Product Lifecycle Management Effective CommunicationThe correct use of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) allows companies to improve the process of idea design and development. The process continues through all stages of product to deliver a superior product to distributors or consumers quickly. The lifecycle of a product does not occur in isolated groups and it is a dynamic process. Information about the development stage must flow freely but only to those that need to be involved during that portion of development.

Communication and Collaboration in Product Lifecycle Management

Improper PLM communication during product development stages can seriously hamper the overall process. Excess information, or the duplication of the information, can be detrimental and ultimately slow development down through all product lifecycle phases. Effective communication means that critical information is delivered to the correct managers in a timely manner without duplicating the communication or processes.

Key managers need to be aware of the progress of a program, as well as any changes or problems that occur during development. At the same time, departments that are not involved in the current stage do not need to spend the time creating solutions when there may be more changes before the cycle actually reaches them.

Product Lifecycle Management with PTC Windchill

PLM can include a variety of modules that all work with the same data model. For instance, PTC Windchill offers several modules including a way for managers to monitor development stages and respond in a real-time
environment. A controlled stage, or role-based access, allows managers or departments to access their roles only when the product has reached their level. This eliminates the chances of a department wasting time on changes that may not be applicable to the final version.

PTC Windchill also gives users reporting and charting tools that are simple and easy to use. Reports and graphs can be configured and saved. Reports can be designed to provide the status of all problems and any changes in status for individual products. Alerts can then be scheduled so that specific departments and users will be notified when critical stages are achieved.

Utilizing PLM solution modules for communication provides additional benefits:

  • Encourage collaboration at the design level
  • Ability to use existing data for new product development
  • Track customer feedback for use in product improvement. For instance, the Windchill Quality Lab can track complaints and set alerts about trends in product quality.
  • Reduce costs for localization and translation
  • Sales and service training. The Windchill Service Information Manager will provide the most relevant information for each configuration.

The flow of information is critical in product development. Proper use of PLM includes the coordination of the information and accurate change and status updates. PTC Windchill simplifies the communication process and allows tasks to be defined and distributed automatically to the managers responsible. Businesses need to implement a communication system that allows problems to be resolved in a quick efficient manner. Keeping the right groups informed in a timely manner is a key to ensuring that a superior quality product is developed in the fastest manner.

For more information on Windchill Product Lifecycle Management software, click here. Or, you can Contact Us at 3 HTi.