We tend to operate our businesses like we’re playing a game of telephone…and it’s costing us all money.
You don’t have to be a genius to know that within many companies’ sales, marketing, and R&D teams serve separate functions. With different goals, targets and initiatives these teams tend to collaborate among themselves using the same system of record.

For example, within the same company, a department may rely on Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems while others may depend on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Manufacturing Execution System data (MES), and Quality Management Systems (QMS).

Marketing, Management, Purchasing, Engineering, Technical Publications and manufacturing all need to operate off product designs and Bill of Materials (BOM), but while doing so people are likely to interrupt engineering to get information.

With this information they ask different questions, have different intentions, and speak different departmental languages.

The reality is; this inaccessible data is about the same product that happens to be housed in a system you can’t normally access.

By resorting to these misaligned processes, we end up operating on data without its entire context, therefore we lose productivity to requests for data and the switching costs of changing tasks.

Besides, these interruptions are generally counterproductive, especially when you’re working on one task and you’re interrupted regarding a completely different topic.

Without a single means to bridge these systems, your company is missing out on valuable information, time savings, and productivity.

We live in a world where siloed departmental communication doesn’t need to be the norm, after all technology is just about everywhere!

By integrating your critical data into a centralized location, your organization will increase visibility, and achieve better, more informed business decisions.

With technology that exists today, your separate departments can pull data from multiple systems into easy role-based dashboards, providing greater visibility and enhanced analysis.

The result is a rapid way for your team to get data from the vast data pool within your organization, and access it in an easy to consume space.

One of the ways we transform the way companies design, manufacture, connect, and service their products is by value stream mapping ‘Product Development Systems’ and looking for ways to ensure people have access to the information they need when they need it.

Tools like Thingworx Navigate, for companies invested in PTC’s Windchill solution, or the standard Thingworx platform and PLM Apps for those that aren’t, are helping companies pull information from different departments, systems, vendors, etc. to make sure every role has a simplified view of the information they need, when they need it, without slowing down any other departments.

We transform the way companies design, manufacture, connect to, and service their products.

To fully grasp how we assist and serve our customers, you need to understand our core organizational beliefs:

• We believe the product development process is broken.
• We believe that there is a better way to achieve business initiatives through product development processes and it all starts with learning.

This is exactly why we created the EAC Value Model. We’re a learn first organization. We focus on taking the LAMDA approach.

What is LAMDA?

The LAMDA is a basic learning cycle of lean product and process development. It literally stands for “look, ask, model, discuss, and act.” Ideologically it is a way to learn and optimize within a closed-loop learning cycle that continually looks to improve a situation by defining and improving root-cause issues.

Our LAMDA based EAC Value Model works as follows.

The first phase of the EAC Value Model: Learn

During the learn phase, our specialists take a first-hand approach with your business. This is when we learn about your business initiatives, ask open-ended questions, and gather information so we can truly understand the key drivers of your business’ success, any the root-cause of any potential areas of improvement.

Throughout this phase we take time to learn about your people, your team, your processes, your technology, and the ways of your organization.

We take an in-depth look at your business from front-office to back-office to determine the how your company can extract the most value from its interaction with EAC.

This leads us to the second phase of the EAC Value Model – The Mutually Agreed Upon Plan or M.A.P.  

The second phase of the EAC Value Model: The M.A.P.

Using the knowledge acquired from our learning exercise, our team creates a unique customized M.A.P for your organization. Your M.A.P. is a Mutually Agreed Upon Plan that incorporates a multiple step strategy, with actionable steps and business cases for your organization.

This phase provides an understanding of what needs to be accomplished in order to achieve your desired results.

Throughout this process we evaluate solutions that may address your organizational needs. Wither they may be through engineering services, educational training services, product development consultations, system implementation services, software solutions; we configure a plan to fit your specific needs.

The creation of the M.A.P. provides a clear path to value for your organization. It holds everyone accountable for the actions needed to solve business problems and tackle initiatives.

Once we have created your mutually agreed upon plan, the implementation phase begins.

The third phase of the EAC Value Model: Implementation

During the implementation phase we put the M.A.P. into action. This is where our teams move your solution from the developmental stage into production.

You could also refer to this stage as ‘deployment’, ‘go live’, ‘roll-out, or even ‘installation’.

The tasks performed during this phase might include installing or implementing CAD, Windchill, Industrial Automation, IoT or any number of other systems. Perhaps your M.A.P. incorporated training programs for your current teams or additional services for product information. No matter what your plan includes, our team works with you to provide any service, system, or additional skill necessary to achieve your desired results. 

