PLM: we need convincing.(Product Lifecycle Management)(Brief Article)

Having just returned to the office after the 'red eye' from the Daratech Summit 2003 in New York, it's a rather bleary eyed Roger Brownlie that writes this comment. Not bleary from tiredness, however, but bleary from boredom at the Summit. I could barely keep my eyes open it was so unenthralling. And I wasn't alone.

Last year's Summit theme was PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) -- what it is, who should use it, why it should be used etc. This year it was based around PLM -- what it is, who should use it and why it should be used etc. In short not much has moved on in the world of high-end, enterprise wide, design software solutions.

Even Daratech, the organisers, said in its introductory brochure, 'What exactly is PLM? Is it an unrealistic, all-inclusive utopian dream? Or a practicable, comprehensive IT solution whose time has come?' Well, we are no closer ...