A conceptual framework to develop assessment models for PLM projects

The adoption of a PLM-oriented approach in large companies, or in a complex supply chain, needs a well-structured plan of change management. Product-Lifecycle-Management may significantly increase the efficiency and effectiveness of enterprise processes but requires cooperation between different actors and product-data information sharing; such interoperability often requires the evolution of organization aspects. This paper aims at presenting a conceptual framework that can support a large company, or a group of companies, in defining the assessment principles on which a PLM implementation project should be based on. Indeed, in the initial stage of a transition to a PLM vision, the process of gathering information assumes a key role in the creation of the knowledge base about the as-is state, specifically with regard to the company awareness of PLM concepts, to the adopted technologies, to the purpose of the project, to any specific requirement, etc. The framework presented here originates from the analysis of the common path towards the implementation of PLM logics at a corporate level by a large group of companies operating in the aerospace & defense industry