Throughout this phase our focus remains on helping your organization become a smart, connected enterprise.

The fourth phase of the EAC Value Model: The Score Card

This is the phase that sets EAC apart. Once we have implemented your solution(s), we never lose focus on gathering feedback on how we did, how a solution is working, or whether the desired outcome or return on investment is being realized…

Remember, our overall goal is to build a long-term relationship with your organization. We feel the best way to do this is by making sure you achieve the success your company needs.

Our business is built around the way your company designs, manufactures, services and connects your products and we recognize, its’ happy customers like you who keep us in business!

With the help of our EAC Score card, we obtain your feedback on how we can continue to help your organization grow. 

Our dream for your organization is to create a smart connected enterprise where you have the ability to connect to your products, your shop floor, and know your predictive downtime before it even happens. We make it our priority to help your organization achieve more than you had had imagined. 

Lakeville South High School’s STEM Academy is encouraging students to problem-solve in a whole new way. Kurt Weber switched his role from a biology and chemistry teacher to teaching STEM classes 4 years ago. He says there is no going back. He loves teaching students the curriculum behind the subjects that drive these classes – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Using STEM Education to Remove Unfavorable Learned Behaviors

Weber says that when he caught one of his students on his phone during class, he confronted him. The student replied that he was ‘done’ with his project. Weber says this gave him an opportunity to bring that student around the lab to show him all of the things he could be doing in addition to the project that he had already finished. He explained to the student that learning doesn’t stop once the task is over.

He explained that the kid wasn’t being snarky by saying he was ‘done’ and he didn’t take it that way either. Weber says that every kid has the ability to problem solve at a very young age but that ability is stripped away so fast with traditional learning methods in the classroom.

Weber goes on to say that most kids are conditioned to only do what they are told and nothing more. Following orders and checking things off lists leaves no room for creativity or innovation. No one has really given the students that kind freedom in their learning until the STEM Academy came along and started changing the way students think and approach problems.

To continue learning outside of the realm of what a student is asked to do is what will help that student in real-world situations as an adult.

STEM principles are teaching students how to lead, not follow

“They learn inherently, by failing,” Weber says. “Being in this class gives them an opportunity to solve a problem on their own – and the worst thing they could do is fail. They’re so scared of failing.”

He explained that when rulers were taken away and students were asked to measure a piece of equipment with which were working – they didn’t know what to do and got frustrated. This frustration comes from the fear of failing. Weber then asks the students what else they could use in the room to measure the object? A student came up with the idea of counting the ceiling tiles or using another frame of reference like a book, or a backpack. This is exactly what Weber is looking for. Out-of-the-box ideas. Critical thinking. Solutions that are derived from limited resources.

“We don’t tell them how to do it. We tell them how to get from point A to point B. It changes the way you look at everything in the world.” At this point, the students wanted to learn. They were excited to accomplish a small win and were motivated to keep on going. Weber says that the fear of failure is the norm and we need to combat it. “Failure, in general, is something they try to steer clear of. We need to tell them to lean into failure.”

What does the STEM curriculum look like?

Other class electives were unintentionally eliminated when the STEM classes became available because registration in other classes dropped. What’s so appealing about these classes and why have they become so popular at Lakeville South?

Weber gives his students the freedom to work at their own pace; an opportunity rarely given to students in other classes. Students have to complete 8 semesters of math, 8 semesters of science, Engineering Your Future 1, Engineering Your Future 2, and then get to choose one of the STEM pathways; Computer Programming, Biomedical, Engineering, or Industrial Technologies. To complete the STEM Academy, students complete a capstone project in which they can work with a local business to solve real problems. Weber says that he’s been able to create his own curriculum for the STEM classes and it’s been evolving every year as additional lab equipment, like 3D printers, and technology are made available to his students.

Weber says that there was no need to convince students to join the class. He says that the students bragged enough about their STEM class that there was no need to make additional efforts to gain students’ attention when it was time to choose electives. As far as keeping students’ attention in the STEM classes, Weber says he frequently has to tell students to go home because the school day had already ended hours ago.

How does the STEM Academy benefit students who don’t end up pursuing a career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics? Weber says that the classes give them confidence in their ability to solve a problem. “They don’t need someone to tell them what to do. They need a mentor.”

Learn more about Lakeville South High School’s STEM Academy here.

