Very good question.
I agree it should be driven per the business PLM strategy first. For our case, the logic went from a basic cost saving exercices.
Let replace all sort of CAD systems per one only. It happened to be ProE and we got solved Intralink but never used it as a PDM. Just as a dump and when Windchill became more evalable we got to replace Intralink.
This is obviously not the right approach even if Windchill is more than capable is handling our case.
My approach would be first
define a PLM strategy. Why do you want PLM for (cost saving, manage capital, design anywhere, manufacture anywhere, reduce time to market etc....)
Once decided, which business process can support this
Then which system or technology can best support this business process, how much can be done automatically
What does it mean in term of data migration and translation
Also very important. Where are you starting from.
Map your above identified processes if not already done. If you have them already, check them. Often they have been written years ago but things change. Once happy, try to time and cost them. ie how long each part of your process last (actually time and allowable duration), how many automated activities vs manual activities and icing on cake, try to cost all this. Either cost each activity or the overall cost.
Once you have all this.
Try to find a system which will not only support your process but will allow you to improve it (that accepting that you may need to change your current processes because of the new system but also because it will improve your processes).
Once you have identified your system.
you need to create a process map using this new system.
Here again, time them and cost them.
then you can compare. It is very important to be able to compare because you need to justify you are going in the right direction.
(For us we made progress but we did not properly keep record of where we started from, many people now take things for granted, complain about what they have but they forget about how it was)
Ideally you should be in a situation where some activities got dropped (maybe new ones added) but the duration should be a lot less as well as the cost.
This said, there is something else to consider. Maybe your current process was only concerned with the departments and the teams based at the same site but in realilty other people are involved. The new engineered process should take this into account to ensure maximum efficiency and therefore maximum return.
I believe this is actually the most difficult part of a PLM implementation. Once you have your system and new processes, it should be very easy. migrate some data and train the users 😮
Best of luck.
