Flow, according to poet W. H. Auden, "is the state of forgetting oneself in a function." Whether its riding a wave or hitting a golf ball, the feeling of "being in the flow" is unsurpassed. Encouraging change or adoption of new tools is one of the biggest challenges facing companies and vendors today. Tapping into the emotion around "flow" can be a powerful motivator. In my previous blog, "If the Glove Doesn't Fit You Must Acquit", I discussed how change can best be attained through creative means. When attempting to justify Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) solutions like AgilePLM from Oracle or Windchill PDMLink from PTC, dry numbers on return on investment don't create the kind of emotion you need to trigger change. Another often overlooked methodology when attempting to either justify or implement process improvement programs like PLM or engineering collaboration is empowering the masses. The power of the people has been underestimated throughout history and has been essential to drive major change in cultures and in industry. My definition of "the masses" for this blog are the people at the sharp end of the industrial stick. Engineers, shop floor resources, and configuration management resources are the people that will be most impacted on a day-to-day basis with process change. If you don't have their buy-in and input from day one, the likelihood that you will succeed with a major process change initiative is highly unlikely. Moreover, if you can involve these resources and get them behind the project, the technology can have a transformative effect on their attitudes toward their jobs. This effect on their attitudes can yield far more benefit to a corporation from productivity gains than the technology itself. According to a Gallup poll cited in "Drive", a book by New York Times Bestselling author Daniel Pink, nearly 20% of the U.S. work force is actively disengaged at work, costing companies nearly $300 Billion dollars a year in lost productivity. By utilizing a strategic approach that actively engages all personnel impacted by process initiatives, companies can dramatically increase a program's effectiveness. I realize this is easier said than done and that "too many cooks can spoil the broth," but there are definite ways to solicit input and to engage with all levels of a company to create a groundswell of support for process improvement initiatives. By framing PLM as a solution that will remove the tedium from work related tasks and empower company resources to reach their full potential, organizations can dramatically affect the momentum for change and the results of said change. This blog will explore some of the ways PLM and engineering collaboration can have a transformative effect on day to day tasks and engage employees who will increase their productivity through better motivation and more efficient process and tools.
There are numerous business philosophies and strategies that promote methodologies to empower and motivate employees. Most of these philosophies look at technology as a necessary evil or as a means to an end, not as an end itself. I propose that PLM is a means to empowerment and motivation if properly implemented. This means allowing all levels to participate in selection and implementation of the tool. I have been involved with many PLM projects where IT or management exclusively selected the PLM solution and how it would be deployed. In most instances, acceptance of the PLM was problematic and if management disengaged, the project would flounder without them there to enforce adoption. I also think that how you present PLM to the company is important. If it is perceived as another level of bureaucracy that someone has to wade through to get their job done, then it will be problematic. If employees see this as a way to automate the repetitive tasks in their life and eliminate the need to recreate information, then I suspect their attitude about the solution would be different. All of this hearkens back to the way a PLM solution is selected. Committees have a bad reputation in that they can drag things out and complicate issues. One only has to look at Congress to know this is true. However, there are ways to solicit input and to market ideas without having to burden a project with the complexity of a committee. Well thought out user surveys and transparency throughout the selection process can go a long way toward winning support for process improvement. As long as employees are kept informed about the selection process and the reasons driving the selection, most will be enthusiastic and supportive.
The key to engaging employees in an initiative like PLM is to enable them to achieve "flow" with the new tool. In "Drive" Daniel Pink cites research from several clinical psychologist indicating that the most satisfying experiences in people's lives were when they were in the "flow". To be in the flow, goals must be clear and feedback must be immediate. The relationship between what a person has to do and can do is perfect. PLM is a great tool to achieve this state. Properly implemented and adopted, PLM can help people achieve "flow" as Pink describes: "In flow people lived so deeply in the moment and felt so utterly in control, that their sense of time, place, and even self-melted away. They were autonomous of course. But more than that, they were engaged." Anyone who has worked with a properly configured PLM solution can understand the relationship between the state described here and their experience. What could be more empowering than having information at your fingertips? The ability to see at what stage a change order is at? To be able to work freely and not be dependent upon the availability or disposition of a co-worker, or supplier? To not have to interrupt a design task to satisfy the query of another? The key to helping employees see PLM in this light is to solicit their input early in the process and to ensure that they are fully trained with the tool. One of the biggest issues we see from an implementation perspective is companies trying to save money by reducing the number of people trained or the amount of training delivered. Selecting PLM solutions that have more intuitive interfaces can also affect this dynamic in a positive way.
The takeaways from this discussion are that PLM, when properly selected and implemented, can deliver value far beyond the specific reductions in time that automation provides. It can create a higher level of satisfaction and empowerment in the employees of a company which will affect their motivation and productivity and overall attitude. This morale effect will yield benefits far beyond what PLM can deliver. The key is to engage with all levels early on and solicit input and incorporate this input in the selection and adoption methodology. On the flip side, a poorly implemented PLM that is mandated from above without the input of the organization will not only fail, but can create dissension and dissatisfaction that will further damage a company by decreasing productivity by alienating and demoralizing the employees. In order to be successful, one must "go with the flow". Involve all levels and ensure that everyone is fully trained to achieve their goals. By engineering an environment for success, the value of PLM will be amplified. Vendors who recognize this approach will become valued partners to their clients, and companies who insist on this type of approach will ensure strong return on investment. As one study cited in Pink's book concluded, "…the desire for intellectual challenge – that is, the urge to master something new and engaging – was the best predictor of productivity." Teresa Amabile, a Harvard professor quoted in the book adds, "The desire to do something because you find it deeply satisfying and personally challenging inspires the highest levels of creativity whether it’s in the arts, sciences, or business." PLM can enable this type of environment for a company by eliminating the drudgery and empowering employees to control their own destinies. Vendors and Companies must make the extra effort to carry this message forth and equip their employees with the proper tools and training to allow them to achieve a state of "flow".
[Edit: repost from 2010]
