The Digital Enterprise Society Podcast Unplugged, Part 1

Dec 1, 2022

This special episode of The Digital Enterprise Society podcast was recorded live at The Digital Intersect Conference in Detroit, Michigan on November 17th. Recorded in front of a live audience, Craig Brown and Mark Pendergast take on The Digital Battle, answering questions addressing the digital thread, the digital twin, and company culture.  True to form, they disagree on a majority of the topics, but both effectively share their insights and wisdom while answering questions and taking comments from the audience. 

 

On today’s podcast, you will learn:

 

Who owns the digital thread?

• According to Mark, the digital thread is not a thing to be owned. 
• It’s a process, a dynamic that can’t be owned. 
• While the CEO may be the main ‘owner’, everyone owns pieces of the digital thread. 
• It can be a gauge of how well your organization can collaborate.
• Craig argues that the customer is a critical owner of the digital thread. 
• The future success of the digital thread is in the hands of the users. 

 

Is the digital thread a new focus or just rebranding?

• Rebranding by vendors might be Craig’s biggest pet peeve. 
• The buzzwords surrounding rebranding don’t excuse the need for real change. 
• Mark argues that rebranding increases the scope of thought surrounding all that a product can do. 
• The digital twin is constantly changing and isn’t helping PLM’s image. 

 

Is corporate culture more like a bowling ball or a bowl of spaghetti?

• Culture, according to Mark, is many things and has to be reckoned with before it hits you in the face. 
• Like a stir fry, the sum of the company culture is greater than the parts of the individual. 
• According to Craig, corporate culture is more like an overcooked, mushy mess. 

 

Where should you start implementing collaborative design?

• Is collaborative design best implemented first internally, or externally with partners?
• Craig says external implementation should come first by hiring people to teach you what you don’t know. 
• The goal should always be to learn more, not to avoid learning. 
• Mark argues that if you haven’t mastered internal collaboration, you won’t be able to master it externally. 

 

Continue the conversation with us within the Digital Enterprise Society Community at www.DigitalEnterpriseSociety.org.

 

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