Introduction to Product Data Management

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Introduction to Product Data Management
Unit 4 PDM and its Role in PLM
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PDM and its Role in PLM

• Business Modeling
• Data, information, and knowledge in PLM
• Program and project management
• CRM and PDM
• Interaction between PLM and ERP
• PDM selection and benchmarking

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Business Modeling

• Models to define and describe different aspects
  of the business
• Perspectives modeled include
• User
• Process
• Data
• Also may be strategic in nature
• Motivated by need to understand business more
  completely and accurately

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Data, Information, and Knowledge in PLM

• Russell Ackoffs definition (1989)
• Data is raw. It simply exists and has no
  significance beyond its existence.
• Information is data that has been given meaning
  by way of relational connection.
• Knowledge is the appropriate collection of
  information, such that its intent is to be
  useful. Knowledge is a deterministic process.
• We use Knowledge to convert Data into Information
  for better decision making

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Knowledge management

• Bellinger, G., Castro, D., and Mills, A. (2004).
  Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom. Retrieved
  January 5, 2006, from http//www.systems-thinking
  .org/dikw/dikw.htm.

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KDIM in PLM
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PDM for PLM

• What kind of data?
• Where are we going to record and retrieve
  product-related information?
• How do we utilize knowledge?
• Can we automate the documentation process?

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What is Program Management?

• Program management is the process of managing a
  portfolio of multiple ongoing inter-dependent
  projects
• Hundreds, or even thousands, of separate projects
• Program Management also reflects the emphasis on
  coordinating and prioritizing resources across
  projects, departments, and entities to insure
  that resource contention is managed from a global
  focus

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What are programs?

• In the context of this course, we would
  concentrate on development and improvement of
  products
• But in a general scenario, this would encompass
  service, quality control, customer satisfaction,
  etc.
• Examples
• Developing a new product
• Implementation of a new PDM system
• Achieving 98 record in promptness
• Objectives may entail many projects, such as
  property acquisition and refurbishment, staff
  training, IT support systems and so on

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Tensions in Program Management
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PDM, PLM, Program Management

• PDM enables active product data management
• Actively managing product data helps to enable
  the management of a products lifecycle
• PLM in turn allows program management to achieve
  its objectives by providing inputs to the program
  management process

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Elements of project management

• People
• Stakeholders
• Team Leaders
• Product Development Teams
• Coordination and Communication is essential!
• Product
• Objectives
• Scope
• Cost
• Alternatives
• Constraints

• Process
• Conception
• Plan
• Specify and Define
• Develop
• Roll out
• Maintenance
• Retirement
• Project
• Convergence of people, product, and process
• Need to utilize milestones
• Key events in project lifecycle where deliverable
  is produced
• Need to utilize checkpoints
• Intermediate checks to ensure delivery of final
  product
• PM is robust method for managing change!

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PDM, PLM, Project Management

• Products lifecycle and Projects lifecycle
  closely mirror each other
• Information is critical in the management of both
• PDM system provides necessary inputs for both

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Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

• Focuses on customers
• Manage customer information including customer
  requests and problems
• Cover parts of the product lifecycle
• Different perspective on product than PLM
• Who is using the product?
• To realize full potential of PLM, PDM system must
  integrate with CRM system

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Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• Integrates all business functions, such as
  manufacturing, sales, finance, marketing,
  accounting, etc.
• Cover parts of the product lifecycle
• Complex and time-consuming to implement
• Leading vendors
• SAP
• Oracle
• Must build bridge between PDM system and ERP
  system to realize full potential of PLM
• This integration can be very expensive to
  implement

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PDM Selection

• Many potential barriers to successful
  implementation
• system
• people
• project team
• process
• organizational structure
• funding
• information
• installation
• everyday use
• Selection must take these into account
• Once selected, focus the project on use of PDM
• The project doesnt end once a system has been
  chosen

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Selection process

• Must develop a PDM solution that meets management
  objectives
• Must develop/describe strategy and get top
  management agreement
• If strategy wrong, implementation will probably
  fail to meet objectives
• Before strategy finalized and detailed
  implementation plan developed, the project team
  needs to clarify three major areas of concern
• business benefits
• organizational issues
• PDM architectures.

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PDM Justification

• Benefits of PDM can be divided into two parts
• Increase in revenues resulting from the
  introduction of PDM
• Decrease in costs due to the introduction of PDM
• Must have metrics in place to illustrate these
  benefits

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PDM Benchmarking

• Benchmarking is testing of a system using
  pre-defined scenarios and metrics
• May be appropriate for some components of PDM
  system
• May be difficult to capture in a benchmark the
  actual needs of the PDM system
• Same benchmark should be used for each PDM system
  under consideration
• Results from benchmarking shouldnt be sole
  determinant
• May provide false sense of security concerning
  choice
• Actual needs may suggest prototype of PDM system
  is more appropriate
• Prototype probably requires vendor assistance
• Prototyping and pilot testing are methods for
  managing risk

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References

• Ackoff, R. (1999). From Data to Wisdom, Journal
  of Applied Systems Analysis 16, 3-9.
• Hoffer, J. A., Prescott, M., and McFadden, F.
  (2006). Modern Database Management (8th Edition).
  Prentice-Hall, Inc.
• Pressman, R. (2005). Software Engineering a
  Practitioner's Approach. New York McGraw-Hill.
• Rouibah, K. and Caskey, K. R. (2003). Change
  management in concurrent engineering from a
  parameter perspective. Computers in Industry
  50(1), 15-34.
• Stark, J. (2004). Product Lifecycle Management
  Paradigm for 21st Century Product Realisation.
  Springer-Verlag.
• Rechtin, E. and Maier, M. (1997). The Art of
  Systems Architecting. CRC Press.

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Background information
http//www.aberdeen.com/summary/report/benchmark/4
212-RA-engineering-change-management.asp http//ww
w8.sap.com/businessmaps/D0A45D785990457D990738D4CC
4FD4C6.htm http//www.one-ppm.com/Glossarypages/PM
/PM1.htm http//www.managementhelp.org/plan_dec/pr
oject/project.htm
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Acknowledgments
The authors wish to acknowledge the support from
the National Science Foundation Advanced
Technology Education Program, NSF Grant 0603362
for Midwest Coalition for Comprehensive Design
Education. The authors also wish to acknowledge
Craig Miller, Ph.D., and Isaac Chang, Ph.D. for
their contributions to this material.
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