Aras’ Change Management and Impact Matrix

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Aras’ Change Management and Impact Matrix

The change management application breaks into three parts.  There is our CMII compliant change package that is the most comprehensive.   It includes the PR, ECR and ECN processes which are typical industry standards.  We also have a midline called the Express package that includes the ECO, DCO and something new called the EDR.  And finally, we have a simplified version that moves the change process along much more rapidly.  An important enhancement we just released is the Impact Matrix.  The current tool gives users the ability to see the impact of their proposed change.  So, if they were releasing say a part, they would be able to see the possible impact on other parts or assemblies.   With our upgrade they could also see what models, drawings, and/or documents might be affected.  Instead of a user having to dig through the various relationships, the Impact Matrix does that work to help the user make a decision.

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Pursuing the Promise of PLM – Part 1

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Pursuing the Promise of PLM – Part 1

Personally, one of my go-to content sources is TED talks.  In particular, I have enjoyed Simon Sinek.  He’s an author best known for popularizing the concept of "the golden circle" and to "Start with Why.”  In one of his talks, Sinek encourages us to understand “why” we pursue an idea, and then dig into the “how” and “what” later.  By doing so, the result is a vision and energy that transcends the morass of tactical details.  A prime example … Steve Jobs is the iconic “why guy.”

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Don’t Mind the Engine Light

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Don’t Mind the Engine Light

Autodesk Vault was used for the CAD workgroup.  Once designs were released, renditions were manually created and then loaded into SharePoint.  The bills we exported to a spreadsheet and manually entered into their ERP solution.  Purchasing would go to SharePoint to access and print the rendered drawings.  These would be associated to purchase orders.

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The Business-Case for PLM: How to Measure Value

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The Business-Case for PLM: How to Measure Value

Do you have P&L responsibilities or hope to have someday?  Then if PLM is not part of your strategy, you may want to reconsider.  PLM is just as vital as your ERP solution and some will argue that it is the most important aspect for any engineering/manufacturing business.

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Recent Interview with Dick Bourke, Industry Analyst and Iconic Figure in Industry - June 2, 2015

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Recent Interview with Dick Bourke, Industry Analyst and Iconic Figure in Industry - June 2, 2015

If we look at ERP and PLM, we can see some parallels in their development and maturity.  Before ERP there was MRP, or material requirements planning, which was strictly the core modules necessary to plan material requirements, quantities, inventories and due dates.  Properly structured bill of materials for manufacturing planning purposes or what’s now called the M-Bomb were critical along with inventory accuracy.  Then, as a broader set of applications began to emerge, the name ERP or enterprise resource planning took hold.  This now includes CRM, financials, HR, and many other applications meant to run the business. 

 

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