Peer Check

Large organizations are already complex. When you’re developing complex mechanical products, things get even tanglier. But engineers are problem solvers. And with 28+ years of experience in operations and product management, Bob Scillia — Director of Program Management at Kennametal — has solved his share of business problems within engineering companies. On this episode of Peer Check, Bob joins host Adam Keating to share what he’s learned over the years. Listen as Bob and Adam chat about: Why better product design starts with the user Handling the challenges of a fluctuating business environment How to gain alignment across people and teams Why Design to Value (DTV) is an effective cost reduction strategy What engineering leaders need to understand about large-scale business operations

Your suppliers have design expertise that you’re not tapping into. And that’s pretty common – because it’s challenging to get design feedback from your internal team, let alone suppliers. But the teams that do unlock supplier expertise are already achieving huge outcomes:With the help of key suppliers, one company redesigned an entire product line from the ground up using off the shelf parts. As a result, they gained market share, as supply chain shortages and long lead times impacted competitors.This is just one example. Other design teams are tapping into supplier expertise to: Make products easier to manufacture and assemble Improve margins by taking out cost Achieve challenging specifications And unlock more innovation The benefits of strong supplier partnerships are clear. But how do you get there? How about by learning from companies already at the forefront? Listen to a recorded panel discussion from CoLab, featuring special guests from Ford, iRobot, and Mainspring Energy, discussing how to turn suppliers into partners.

If you’ve ever been involved in a Stage Gate process, you know one gate meeting causes the most stress — the hand off from engineering to production. After that, you make big investments – like tooling – and it’s hard to come back from a design error. Still, with so much complexity, things can slip through the cracks. That’s why Adam Keating (CEO of CoLab Software) and Oleg Shilovitsky (CEO of OpenBOM) teamed up to share practical insights on how to improve this handoff and make NPI stress-free. Why design freezes don’t always work — and how to instill confidence in your own Bringing risk forward in Stage Gate ECO management and cross-tier supplier collaboration How one manufacturer released 300 drawings to suppliers with zero errors What these examples have in common: the need for systems of engagement

Before COVID-19, only a small number of engineers worked from home. But the pandemic accelerated the transition to remote work: McKinsey estimates that 4x-5x more work can be done remotely without loss of productivity. Besides, manufacturing teams were becoming global long before COVID-19. Still, adapting engineering workflows to accommodate remote and globally dispersed teams is no easy feat. In this episode, MJ Smith examines how teams are using PLM, virtual meetings, project management software, and other tools to collaborate remotely. She also discusses how some teams have observed better results through remote, digitally enabled workflows for processes like value analysis.

Learn about the challenges of implementing scalable cost engineering programs, the benefits of virtual ideation and early cost engineering, and the importance of automating data capture for better insights and decision-making.

With a new year underway, many engineering teams are facing higher cost down targets than ever before. Inflation is eroding gross margins and the status quo just doesn’t cut it anymore. And yet… there’s still so much low-hanging fruit. In 2023, we hope to see engineering companies approach cost reduction with the same rigor that they approach sales, on-time delivery, and quality KPIs. That’s why this episode of Peer Check focuses on practical tips to strengthen your VA/VE programs and culture. Join Adam Keating, CEO at CoLab, and cost engineering leaders from Dematic, Adient, and Johnson Controls for a panel discussion on: • Cost reduction in an inflationary environment • The roles of engineering, procurement, and finance in high-performing cost down programs • How to clone your best VA/VE teams • What’s stopping your VA/VE event prep from being fast and easy • How to get real follow-through on ideas • Avoiding the “we already thought of that” trap • Examples of successful VA/VE initiatives

Long before the pandemic caused a rise in remote work, Dr. Wanita Dixon was researching ways for virtual engineering teams to work together more effectively. As the CEO and Founder of Technical Creative Consulting LLC, Wanita helps companies foster innovation through visual art teambuilding. And after 20+ years of progressive experience at industry heavyweights like Carrier, Alliance, Pratt & Whitney, and Lockheed Martin — it’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about effective engineering leadership. On this episode of Peer Check, Wanita joins host Adam Keating to talk about leading globally-dispersed teams and how to get maximal contributions from everyone you manage. Listen as Wanita and Adam chat about: The LOVE framework for leading virtual teams effectively Managing globally-dispersed engineering teams Why emotional intelligence is an indispensable component of leadership How to democratize product innovation and make sure everyone is heard    More information about Wanita and today’s topics: LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanitadixon/ Peer Check homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check

Look, we know it’s hard to drive real change within a large enterprise. Bigger companies are notorious for moving slower when making decisions, adjusting processes, adopting new technology, and so on. There are plenty of reasons for this, and some of them are very good reasons. But as we saw when the Covid pandemic first hit: it doesn’t always have to be that way. As a member of the Danfoss Power Solutions leadership team, Domenico Traverso heads up the Incubation division that launched in 2021. Devoted solely to fostering innovation in the industry, the Incubation division is comprised of seven business units — each with its own entrepreneurial leader. On this episode of Peer Check, Domenico joins host Adam Keating to share what he’s learned. Listen as Domenico and Adam chat about: What intrapreneurship means Harnessing entrepreneurial spirit in product development How leaders can drive change within large engineering enterprises Why challenging status quo is an essential component of innovation     More information about Domenico and today’s topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/domenicotraverso/ Danfoss Power Solutions’ Incubation Division: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCqndPaq5Xc Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check

PLM software first emerged in the late 80s/early 90s. Since then, PLM has established itself as a foundational tool for engineering companies. But now, the next digital wave in engineering has arrived. Cloud collaboration tools are becoming the norm across every industry, and mechanical teams are finally starting to catch up to the cloud revolution. Oleg Shilovitsky, CEO and Co-founder of OpenBOM, has written more than 4000 blog posts about PLM and related topics. In this episode, Oleg and Adam dive into the current state of PLM and how companies can develop a tech strategy that looks at PLM and cloud tech holistically. Listen to their conversation to hear: How the discussion around PLM has changed over time Why there’s no such thing as “the best PLM” The obstacles that prevent large companies from making better, faster decisions about technology Why user adoption needs to be central to your tech decisions and strategy  More information about Oleg and today’s topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/olegshilovitsky/ Company Website: https://www.openbom.com/ Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check  To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.

Every great feat of engineering comes down to one thing: the team that made it happen. And whether you’re building everyday products that become part of people’s lives, or designing cutting-edge innovations that might end up on the moon — your success is determined by the way your engineering team works together, communicates, and gets things done. So what exactly do today’s high-performing engineering teams have in common? Based on 100s of conversations with ambitious teams along with our own research, we’ve identified the trends that set top teams apart. In this episode of Peer Check, CoLab’s CEO Adam Keating delivers a keynote address to share the highlights. Listen as Adam breaks down insights on: Why more F500 annual reports than ever mention faster time-to-market How top engineering teams are commercializing new technologies faster than the competition Practical examples of digital transformation sourced from over 100 manufacturing companies 3 engineering processes you need to rethink for effectiveness instead of efficiency The real opportunity for cloud technology in mechanical design  More information about Adam and today’s topics: LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adammichaelkeating/ Company Website: www.colabsoftware.com Peer Check Homepage: https://www.colabsoftware.com/podcast/peer-check  To hear this interview and more like it, subscribe to Peer Check! Find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or our website—or just search for Peer Check in your favourite podcast player.