A blog by Oleg Shilovitsky
Information & Comments about Engineering and Manufacturing Software

Chase a Beautiful Storm: Why Now is the Time to Organize Product Information

Chase a Beautiful Storm: Why Now is the Time to Organize Product Information
Oleg
Oleg
8 February, 2025 | 2 min for reading

Saturday is the time to relax, think, and read. It is also a day to plan. Changes are hard and they are like a storm. Some companies run from storms. Others chase them.

A storm is unpredictable, intense, and full of energy. It’s chaotic—but also beautiful. And just like in nature, the world of product development and manufacturing is often stormy—filled with disconnected data, outdated processes, and a whirlwind of misaligned teams and tools.

You could wait for the skies to clear before taking action. Or you could chase the storm and turn its energy into something powerful.

Why Wait for the Perfect Conditions?

When is the right time to organize your product data?

  • After the next product release?
  • When the system is “less chaotic”?
  • When you finally have the time?

Here’s the truth: there’s never a perfect moment. Your product data, BOMs, procurement details, and engineering change processes won’t magically align themselves.

Broken systems stay broken until someone steps in. The companies that succeed don’t wait for the perfect moment—they chase the storm.

Harness the Energy of Change

A storm isn’t just something to endure—it’s an opportunity. Companies that embrace digital transformation, clean up their product data, and organize the chaos while it’s happening create the biggest advantages.

Why? Because while others are waiting for calm, they are building the foundation for speed, efficiency, and collaboration.

The best time to:
✔️ Organize your product data? Now.
✔️ Eliminate spreadsheet chaos? Now.
✔️ Connect engineering, manufacturing, and procurement? Now.

The Beauty of the Storm

Storm chasers don’t fear the unknown—they see possibility in the turbulence. And in product development, the most impactful changes happen when conditions are uncertain.

  • Data models get redefined.
  • Disconnected teams get aligned.
  • Decisions get smarter.
  • Innovation moves forward.

Step Into the Storm

You could wait. You could watch the storm pass and hope for better conditions. Or you could step in and harness its power.

The best companies don’t wait for things to be easy.
The best teams don’t wait for the mess to clean itself.
The best innovators don’t fear the storm—they chase it.

The question is: will you? 🌪️⚡🚀

Just my thoughts…

Best, Oleg

Disclaimer: I’m the co-founder and CEO of OpenBOM, a digital-thread platform providing Collaborative Workspace with PDM, PLM, and ERP capabilities. With extensive experience in federated CAD-PDM and PLM architecture, I’m advocates for agile, open product models and cloud technologies in manufacturing. My opinion can be unintentionally biased.

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