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The Challenge of Change

Aras Blog — Fri, 13 Oct 2023 14:49:28 GMT

Engaging users is vital to successful business transformation

Today, the pace of change in virtually every industry is at an all-time high. The traditional 5-year or even 3-year plan is inadequate to keep up with the competition. Companies that previously enjoyed the luxury of slow technical change are now faced with compressed product development times, new and quicker competitors, and more demanding customers. Staying up to speed with the latest innovations in your industry requires almost constant change.

Top executives are aware of the imperative for change. A survey by Gartner concluded that 80% of CEOs have a business transformation project of some type underway. Likewise, most business transformation projects take twice as long as planned and cost twice as much. This doesn’t even include the projects that get planned but never get off the ground.

In the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) space, everyone can think of a prior PLM selection and deployment activity that did not work out well. The failure often comes when introducing a new PLM solution to unsuspecting users, and chaos ensues. By planning and involving those who will be affected, you can deliver a more successful PLM tool to your users and get kudos instead of a black eye.

We must face the fact that most people do not want to change. When new software is deployed along with new processes, new tasks, and possibly organizational changes, most people are not happy. Most PLM users will not shout or throw things when sudden process changes appear, but they will try hard not to adopt the new solution because they lack the understanding of how that solution helps them and the enterprise.

Statistics from McKinsey & Co. shows that 70% of business transformation efforts fail. The primary reason for this failure is a lack of management support and a lack of employee buy-in. This has certainly been the case for many PLM rollout activities that have not ended well.

The importance of getting management and employees on the same page very early in the PLM selection process cannot be overstated. The same survey showed that when people are involved early in the change process, it is 30% more likely to stick.

The Kubler-Ross change curve below shows the various stages of adapting to change. If PLM users can be involved early in the solution selection process, they will be able to quickly move through the first stages of accepting change and are more likely to be ready when the changes arrive. A good cultural change management plan will allow this to happen at the beginning, middle, and end of the PLM selection project. This plan can also guide users as they become familiar with the new software and likely help them prepare for the next phase of change.

Too often, an impending PLM solution replacement is not communicated to the masses because there might be a general mutiny. Getting people involved in the actual selection process is an excellent way to engage early with PLM users and other business organizations that must collaborate. Don’t paint a rosy picture, but be honest about what will change and provide a good overview of the many benefits that this new PLM solution will bring to the business. A simple overview communicated early to all users and stakeholders should provide answers to the following questions:

What is the plan for selecting a PLM solution?
Why do we need to make this change?
What are the benefits that we will receive?

Telling people what will not change can also help potential users feel better about the project. Some PLM changes will impact many people, but when done in a phased approach, it can be less invasive. Make sure to tell everyone what the process will be and what will change with each phase of PLM software deployment. Most people will be able to deal with the uncertainty if they know what to expect. (I also recommend providing free pizza when possible.)

Many of the challenges that appear with PLM users after the software is deployed could have been dealt with and solved long before the solution was chosen. Take the time up-front to listen and let those most affected by these changes know that you have their best interests in mind. Get their feedback and involve them in the PLM selection process so they may transform from a complainer to a champion. If your PLM software allows customizations, agreeing to a custom request from your users early in the selection process will go a long way in fostering goodwill. The change management plan should include an outline of what will be done to support PLM users during the selection process and after the software is installed. This is where many selection projects fail. Don’t just install the software and step away. Include a support section in your plan that includes internal hotlines, mentors, demos that target particular questions, internal user groups, frequent update training, and other support resources for all users.

Here are several ways you can be more successful:

Develop a detailed cultural change management plan
Provide feedback to users during the entire process
Personalize the experience by answering questions
Remove executive roadblocks by having a committed sponsor
Build a community of PLM users that support each other
Demonstrate progress phase by phase
Expect that plans will have to change as users identify issues during early tests
Make sure that the solution is actually used and if not, why not

Supporting your users through the PLM selection and deployment process will pay big dividends when the solution is fully implemented. Instead of users that are constantly asking why this change was made, you will have users excited about the new things they are learning and asking when the next phase will be deployed. This entire process can make your users more change-capable, and their adoption of future solutions will be faster.

PLM solutions are powerful and can support the changes organizations must make to allow their business to keep up with the competition. Make sure that you do not let the tool drive the solution. Determining what you need to support your business in the future should include asking users what they would like to do better. The best solutions will have a mix of processes that are key to the business and processes that are the easiest for users to execute.

The many changes introduced by a PLM solution deployment are successful when users and management are in sync and understand the benefits of PLM.

But don’t take my word for it; look at our PLM selection guide to help you successfully choose your new PLM solution AND deploy it to happy and excited users.

