Product management and its mirroring in a process

Models and procedural models are essential in particular for the implementation of product management processes in a company. The situation described earlier shows a problem which can be solved only by a superordinate approach. It will certainly not be enough to call on a vision or to define a strategic goal. The need is for a product lifecycle management (PLM) which encompasses and concerns  the entire company. PLM processes bring together the individual company divisions as well as various activities along the added-value chain: from the birth of the product idea to the product development, the product launch, its handling on the market, and the final withdrawal of the product.

PLM requires the cooperation of a number of departments, so the PLM process necessarily describes the roles of various actors and their activities. This assures the understanding of the work and synchronization of the activities scattered throughout the entire company. If this process does not function or is not clearly designed, it will impact the organization as shown in the example at the beginning.   

Consolidation of the PLM process

Consolidation means, first and foremost, an increase in both efficiency and effectiveness. The PLM process must be oriented to the fundamental aspects so that an improvement in performance in combination with a reduction in costs can be achieved. This goes – naturally – hand in hand with the development of a culture appropriate to the company and with the conceptualizing of a clear vision for the employees.

This is a task which procedural models are especially well suited to support meaningfully because they describe an idealized target pathway to the goal, and their components (tools, templates, checklists, process steps, role descriptions, coordinated and standardized nomenclature, and consistent quality standards) ensure the success of the project. Another point is that the working materials and tools serve to mesh the various phases of the project because analysis results, for example, are easier to use in the conception phase when standardized than in a “chaotic” form. All of the components of a procedural model contribute to shaping the consolidation in a company and consequently to realizing an increase in efficiency and effectiveness.