#110: Starting Smart: PLM, MES, and Winning Digital Engineering Implementations

In this episode of Stay Sharp in Digital Engineering, hosts Juliann Grant and Jonathan Scott sit down with Razorleaf’s Vice President of Business Development, Derek Neiding, to unpack how manufacturers can start smart when implementing complex digital engineering systems like PLM (Product Lifecycle Management) and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems). The trio explores practical strategies for setting up successful projects—from process analysis and system selection to executive alignment and user adoption.

In This Episode

• Getting Started Right: Why the “just start using the software” approach often backfires and how to balance speed with strategic vision.
• Building a Roadmap: The importance of aligning short-term goals with long-term growth so today’s choices don’t limit tomorrow’s innovation.
• Proof of Concept vs. Pilot vs. Quick Start: Derek breaks down what each approach actually means, when to use them, and how they fit together.
• Executive Buy-In and Business Cases: How to educate leadership, define success metrics, and prevent misalignment between tactical and strategic goals.
• Process Improvement and Adoption: Why optimizing processes first matters—and how education accelerates adoption rather than slowing it down.
• Consultants, Culture, and Customization: When to bring in outside expertise, how to balance it with internal knowledge, and how company culture shapes implementation success.

Key Takeaways

• Success isn’t about the software—it’s about alignment, education, and adaptability.
• A roadmap helps avoid costly restarts and ensures scalability as business needs evolve.
• Quick wins are important, but they must connect to a larger strategic vision.
• Every organization’s culture and maturity level should guide its implementation path.
• Adoption hinges on people understanding why changes are happening, not just what to click.
  
  

Notable Quote

“Education isn’t a delay—it’s an accelerator. At some point, you’ll need to know how these systems connect, so you can either learn it when everything’s on the floor or before you start.” — Derek Nieding

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