I met Jen and Jonathon at a conference, and they were nice enough to interview me for their podcast. Throughout the interviews, I refer to the graduate engineering management course I teach, called "Managing Product Lifecycles". (I discuss the distinction between "MPL" and "PLM" in the first video, below.) For students, here is the theory behind the course (its effectively the syllabus.)
Discussion descriptions below.
In this episode of Stay Sharp with Razorleaf, hosts Jen and Jonathan are joined by special guest Patrick Hillberg to dive deeper into managing a product's life cycle beyond traditional Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems. The conversation explores the gaps in PLM technology and the broader challenges of product management in today's complex, global economy.
Patrick Hillberg shares his insights on why managing the product life cycle requires more than just PLM technology. The discussion touches on critical topics such as supply chain disruptions, the importance of digital twins for factories, and the need to reimagine product development strategies in the face of systemic risks like climate change and pandemics.
Key Discussion Points:
PLM Technology vs. Product Lifecycle Management: The distinction between PLM as a business process and the technology that supports it, and why current PLM systems fall short in addressing all aspects of product management.
Supply Chain Challenges: How supply chain disruptions, exacerbated by events like the COVID-19 pandemic, reveal the limitations of existing PLM tools in managing product life cycles effectively.
The Role of Externalities: Exploring the impact of external factors—both positive and negative—on product development and lifecycle management, including the implications of climate change and geopolitical conflicts.
The Future of Manufacturing: The potential of digital twins and remote manufacturing to address global challenges, and the vision for more localized production to reduce risks associated with complex global supply chains.
Innovation and Simplicity: The importance of finding less complex, more efficient methods to achieve business goals, including the role of additive manufacturing and the need to rethink traditional approaches to product development.
In this episode of Stay Sharp with Razorleaf, we continue our deep dive into managing the product lifecycle beyond traditional PLM systems. Hosts Jen Ferello and Jonathan Scott are joined by Patrick Hillberg to explore the complexities of product lifecycle management, focusing on how it stretches far beyond the capabilities of PLM technology. Together, they investigate the broader implications of product development, organizational dysfunction, and the ethical pressures engineers face in today’s evolving manufacturing landscape.
Episode Summary: This episode examines how PLM technology, while useful, only addresses a small part of the product lifecycle. Patrick Hillberg highlights the importance of viewing "Managing Product Lifecycles" as more than technology and involves decision-making that PLM systems can’t facilitate. The conversation dives into real-world examples of product development failures, such as the GM ignition switch and Boeing 737 Max incidents, showcasing the consequences of poor communication and organizational silos. Ethical concerns in the development of autonomous vehicles also play a central role in this discussion.
Key Takeaways:
PLM Systems’ Limitations: While PLM technology assists with certain aspects of product development, it doesn’t address the larger management of a product’s full lifecycle.
Decomposition Creates Dysfunction: Decomposing complex products into smaller parts leads to organizational silos, making it harder to manage the full lifecycle and increasing the risk of dysfunction.
Engineers are under growing ethical pressures to balance safety with financial objectives, particularly in the development of autonomous vehicles.
Digital Exhaust as a Tool: Tracking digital exhaust (communication patterns within teams) could provide insight into organizational dysfunction before it leads to significant product failures.
Discussion Highlights:
The distinction between PLM technology and managing product life cycles.
How decomposition of products into smaller teams can create communication breakdowns.
Case studies like the GM ignition switch recall and Boeing 737 Max crashes, where poor communication and ethical lapses led to catastrophic product failures.
The role of technology in spotting dysfunction before it escalates into a crisis.
The importance of considering societal value and sustainability when developing products.
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