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Introducing: Aras Flow, a PLM Mobile App

Aras Blog — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 09:37:00 GMT

We recently announced the availability of Aras Flow, a mobile app for Aras Innovator 11. For the first time in PLM, change workflows are combined with discussion commenting, visualization and markup in a tablet format. Now teams from engineering, operations, quality and the supply chain can communicate on-the-go to make decisions quickly and keep new product initiatives moving.

In a world where manufacturing processes are growing more and more complex, having mobile, on-the-go, access to PLM is a must. Mobile PLM apps, like Aras Flow, can help accelerate innovation and improve quality for companies. Check out the demo to see Aras Flow in action:

Aras Flow is available for free at the Windows store at http://aras.com/plm/002835

Good Automation Gone Bad?

Aras Blog — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 12:39:00 GMT

The title on CIO Insight caught my eye: Doing Automation Right. As a PLM’er, that’s sounded like something I could get behind.

It started as expected, “CIOs should pursue automation as a way to improve processes and workflows,” but then author Sam Greengard threw me a curve ball with “but not let it get in the way of building long-term relationships with customers.” Hm, not what I anticipated but I pressed on.

Greengard went on to say that retailers and other businesses that embraced automation early on are learning that too much of a good thing can be, well, a bad thing. Why? Because customers require human interaction at some point.

Using banks and ATMs as an example, Greengard points out that they are now looking for ways to entice their customers into the actual bank. Locally, Capital One has been promoting their new 360 Cafes where customers get free coffee and WiFi and the opportunity to chat up their banker.

Greengard isn’t against automation all together – thank the gods – rather he cautions CIOs to “stay focused on the big picture: building relationships with customers.” Good advice that should extend to internal “customers”, i.e. employees, as well.

When automating internal processes, CIOs should look for flexible systems that enhance communication and collaboration, rather than stifle it with rigid workflows. They should select systems that can grow and evolve as customer and business needs change. And they should include users and customers in the development and ongoing improvement of those systems.

In the end, Greengard says, “this means relying on the right blend of technology and people to deliver the best possible results in the best possible way at every touch point.”

If you’re looking to improve automation and collaboration throughout your product development processes, I invite you to discover the many benefits of Aras PLM. Get to know us at www.aras.com/discover.

The Results Are in – Aras Scales to 1 Million Users

Aras Blog — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 08:21:00 GMT

Independent testing proves that Aras Innovator scales easily to 1,000,000 named users / 250,000 concurrent users.

Aras Innovator 10 Running on SQL Server 2014 Scalability Benchmark Methodology and Performance Results report available at www.aras.com/scalability

Tests were conducted on Aras Innovator 10 running SQL Server 2014 Enterprise Edition with standard Microsoft recommended settings and best practices. Testing occurred with 1,000,000 named users at 125,000, 150,000, 200,000 and 250,000 concurrent user loads with real-world scenarios and data structures to simulate actual usage.

“Aras Innovator with SQL Server 2014 provides global enterprises the opportunity to confidently grow their PLM footprint internally and externally to supply chain partners,” said Simon Floyd, ‎Director of Product Lifecycle Management Solutions at Microsoft.

Optimized exclusively for Microsoft SQL Server, Aras is able to achieve this new level of PLM scalability because of Aras’s unique model-based service oriented architecture (model-based SOA). The model-based SOA is designed for scalability, flexibility and extensibility while delivering consistent performance at scale whether running applications out-of-the-box or highly customized.

“The world’s largest manufacturers are telling us that they need better PLM performance than they have been able to obtain from the other PLM systems,” said Peter Schroer, CEO of Aras. “With these tests we’ve publicly demonstrated a new high water mark in PLM scalability that the legacy software architectures have never been able to achieve.”ring consistent performance at scale whether running applications out-of-the-box or highly customized.

Get the report for test details, scenarios and analysis.

ACE 2014 Round Up

Aras Blog — Thu, 15 May 2014 10:53:46 GMT

ACE 2014 kicked off the annual ACE series of global conferences with a bang! The energy at the conference was fantastic. Everywhere I looked collaboration was taking place, new connections were being made and cool new solutions were being designed.

I want to personally thank everyone for joining us and for your commitment to the Aras Community. Your enthusiasm is what makes events like this so special… and productive.

I'd also like to give a special shout out to all the people that presented – thank you for sharing your perspective and experiences with others. Your presentations and demos were fantastic! In addition thank you to the round table hosts who did a phenomenal job encouraging open discussions.

