It is now widely accepted that the PLM viewpoint amongst North American user companies is significantly different to that of their European counterparts.  In the USA, business improvement methodologies have much less traction than the drive for the $ bottom line.

As PLM is so difficult to define in dollar terms, this results in a reduced take-up of PLM ideas and applications in America.  A large percentage of companies are simply under-applying PLM.

The challenge is more than simply to provide a set of figures.  Cost saving ideas are being presented to the Board all the time, and the response is often: "Why should we care about this?"

There needs to be a concerted effort within the PLM industry to develop and present an incontrovertible case for the value of PLM, that overcomes all of the reasons for inertia a Board can call up.

The PLM $Value Initiative is based around the concept of vendors deepening their support for their customers - using direct interaction to highlight where each customer can improve the value they achieve from PLM, within a program that develops the compelling business case.

In mid-2012, the PLMIG announced a series of workshops to resolve the issue of PLM-ERP within six months.  The program will deliver the industry-standard PLMuERP Handbook by January 2013.

This same ability to deliver results can be applied to the area of PLM Value.  In effect, there will be what amounts to a 12-month, pan-American workshop that will show user companies why they should implement PLM, and present the dollar-based case by December 2013.

This initiative is at the discussion stage, and input is welcome from vendors, users, consultants and systems integrators.

Find out more by contacting dollarvalue@plmig.com.

[Top]