A quick peek into some research on ... the future of technology to support PLM and product profitability from Aberdeen Group highlights the leading growth areas for PLM-related technology adoption between now and 2010. 

The list provides a few surprises in it's projections:

• The use of Digital Rights Management (DRM) to protect IP will grow 269%, a huge leap resulting from globalization
• Integration of PLM with Enterprise Applications will grow 88%, an indication that PLM has come of age in the enterprise
• Recipe and Formula Management (yes, the core of process and CPG PLM) will grow 81%

* Note that PLM and PDM are some key growth areas overall, but that the Best-in-Class have already adopted them more than the rest so they don't show up in the "top ten."

The Research
The research was conducted using Aberdeen's "PACE" benchmark approach, identifying the pressures, actions, capabilities, and (technical) enablers that companies leverage to innovate, develop, and design new products. The report then breaks respondents into three performance levels, calling the top 20% (based on product development performance metrics) the "Best-in-Class." Aberdeen does this all the time to determine what those Best-in-Class companies have done differently than the rest. This time, the lens turns forward to understand not just what they have done in the past - but what they plan to do in the future. Now just like they say in investment commercials on TV - please read this in your best "announcer voice" - past performance is no promise of future performance. Just because these guys did "x" in the past and were successful, doesn't necessarily mean that when they plan to do "y" in the future it will make them more successful. With that disclaimer, it is pretty interesting to know what the leaders are planning to do to retain their lead in addition to what they did in the past.

The Top 10
With no further delay, here is the top 10. The report actually shows the top 20, but I didn't have enough room:

So that was a quick peek into some recent research, the leaders are planning to continue to invest in more PLM-related technologies beyond the core. I hope you found it interesting. Does the research reflect reality? Do you see it differently? