7. Project/Program Management in the PLM Environment

The objective of this chapter is to give a basic introduction to projects and Project Management (PM) as they relate to a company’s PLM Initiative. This introduction will help those in the Initiative to understand project-related topics and Project Management activities. In turn, this will help them participate more fully in the PLM Initiative. This chapter also aims to give students a basic understanding of the role and activities of Project Management in a PLM Initiative. The first part of the chapter is an introduction to projects and Project Management in the PLM environment. It describes the purpose, role and importance of PM in a PLM Initiative. Definitions are given of frequently used terms in the Project Management environment. The need for Project Management is introduced. Project phases, knowledge areas, tools and templates are addressed. Required characteristics of Project Management, including KPIs, are outlined. Frequently occurring roles in PLM projects are described. The second part of the chapter addresses Project Management in the PLM environment of a typical company. It describes the typical issues with projects and project plans that are encountered in many companies. The interaction of Project Management with the resources of PLM and with other company initiatives is outlined. The third part of the chapter introduces typical PM-related activities in the PLM Initiative. Benefits and success factors are described. The fourth and final part of the chapter builds on experience of working with PM activities with many companies. It shares lessons learned from experience of Project Management in PLM Initiatives. The potential pitfalls of Project Management are described. Top management’s role with Project Management in the PLM Initiative is addressed.