I was hired early in my career to solve the problem of providing product information to all the departments that needed it in the form and quantity they needed for doing their jobs. Fifty years later, looks like it’s still a problem looking for better solutions. I’ve written recently about companies solving the complexity issue. This company tackles product information from a visual perspective using the customer’s 3D CAD models.
Canvas GFX, Inc, a provider of visual communication and collaboration solutions to the manufacturing and technical industries, published new research showing the damaging commercial impact of inefficient and ineffective product documentation workflows and processes at manufacturing companies.
Here are some quick read bullet points:
• 73% of manufacturing industry professionals surveyed said inefficiency in current documentation workflows risks undermining gains made through other process and technology initiatives
• 97% of respondents said products or projects had been hit by errors or delays as a result of documentation being late, inaccurate or unclear
• 41% said outdated documentation had led to delayed or missed sales opportunities
Based on a survey of over 500 manufacturing industry professionals, the research shows how documentation that is routinely late, inaccurate, and outdated is causing downstream damage to the organization.
Note: I think I would have been fired for that.
My daughter who is a psychologist would love this (not). The report describes a new disorder—Product Communication Disorder. OK, that may be a little over the top.
Almost three-quarters of respondents (73%) felt that inefficiencies in their product communication processes could be undermining gains made through other technology initiatives.
“What this research shows is that challenges which might only be understood as departmental workflow issues are actually intricately connected to the success of the entire organization,” said Patricia Hume, CEO of Canvas GFX. “How product communication content – from engineering through to sales – is created, collaborated on, and consumed underpins company performance. Where these processes are malfunctioning, the result is self-inflicted damage. Product Communication Disorder is a systemic problem which must be viewed and addressed as such.”
