Collaboration management and extended enterprise

Collaboration should focus on :

• Organizations and people
• Practices and methods
• Data
• Information technology

Organizations and people :

If a PLM project provides a structural framework, it won’t obscure the cultural discrepancies and habits of the individuals who collaborate:

• Collaboration among internal and external participants
• Collaboration among different business groups who speak different languages

Human factors can impede collaboration. People can comply with a new approach and may require training (this includes subcontractors). Additionally, formalizing collaboration often reveals new roles and responsibilities within the organization.

Practices and methods :

Collaboration protocols, which can sometimes be contractual with a client, subcontractor, or partner, must be clearly defined in one or more processes which generally involve several phases:

• selection of exchange data
• availability
• validation
• consolidation / completion

Data :

An accurate data model must support these exchanges and data management is the basis for collaboration.

Information technologies :

The large number of participants, internal and external, often requires managing a large set of tools. This involves the use of exchange protocols, the definition of exchange formats and data, and the introduction of an appropriate software architecture:

• Conventional document exchange
• Collaboration through the use of a digital template
• Collaboration around BOM (design and/or manufacturing)
• Collaboration piloted by ECO or ECR
• Collaboration portal

In all the above cases, collaboration is supported by software tools that must first be identified, along with a version and exchange format.

PCO Innovation will advise and accompany you in the implementation of PLM best practices.

A PLM approach provides a structural framework based on “best practices” :

Organizations and people :

• Definition of the type of organization needed for collaboration: dedicated roles, new responsibilities, new activities
• Effective management of organizational change management and business transformation: communication, involvement of participants in the collaboration, training
• Preliminary work is sometimes needed to prepare the organization for change

Practices and methods :

• Establish internal and external collaborative processes
• Define a data repository that supports collaboration
• Identify exchange data and activities
• Distribute responsibilities within the organization
• Conduct processes securely

Data :

• Unique data identifier
• Share and distribute data in a complex network

Information technologies:

• Set up an appropriate architecture based on available PLM solutions
• Define a product repository and identify data that supports collaboration
• Define formats that support collaboration
• Secure sharing