PLM: Reinventing the wheel Vs tweaking the business processes to fit into software OOTB

                    Once PLM implementation is the part of the business strategy, the biggest dilemma in-front of the business leaders is whether to go for customization of PLM tool or adjust the existing business processes so that only configuration of the software is enough.

                    But being carried away by this dilemma we generally leave behind the essence of the PLM.
                    And what the essence of the PLM actually is? Yes, you got it right.
                    True PLM implementation stands for identifying the as is state of the business processes and then doing a deep contemplation to check whether there is a scope of improvement in existing processes and then decide upon the to be state of the processes.

                     Yes, I agree that I am talking the same repetitive language of the PLM vendor, you might have interacted frequently.

                     But, sincerity level of identifying business process for bringing radical change to them is not up to the mark for both, the PLM vendor and the PLM customer.

                      Hence, we end up automating the existing business processes, and if existing business process are flawed, the strongest PLM tool can not help us in avoiding garbage in garbage out adage.

                      So, am I saying that we should decide the optimal business process against each current business process, and then customize the PLM software to ensure adherence to them.

Partly yes, but not for each business process.

If small tweaking to existing business process could cause it to fit into available Out Of The Box (OOTB) best practices without compromising upon the strategic aim of PLM implementation, only a boofhead should invest time and efforts in reinventing the wheel.

But, if we are going too far from required business process shape, customization shall be justifiable.

Now people argue that customization asks for time and effort the first time and then every time we go for system upgrade.

Here I would say that if the business value created is truly convincing and giving us the competitive edge and good ROI, why shouldn't we go for customization.

One more benefits of customization, we are increasing employment.

Knowledge is power, and sharing knowledge is bigger power, but the the biggest power is to share the knowledge in a way that the receiver has the capabilities to utilize the knowledge to the fullest and all this knowledge utilization brings the optimal holistic benefit to the organization as a whole.



Please keep reading my blogs as more insight shall inflow.

Comments, critics and feedback are most welcome.