Last but certainly not least, I'd like to thank our sponsoring partners: Microsoft, 3D PDF Consortium,BigLever Software, Broadway Consulting Services, CMII, CMPIC, Crucis Technology, CycleOp,Fisher/ Unitech, I-Cubed, IHS, Integware, ITI Transcendata, Kisters, Minerva, NorthRidge Software,Plural Technology, PSC, Razorleaf, SofTech, T-Systems, xLM Solutions and xPLM. Without your continued support the event wouldn't be what it is today.

The theme this year was RIGHT NOW because ‘right now' is the time to plan for the future and because you can take your PLM strategy to the next level with Aras ‘right now'.

This year the days were chock full of user stories, product demos, round tables and more… and the evenings with music, drink and discussion.

Download all the slides from ACE 2014 (warning it's 50 MB)

Aras Keynote – Peter Schroer, CEO

Aras CEO and Founder, Peter Schroer got the show on the road with the community update where he announced several things including:

The Aras Community for Automotive Innovation with a new Aras office in Detroit
Dr. Martin Eigner, founder of Eigner & Partner, joins the Aras Advisory Board
A strategic partnership with Altium

Peter also discussed the importance of PLM scalability as the value of PLM is in wide usage across departments globally, as well as suppliers, outsourced manufacturing partners and customers.

He provided an overview of the industry's largest independent testing which validated optimal performance and resource utilization of Aras Innovator 10 on SQL Server 2012 with over 125,000 concurrent users. You can read the full PLM scalability report to learn more.

He went on to explain how further testing was done with Aras Innovator 10 on SQL Server 2014 which scaled to over 1 Million named users and 250,000 concurrent users. Stay tuned for the results in this upcoming paper. Both of these tests were done by independent validation firm Logic 20/20 with the help of Microsoft and HP.

He also issued a PLM Community challenge: How can we all make PLM fun... engaging, productive? He suggested Simpler User Interfaces, more Mobile, iterative & agile deployments that ensure that end-user enhancement requests are answered quickly, and Integrating PLM within the everyday tools like Office, CAD, Dashboards and other systems that make it easy for users.

He ended with "Just Simply Works" because as he puts it, "PLM only works if the end-users want to use it."

Get the PLM slides

Guest Keynote – Microsoft

Simon Floyd, Director of Business Development & Strategy for PLM Solutions, got us all thinking about the future of PLM in his presentation on Product Development & Manufacturing Technology Trends. He covered everything from Enterprise Mobility and 3D Printing to Cloud, Social, Business Intelligence and more. His conclusion is that the drive for greater productivity is pushing people to rethink PLM for the future. We agree.

Get the slides

Engineering Definition & Supply Chain BOM Management for Complex Configurations – General Electric

"EBOM to MBOM, how hard can it be?" That's the question GE Aviation posed and their answer may surprise you. EBOM = MBOM +/- changes over time. GE Aviation migrated 43,000 BOMs, 171,000 Global Items and more into Aras. Now Aras is the master of their MBOM or Supply Chain Planning BOM as they call it, and represents the key to accurate information for precision manufacturing. Take a look at the slides to see a great explanation of the complexity of the EBOM to MBOM conversion along with screenshots of BOM Compare, complex Parts lists with Explode and MCO.

Get the slides

Overcoming PLM Challenges to the Licensee Business – MAN Diesel & Turbo

Find out how MAN Diesel & Turbo, the world's leading ship engine manufacturer, extended their PLM footprint across the lifecycle by integrating Aras PLM with Siemens Teamcenter. This allows MAN to create a single version of the truth by eliminating data silos and creating an interconnected environment globally.

Get the slides

Building a PLM Skyscraper – Schrader Electronics

Everyone looks at implementing a PLM system slightly differently and for Schrader, implementing PLM is like building a PLM skyscraper. Before you begin building (or implementing) you need to build a solid foundation with a strong team, requirements, and partner to work with. Then construction starts from the ground up. For Schrader this meant a basic Part Master, BOM Management, Document Management, and ERP integration. They have more floors coming on their PLM skyscraper and are confident Aras was the right choice.

Get the slides

PLM from Product Development to Field & Back Again – CNH Reman

CNH Reman changed the game for its users. Before implementing Aras PLM, they were managing by spreadsheet which provided no visibility, no data integrity and no accountability. And while users were initially skeptical about having a full PLM solution, they have seen the positive impact Aras has made on the business and have turned into feature junkies and are now addicted to PLM.

Get the slides

Critical Capabilities for Future Success in the Manufacturing Industry – IDC Insights

Bob Parker of IDC Insights went over recent research regarding the future of manufacturing and really keyed in on four areas where companies must develop critical capabilities to succeed: Speed, Quality, Innovation and Resiliency.

