incomplete review or failed tests and the cycle continues.
Sometimes this seems to be good for the company since due to the hard work of some remarkable people it is enough to impress the potential market or buyer which allows the development process to continue. Everyone walks away from the experience feeling like it is a win. This in itself can be the end that the entrepreneur is looking for. However, this breeds a culture of chaos where there is always time to do something twice, or three times, but there isn't time to do it right the first time. What happens when this first 'prototype' ends up in the hands of the customer as a working unit? "It doesn't happen." You say. "It does. I've seen it and I'm not the only one." I say.
PLM is about good process, not about software tools. Good tools implemented well will enhance good processes and help to keep the organization on track. Good tools no matter how well implemented will not fix bad processes or bring 'rouge' designers into line.
Good process requires support from the leaders in the organization. I have been part of organizations that needed process re-engineering and had support from the front line designers but no support from the very senior management. The results? They still need process re-engineering and the front line designers continue to want change but know that they will not be able to influence process in any significant way.
Companies that design 'things', whatever they are, generate varying amounts of data in various formats that should be captured and managed so that this information is available down the track.
A PLM system should help to organize the information and the processes that generate this information. I believe that capturing and controlling the information should, as far as possible, be a side-effect of generating the information in the first place and then communicating the need for change. If it really takes longer for the organization to manage this information capture and change control in the long term then the process for collecting and managing the information is broken.
So how do we bring organization to chaos?
It's a short list but requires a lot of commitment.
- Educate the decision makers in the organization about PLM.
- Get support from all of the high level decision makers.
- Develop a long term vision but work for short term goals.
- Start small and work in bite size pieces.
- Don't try to fix it all at once.
- Build front line support based on earlier successes in the organization.
- Have a flexible plan for tackling the implementation.
- Work the plan and change it to suit your businesses changing short term imperatives.
This has been a bit of a rambling post covering a number of big topics. I plan to come back to these in time and expand on some of the points.
Thanks for tuning in.
Brian.