Recently I was asked to share my views on the concept of work-life balance as part of an internal all company meeting. My views have changed over time as I have gone through several life changing events, including starting EAC 21 years ago, buying my first house, marriage, 5 kids, addiction in loved ones, divorce, hiring and firing good friends, and this list goes on. Through it all I have worked hard to be true to several guiding principals that have remained constant and have influenced my view of work-life balance. People may look at the things I have gone through in my life and be tempted to judge me. To say “See? He doesn’t have work-life balance figured out or XXX wouldn’t have happened.” There may be truth in that statement, but I can promise you I have learned from every one of those situations and am much better at managing my life now than I was back then.

Did you catch what I did there?

A quick search on the terms “work life balance” netted 102 million hits. The overwhelming view I see seems to be rooted in the belief work and life are diametrically opposed to each other; that I need to be doing one or the other but I’m a failure at work or at life if I ever mix them or they overlap or I spend “too much time” at one or the other. I lived with the guilt associated with this belief system for many years, and honestly, I believe it lead to many of the issues I experienced earlier in my life with both work and family. You see, I’m wired to work hard to try to be the best at whatever I do. Does that mean I’m always the best?? Absolutely not! It does mean I recognize I can always get better and I work hard to make that happen.

Reconciling that somewhat self-imposed drive with the pressures from societal beliefs and individuals demanding your attention often leads to tremendous amounts of guilt. Guilt for taking PTO. Guilt for working late. Guilt for making a personal call from work. Guilt for making a work call while driving your kids to school. You get the idea. I’m sure many can relate. I know it was a big part of my psyche back then.

But, a simple change in thinking can forever ease the guilt and make you a better parent, spouse, partner, employee, or whatever else you are determined to be. You see, bottom line is work and life are NOT diametrically opposed. It’s all just LIFE. Sometimes your kids, your spouse, your significant other, your partner, your boss, your project, your parents, your teammates, etc. need more attention than at other times. Who am I as an employer to dictate when that needs to be? Who am I to say my employees can’t take some time to go to the dentist on a Wednesday afternoon? or who are we as society to say they can’t take a phone call on a Sunday afternoon? If I’m hiring people with similar belief systems to me then I need to trust they know how to manage their lives in the best way possible; that they will get their job done just like they will manage raising their kids, managing their relationship and taking care of themselves both physically and mentally.

It’s all just life. Manage it.

Here’s why engineering processes affect services and why streamlining information could solve the whole problem. 

The Problem: Lack of Communication

Let’s be honest, engineering and manufacturing departments do not always communicate product changes to service. This is just the start of how your engineering processes affect services. 

The Result: High Costs

When technicians reference outdated product information and arrive with incorrect parts, this leads to longer service visits, extraneous costs, longer downtime, and lowered customer satisfaction.

The Solution: Streamlining Information

Streamline the way you service teams access and use product information. The best way to accomplish this involves accurately transforming eBOMs (engineering bill of materials) to sBOMs (service bill of materials) and maintaining the fidelity of that information after engineering changes.

It’s time to stop letting your engineering processes affect services.

Take full advantage of the product data your organization has already created.

Structure service manuals and part information based on how a specific product is configured and serviced. Reuse engineering and manufacturing data in the service environment. Provide configuration-specific information to service technicians. Create a single point of access for your service content. Avoid text – use and repurpose graphics, animations, and CAD information when possible. And link service information to engineering information so changes propagate.

Next: Identify Your Service Needs 

Identify what should go in your sBOM to ensure your sBOMs meet the needs of the service department. Examples might include what is serviceable versus what is replaceable, the status of a part, the components, models, grouped items, and more.

The Goal: Transforming Your Services

Remember: the ultimate goal is to make your customers happy. As a result of combining best practices with the right technology to support service and parts information management and publication you will see a higher customer satisfaction, improved technician effectiveness, improved brand reputation, higher profitability (due to lower revenue and service cost), time savings, and higher revenue (from repeat business and customer loyalty).

We have a team of technical communications specialists that would love to talk with you about your current state and current initiatives…

As I’m settling into my desk and sipping on my hot coffee this morning I find my to-do list and mentally prepare for a game plan to get things done this week. I look to my calendar and see that Thanksgiving is a week away. A week away?? Where has the time gone?! In any case I remind myself that every year it comes as a surprise to me – even though I always know it’s coming. It always seems to creep up on me when I’m the most busy. I sigh out loud thinking about the work I’ll have to catch up on. The thoughts of working through my lunch hour and working late into the evenings sink in as I shift around in my office chair. Those thoughts alone make me feel tired. For a moment. Then, a thought lifts me up. How great does it feel to get back to work after a refreshing long weekend? Oh yes, there are other stressors – the ones that derive from family members that drive you crazy during the chaos of Thanksgiving. But what about the moments during it all? The release of laughter at the table when someone tells an embarrassing story about you? Or the sweet taste of honey-glazed ham that your loved one cooks just right? Or the fireplace crackling over the chatter that fills the room?