We talk a lot about Resiliency at Aras and it really clicked when Bob explained a Resilient System is simple at the core and diverse at the edges. Think about Aras Innovator; at its very core its simple which gives you the power to adapt and customize it to fit your needs easily and enables upgrades without impacting your customizations. Then at the edges, think User Interfaces and APIs for integrations, its diver

Get the slides

Collaborate & Contribute Awards

The winners of this year's Collaborate & Contribute award were:

Hitachi – Japanese enterprise search with recommendation engine

Sandia National Laboratories – Smart file extension handling for file check-ins

Minerva – New form layout for advanced search on PolyItem

Let's congratulate the winners again and thank them for their contributions to the Aras Community!

Right Now you can participate to get new ideas, new applications and move your PLM initiative forward. You might even see your name listed above next year. You can be nominated for an award by actively participating in the Aras Community. Some examples include:

Submitting ideas
Making requests
Commenting in the Aras Forums
Contributing specifications
- Form designs
- Use cases
- Workflows
- Business rules
- Data models
Collaborative development
- Prototyping
- Developing solutions & add-ons
- Scripts / methods and code samples
- Doing interfaces & integrations
- Testing & verification
Creating documentation
Doing translations
Sharing Your Story

Solution Showcase

This is one of the most popular sessions at ACE, with the 5 minute rapid fire demos. This all software / no slides session brings out the true innovators to show off their new solutions and is a really great time for audience members to see how other people are using Aras.

Some of this year's Solution Showcase participants included:

Aras Developer Documentation Tool – GETRAG Ford Transmissions

Issue Management in Aras on Win8 App – Razorleaf

Learning Activities Solutions – Nidec Motor Company

CRM for Aras – ED2

ERP Integration Data Mapping – CycleOp

...and many more

Download ACE 2014 SLIDES

Download all the slides from ACE 2014 (warning it's 50 MB)

Main Session

Aras Community Update

Product Development & Manufacturing Technology Trends – Microsoft

Engineering Definition and Supply Chain BOM Management for Complex Configurations – GE

Overcoming PLM Challenges to the Licensee Business – MAN Diesel & Turbo

Building a PLM Skyscraper – Schrader Electronics

PLM from Product Development to Field & Back Again – CNH Reman

Critical Capabilities for Future Success in the Manufacturing Industry – IDC Insights

What's New From Aras

What's Ahead: Aras Vision & Roadmap

Basic Track

Aras PLM Overview Demo

The Business Value of CAD Connectors

An Agile Implementation for PLM

Resilient PLM

FX MEILLER's CATIA V5 Migration to Aras

ENOVIA to Aras

Keeping the Implementation Momentum Going

Technical Track

Going to Aras Innovator 10

Tuning Aras Innovator for Scalability

PDM Process Configuration for CAD

Mobile Application Development

Self-Documenting Aras Innovator

Customizing Aras Program Management

Customizing Aras Product Engineering

Implementing Aras Conversion Server

SharePoint Web Services Integration

Active Directory Integration

Customizing the Impact Matrix

Business Track

Component Engineering in PLM

Tackling ECAD

Visualization – 3D & Beyond

Digital Mockup with Aras

Extending Aras to Tech Pubs

Document Management and Office Connector

Aras Community for Automotive Innovation

Preparing CAD Data for Migration from Legacy PLM / PDM

A Medical Devices Journey to Fewer Systems & Greater Consistency

Enterprise Search for PLM & More

We look forward to seeing you at some of the other conferences in this year's global ACE series including ACE Japan and ACE Europe.

And stay tuned for other local and regional ACE sessions. We'll post them in the newsletter and on the web site throughout the year as dates and locations are announced.

Also, if you'd like to host your own mini-ACE session at your company, get in touch and we can help!

Introducing the Newest Voice in the Aras PLM Blog

Aras Blog — Mon, 22 Jun 2015 09:06:00 GMT

Hello Aras Community. We are excited to introduce you to the newest voice in the Aras blogging team.

David Ewing from our Product Management team will be bringing a new perspective to our community. David's responsibilities are in Product Engineering, Requirements Management and Productivity Enhancements. He joins us from a career in industry where he was responsible for PLM development in the manufacturing and aerospace industries.

With this new addition to the team we hope to give you some insight into the inner workings of the Product Management team. Also we hope to use this forum to gather your ideas and experiences to help shape the Aras Innovator products.

A note from David:

I am excited to be a part of the Aras blogging team and I hope this opportunity can be a vehicle to help me to get closer to the community. The Product Management team is focused on creating the best possible PLM tools for our customers. Having a stream of information and feedback can only make our team and our product better!

