Most companies that invest in major PLM programs want to minimize customization when deploying their new software. Customizing enterprise software like PLM is expensive, time consuming and often results in systems that are costly to maintain and less flexible in supporting business growth and change.

1. Global Services Insight
PTC.comPage 1 of 3 | Strategic PLM Implementation: Value of Out-of-the-Box Software
Strategic PLM Implementation:
Understanding the Value of
Out-of-the-Box Software
By Chris Morris
Most companies that invest in major PLM programs
want to minimize customization when deploying
their new software. Customizing enterprise soft-
ware like PLM is expensive, time consuming and
often results in systems that are costly to maintain
and less flexible in supporting business growth
and change.

2. Global Services Insight
PTC.comPage 2 of 3 | Strategic PLM Implementation: Value of Out-of-the-Box Software
“ The implementation challenge many
companies face is fully executing on the
vision of out-of-the-box configuration.”
Meanwhile, the top PLM software vendors have greatly improved out-of-the-box
capabilities in recent years. Current versions of leading PLM applications provide
built-in support for manufacturing best practices based on years of experience with
thousands of companies and end users.
The implementation challenge many companies face, however, is fully executing
on the vision of out-of-the-box configuration. All too often, the vision of the board
and the CEO gets diluted when you move down a few levels in the organization to
the directors, managers and team leads who are actually responsible for ensuring
improvements in business productivity.
At the operational level, managers and directors certainly want to improve the way
they do business but they also have to hit their targets for growth and profitability.
Understandably, they get uncomfortable with the idea of learning new systems and
processes.
Faced with the implementation of new PLM applications, you often hear things like:
“We can’t have any downtime.” “We can’t have any slips in productivity.” “I know how
my system works today – why don’t you just put my current processes into the new
system so we avoid any slowdown with learning – the new system will be faster so
we’ll get productivity gains that way.”
To make the issue even more complicated, people often miss the forest for the trees.
They’ll focus on the lowest level of productivity instead of the larger view. They’ll say:
“It takes me five minutes to do this task today but it will take seven minutes in the
new system if we don’t customize it. Multiply that by hundreds of users and that’s a
huge productivity hit.” But they ignore the fact that the new system allows you to skip
the next three steps in the process leading to an overall productivity gain. They want
to optimize individual steps but at the risk of sub-optimizing the whole system.
The key to preventing this resistance and minimizing customization is strong execu-
tive leadership that stays active throughout the implementation and steps in when
the work hits a roadblock or goes off course.
Maximizing the use of off-the-shelf applications can pay tremendous dividends in cost,
time to value, and longer term flexibility, but program sponsors need to pay careful
and consistent attention to lower level pressures that can undermine the vision.

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About PTC Global Services
The 1400 professionals at PTC Global Services help the world’s
leading manufacturing companies gain product and service advan-
tage through solution strategy and design, process transformation,
technology configuration, and organizational training and adoption.
Our in-house experts and premium services partners work over-
time to ensure the best possible results and maximum return on
investment. Learn more at PTC.com/consulting.
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About the Author
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Chris Morris is a Client Partner for PTC
Global Services with more than 17 years of
experience focused on high ROI solutions for
product development. Chris works mainly
with senior manufacturing executives and
managers, providing them with strategic
guidance for leading product development
programs and high performing teams.
Contact Chris at cmorris@ptc.com.