The importance of data is growing tremendously. Web, social networks and mobile started this trend just few years ago. However, these days companies are starting to see that without deep understanding of data about their activities, the future of company business is uncertain. For manufacturing companies, it speaks a lot of about fundamental business processes and decisions related to product portfolios, manufacturing and supply chain.
It sounds like PLM vendors have a potential best fit to fulfill this job. PLM portfolios are getting broader and covers lots of applications, modules and experience related to optimization of business activities. In one of my earlier blogs this month, I was talking about new role of Chief Data Officer in companies. Navigate here to read and draw your opinion. However, to make this job successful is mission impossible without deep understanding of company data by both sides – company and vendors / implementers.
Few days ago, I was reading InformationWeek article – Data Scientist: The Sexiest Job No One Has. The idea of data scientist job is very interesting if you apply it beyond just storing data on file servers. Think about advanced data analyst job focusing on how company can leverage their data assets in a best way. The amount of data companies are generating is doubling every few months. To apply right technology and combine it with human skills can be an interesting opportunity. Pay attention on the following passage:
The role of data scientist has changed dramatically. Data used to reside on the fringes of the operation. It was usually important but seldom vital — a dreary task reserved for the geekiest of the geeks. It supported every function but never seemed to lead them. Even the executives who respected it never quite absorbed it.
But not anymore. Today the role set aside for collating, sorting, and annotating data — a secondary responsibility in most environments — has moved to the forefront. In industries ranging from marketing to financial services to telecommunications, the data scientists of today don’t just crunch numbers. They view the universe as one large data set, and they decipher relationships in that mass of information. The analytics they develop are then used to guide decisions, predict outcomes, and develop a quantitative ROI.
So, who can become data scientist in a manufacturing companies? Actually, this major is still not defined in American colleges. Anybody with good skillset of math, computer science and manufacturing domain knowledge can think about this work. So, I can clearly can see it as an opportunity for retired CAD and PLM IT managers spending their life on installation of on premise PLM software as soon as the software will be moving to the cloud environment.
What is my conclusion? In the past, installation and configuration skill set was one of the most important in PDM/PLM business. The time vendors spent on system implementation was very significant. PLM cloud switch is going to create a new trend – understanding of company data and business processes will be come and #1 skill So, PLM vendors better start thinking about new job description – people capable to understand how to crunch manufacturing data to create a value for customers. Just my thoughts…
Best, Oleg
