Configuration Management for Senior Managers is written to help managers in product manufacturing and engineering environments identify the ways in which they can streamline their products and processes through proactive documentation control and product lifecycle management. Experienced consultant Frank Watts gives a practitioner's view tailored to the needs of management, without the textbook theory that can be hard to translate into real-world change. Unlike competing books that focus on CM within software and IT environments, this engineering-focused resource is packed with examples and lessons learned from leading product development and manufacturing companies, making it easy to apply the approach to your business.

In this new edition of his widely-used Handbook, Frank Watts, widely recognized for his significant contributions to engineering change control processes, provides a thoroughly practical guide to the implementation and improvement of Engineering Documentation Control (EDC), Product Lifecycle Management and Product Configuration Management (CM). Successful and error-free implementation of EDC/CM is critical to world-class manufacturing. Huge amounts of time are wasted in most product manufacturing environments over EDC/CM issues such as interchangeability, document release and change control - resulting in faults, product release delays and overspends.

The book is packed with specific methods that can be applied quickly and accurately to almost any industry and any product to control documentation, request changes to the product, implement changes and develop bills of material.

The result is a powerful communications bridge between the engineering function and the rest of the world that makes rapid changes in products and documentation possible. With the help of the simple techniques in the handbook, companies can gain and hold their competitive advantages in a world that demands flexibility and quick reflexes - and has no sympathy for delays.

The new edition sets EDC/CM in the context of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), providing guidance on choosing, purchasing and implementing PLM software systems. Watts guides the reader to harness these tools and techniques for business objectives including Process Improvement and time-to-market.
Solid, pragmatic ideas for real product and process cost reduction. According to one reviewer: most books focus on the basics without examining all facets of each process area or functional area. This may be good for quickly learning, but it will only take the reader so far. Mr. Watts imparts the same information, but invites the reader to think and to consider strengths and weaknesses of processes and procedures. The copious examples, illustrations and breadth of topics covered make this book "the" reference on EDC and CM.

Strategic emphasis shows how processes may be integrated and tears down the wall between Engineering and Operations

Thorough description of Product Lifecycle Management software tools "