PLM Customizing: Results of a Qualitative Study with Industrial Experts

The implementation and utilization of a product lifecycle management (PLM) system, including the continuously adoption to business processes, methods and functions, implies massive challenges and outlay for organizations. Despite the importance of customizing in PLM projects, there are no adequate models to support organizations in their customizing process. This paper focuses on the customizing process of PLM systems considering not only the technical IT view, but also the organizational and the human context. In order to identify the state of the art in industrial practice eleven qualitative interviews have been conducted. The results and implications are presented in this paper. The findings comprise five dimensions and an additional generic PLM customizing process