I am looking forward to getting involved and having thought provoking discussions together!

A warm welcome to David. And keep your eyes open - David will begin posting next week.

Networking, Collaborating and More at ACE 2015!

Aras Blog — Wed, 29 Apr 2015 12:34:00 GMT

ACE 2015 wrapped up last Thursday. This was our biggest, most collaborative and most energetic ACE yet!

Check out some pictures from last week and stay tuned for the round-up post, with summaries of presentations, slides and more pictures.

Aras Innovator on Microsoft Azure

Aras Blog — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 12:07:00 GMT

IBM & Aras Partner on Continuous Engineering

Aras Blog — Thu, 05 Mar 2015 08:42:00 GMT

Announced last week at IBM’s InterConnect, Aras and IBM are partnering to create an ALM-PLM integration for continuous engineering.

With the emergence of the IoT there’s an accelerating pace of change and an increasing configuration management complexity. It’s important for companies to take a true cross-discipline approach to developing and maintaining the products / systems of the future.

At the event, Peter Schroer, Aras CEO, participated in a panel discussion on continuous engineering alongside Brett Greenstein, IBM VP IoT Continuous Engineering Solutions, John McDonald, CloudOne CEO and Brian Dalgetty, IBM Director of IoT Marketing.

Watch the recorded session:

Is Your PLM Future-Proof?

Aras Blog — Tue, 18 Nov 2014 10:00:00 GMT

PLM that is truly future-proof and resilient will adapt to changing business requirements. It will ensure that your customizations can always move forward to the next version of the software. And it will never leave you locked out of your own data.

Resilient, future-proof PLM - and the investment you make in it – persists independent of changes to your business processes, the operating system, database, upgrades, features etc. These changes could be as simple as switching to a new browser or as complex as changing use cases when acquiring other companies, moving into new vertical markets, adding product lines or adjusting processes to meet new compliance mandates.

A truly resilient PLM will last 20 years or more. In fact, it should last indefinitely.

Aras PLM is Resilient.

Open – From our open architecture to our enterprise open source approach and transparent data model Aras is all open, all the time, so we can easily adapt to changes in your business and work with the latest technology.

Subscriber Upgrade Guarantee - All upgrades to your Aras PLM system are included in your annual subscription fee. When it’s time to upgrade we take care of everything, including upgrading all your customizations.

Self-Documenting System – No more relying on vendors, consultants, in-house system gurus or tribal knowledge. With a self-documenting system you know you’ll always have the information you need to take your PLM system forward.

Company Culture – Our motto is "no customer left behind." We guarantee you will never be forced into an expensive upgrade and that the codes and methods you've developed will still run 20 years from now.

With Aras, your PLM is truly future-proof.

Want to learn more? Check out the full report on Resilient PLM.

What Can Aras Component Engineering Do For You?

Aras Blog — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 09:18:00 GMT

We recently announced the availability of Aras Component Engineering which brings over 100 Million electronic components into the PLM Workflow. How? By embedding the cloud-based IHS CAPS Universe electronic component database into Aras Innovator®.

Aras Component Engineering provides engineering and sourcing professionals a single point of access to design, procure and sustain products with electronic components.

“By putting the world’s best component information exactly where designers and purchasing specialists need it Aras is enabling global manufacturers to make better, faster decisions and proactively manage changes in cost, availability and compliance early in the product lifecycle,” said Bob Braasch, Sr. Director Parts Management at IHS.

With Aras Component Engineering users have instant access to complete, current technical data, as well as obsolescence and compliance information, on board-level components from leading manufacturers around the world — without launching multiple browsers or separate applications.

This is a huge time saver and productivity builder! From within Aras PLM, users have access to component datasheets, technical information, obsolescence, RoHS & Reach compliance info and more. Not only does Aras Component Engineering increases efficiency, it also reduces regulatory and supply chain risk.

So what are you waiting for? Watch the Demo to see Aras Component Engineering In Action!

Aras Blog さんの グループ アクティビティ

The Challenge of Change

Engaging users is vital to successful business transformation

Nice Blog!

Nice Blog!

Nice Blog!

Nice Blog!

Introducing: Aras Flow, a PLM Mobile App

Good Automation Gone Bad?

The Results Are in – Aras Scales to 1 Million Users

ACE 2014 Round Up

Introducing the Newest Voice in the Aras PLM Blog

Networking, Collaborating and More at ACE 2015!

Aras Innovator on Microsoft Azure

IBM & Aras Partner on Continuous Engineering

Is Your PLM Future-Proof?

What Can Aras Component Engineering Do For You?

Aras Blog さんのグループアクティビティ