Addressing Data Quality Challenges as the Root of Workflow Interruptions in Teamcenter
Effective Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is significant for ensuring smooth workflows in modern engineering environments. Despite the advantages the PLM System Teamcenter offers, users often find themselves struggling with workflow interruptions and inadequate data quality within the system that hinder productivity. This article explores the common challenges associated with poor data quality, using the example of workflow interruptions in Teamcenter, and presents strategies to overcome them.
1. Impact of Workflow Interruptions:
Workflow interruptions can disrupt the seamless flow of tasks within Teamcenter or PLM systems in general, leading to delays in project timelines and compromised data integrity, and affecting the overall efficiency of the engineering process.
2. Identifying Common Causes:
Understanding the root causes of workflow interruptions is essential for developing effective mitigation strategies. Common causes include missing or incomplete data, complex user interfaces and insufficient authorization. Addressing these issues proactively can help minimize disruptions.
3. User Guidance:
Workflow interruptions often result from users lacking or having difficulty obtaining a comprehensive overview of missing information before starting a workflow. Implementing on-demand automated data checks with BCT CheckIt, either before workflow initiation or as part of the workflow, empowers team members. The interactive validation reports guide users through the process of adding missing data and correcting inaccuracies, significantly improving data quality, and reducing workflow interruptions.
4. User-Friendly Interface and Clear Messages:
A simple, understandable user interface ensures that systems can be operated intuitively and easily. Clear and concise (error) messages, that can be defined within BCT CheckIt by the administrators, aid users in understanding and promptly addressing required activities, preventing potential interruptions.
5. Administration Rights for Workflow Reset:
After an interruption of a Teamcenter workflow, most often only system administrators have the authorization to resume, reset, or delete the corresponding workflow. This process results in unnecessary workflow iterations and increased workload for Teamcenter administrators, preventing them from continuing to work on their projects and potentially causing project delays. Improved data quality right at the beginning of the workflow relieves Teamcenter administrators of unnecessary, unproductive work.
Overcoming workflow interruptions in PLM systems is a common challenge for engineering teams. Proactive measures, such as automated data checks and interactive check result reports are elementary components for minimizing disruptions. Check reports inform users about failed validations and guide them step by step through the correction or addition of necessary data. Addressing root causes and implementing effective strategies enable organizations to leverage the full potential of their PLM systems, driving efficient and successful engineering projects.