That brought me back to thinking about how you should find things that you’re thankful for in the workplace – even if you’ve got a lot on your to-do list. What are the things that put a smile on your face while you’re at work? What drives you to hustle for your team? What are the things that have kept you going and keep you motivated to be the best you can be at your job?

This morning I have come up with 5 reasons to be thankful for your team – and I’ve given a personal account of what that has meant for me and my experiences with EAC Product Development Solutions.

1. A Team That Gives Back

I am so grateful that I am a part of a team that cares about giving back. From the moment I started here I knew it was going to be a great fit. There is a very active presence in the volunteering department. I immediately wanted to get involved. The first month I started, I organized our team to volunteer with Feed My Starving Children for the late part of an afternoon. You get together in groups at each station and work together to pack food into boxes- and as a challenge, you’re timed and it becomes a race to see which group can pack the most food within the timeframe. It’s the perfect team building exercise as well as a great way to give back to those that are in need of food around the world. If you’ve never done this with your team, I strongly suggest doing so.

I’ve also had a few conversations with some team members who felt strongly about the Men’s Health movement so our team got together and launched a Movember project. We currently have a lot of hairy men in the office right now – all of whom are behind a good cause of course. The Movember Foundation lets individuals and teams raise funds for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, mental health and suicide awareness – all in hopes of stopping men from dying too young. We’ve come together as a team to raise funds that many of us are truly passionate about.

Please donate to our team! https://moteam.co/eac-no-shave-ember

2. A Work Culture That Aligns With Your Values

The first week I started at EAC, our team had a company BBQ potluck where everyone brought something to pitch in for an afternoon lunch. That was where I got to meet a lot of people who work remotely or are just in different corners of the office. So I got to see faces that I normally wouldn’t run into just because of a simple, yet impactful afternoon BBQ.

When football season crept up there was a lot of talk about a fantasy football league around the office for people who wanted to participate. When the fall season peaked, one of our engineers brought in their garden squash to share with everyone. There are plans to have a ‘Teams-giving’ next week to celebrate Thanksgiving in the office. When you run into a coworker, there is more than just work conversation – there is real value in that conversation because your work culture is fun.

Another great example of how fun the work culture is at EAC is the fact that we celebrate people. In our weekly meetings we celebrate work anniversaries and birthdays – and if that person works in the same office – guess what? We go out for lunch to celebrate them. Work for a company that cares about you and celebrates you.

3. Individual Strengths

I can honestly say that everyone that I have met from our company has a strong work ethic. Everyone is proud of their work and wants to do well at their job. It is the little things that each individual does that makes the whole team successful in the end. What is that saying again? Oh yeah – you are only as strong as your weakest link. When everyone works hard to accomplish their goals then the ultimate goal on top is just that much closer to being managed.

So how do we make sure that each individual is on track to meet their goals? We check in on them. And I’m not talking about just one-on-ones when you can talk about your individual progress. We check in on each other. You know – as friends – no, as humans do from time to time. Mental health is important in the workplace too. We even started doing wall-sits, squats, and planks to keep our physical health in check. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had someone just come up and just ask how I’m doing or just ask what I’m up to out of curiosity. We treat each other like family here which takes me to my next point.

4. Small Wins

I’ve learned not to ignore the small wins. Every day you put forth a lot of effort to get things done. Some days you accomplish more than others. But all efforts mean that you care about your job and that you are willing to do what needs to be done – even if it may not mean more money or more praise. There are always opportunities around the office that may not be on your priority list but if you go out of your way to tend to them, then it can give you a solid reward in the end. So when you’re checking tasks off your to-do list, do not forget to feel good about checking the small tasks off too.

5. One Mission, One Message

I noticed right away in my interview process was that not only was I interviewed with the Marketing Department but I was also interviewed with the Sales Department as well. I had a professor in college who told me repeatedly that in marketing you need to have your sales department on the same page as you or you’ll never meet your goals. He said that it sounds so obvious but you would not believe how often it happens because people get so buried in their own work that they forget to work as a team. It was very clear from the interview process that EAC knew this and that the collaboration between departments was vital to their success. I immediately had thought of what my professor had said and I decided that this company was on the right track.

After being with the company for only four months I can say that I work with sales on a weekly basis – if not daily. It is so important to have the right message – whatever that may mean to your company. This not only helps with consistency but it helps with your company branding too.

These 5 reasons are what have helped me through the busy and stressful times and remind me that I’m working for a great company. What are the things in the office that you’re thankful for?