What does PLMS (product lifecycle management systems) manage: Data or documents? Complementarity and contingency for SMEs

International audienceSoftware vendors offer a portfolio of applications that can be integrated with each other to form product lifecycle management systems (PLMS). Such systems are implemented to create an integrated product information environment. Product information can take the form of relational data, electronic documents, or both. However, implemented PLMS do not have the same capability to handle product information at the product relational data level and the document level. Due to limited resources, many Small and Medium-size Enterprises (SMEs) have only one PLM application supporting the NPD process at one of these levels. Information needs not met by this PLM application are managed more or less efficiently by complementary means. Which PLM application type should a SME use to start implementing a PLMS?In this article, we make eight proposals distinguishing document-oriented PLM applications and relational data-oriented PLM applications to help practitioners choose and implement the PLM application best suited to their company’s needs. These proposals are illustrated by the comparison of two real cases: one document-oriented and the other relational data-oriented. Overall, this article deals with the complementarity of document management and product relational data management to meet PLM issues in most SMEs