Integrating the PLM Ecosystem

BOSTON, MA--(Marketwire - May 7, 2008) - New research from Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company (NYSE: HHS), finds that Best-in-Class companies are more extensively integrating product innovation, product development and engineering applications in PLM. These companies are also more structured and comprehensive in their approach to integrating PLM with the greater enterprise systems footprint. The recent Aberdeen report, "Integrating the PLM Ecosystem," finds that these Best-in-Class companies are going beyond integrating PLM to ERP, extending basic integration to quality management, sourcing, and other value-added processes in addition to exchanging bills of material.

"Industry leaders are more likely to go beyond the basics in integrating PLM processes, data, and applications to improve efficiency and drive higher profits," observes Jim Brown, Vice President and Group Director, Product Innovation & Engineering Research. "Making processes more efficient and reducing unnecessary administrative work means that designers and product development resources are freed up to focus on innovation, and can bring their innovation to market quickly to capitalize on margin advantages for new products."

Aberdeen's research found Best-in-Class companies achieve substantial benefits in the factors that drive product profitability. These leading companies are twice as likely to meet product launch dates and product revenue targets as their lagging competitors. Aberdeen analyzed the approaches that Best-in-Class companies take and identified the critical best practices for PLM integration, and recommends next steps companies should take to adopt an improved approach, including how to:

--  Take process integration beyond the release to manufacturing and
    change management processes
--  Continue to take advantage of a multi-dimensional approach to
    integration today, but explore more advanced integration capabilities such
    as service-oriented architectures (SOA) and master data management (MDM) as
    application architectures mature
    

This report is made available through the underwriting of: Geometric, Omnify, Oracle, PTC, and Siemens. To obtain a complimentary copy, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=4646.

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen™ for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call (617) 723-7890, or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call (800) 456-9748 or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

© 2008 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company
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Contact Information: Media Contact: Jim Brown Aberdeen Harte-Hanks (610) 565-6302 jim.brown@aberdeen.com