I shared my thoughts how collaboration technologies and product development can make a dent into current PLM development trajectories. Digital transformation brings lot of changes in our lives. Our daily routines are changing, the way we drive our cars, communicate with people, do banking and shopping are changing. So, the changes will be coming to manufacturing and PLM will have to obey. Or not? This is a good question to ask. Depends who you ask the answer can be different. I will leave it for my next blog.

Collaboration is a world we use a lot in PLM. But these days, the importance of collaboration is growing. Manufacturing is not done by a single company in one location and companies have huge demands to improve the way they collaboration. 130,000 people from Aibus will be moving to collaborate in a Google G-Suite style. This is a big number and this is a big company. So, we can expect an impact a bigger than average. How this collaboration will happen? What it means to companies working with Airbus, contractors, suppliers and many other vendors? How it will impact PLM product used by Airbus and how it will impact PLM development on a bigger scale?

One of my reader, wrote a comment on my blog about Airbus and collaboration related to IP protection.

PLM collaboration takes on a whole different light given recent discussions in the aerospace industry surrounding China. We want IP protection, they want the data and the technology. Sometimes we need to collaborate, other times it is not convenient to do so.

Which made me think about two forces – collaboration and security. These two forces are not moving things in the same direction. New collaboration technologies are making communication simpler. At the same time, security officer and IP lawyers are raising questions about possible infringements and information leaks. What companies should do about it? In a dangerous online world, it is easy to scary companies by applying big no-no on new collaboration projects. However, there is another way to think about security and IP protection connected to collaboration.

Think about friction. In a world without friction, our life would be different from what we have no. Walking would be impossible. To stop moving, we would have to crash into something. Many day-to-day tasks, such as working with touch screens on your phone would be impossible. Look on the funny video to remind yourself about friction forces

At the same time, applying too much friction will stop everything. And this is exactly the same we should think about applying collaboration technologies and PLM collaboration processes.  The new technologies can change the world. Making it together with applying some rules will improve technology. So, we absolutely must have IP protection and security rules to guide our collaboration.

What is my conclusion? The balance between new collaboration technologies and IP protection will create a fundamental understanding how guide and develop new collaborative PLM product. To remove IP protection rules can make our collaboration frictionless and dangerous. At the same time, by applying too much friction in collaboration, can easily kill the idea and slow down to process. So, my recommendation – take a business side. Think about collaboration, benefits and risks. All together it will allow you to build future collaborative products. Just my thoughts…

Best, Oleg

Want to learn more about PLM? Check out my new PLM Book website.

Disclaimer: I’m co-founder and CEO of OpenBOM developing cloud based bill of materials and inventory management tool for manufacturing companies, hardware startups and supply chain. My opinion can be unintentionally biased.

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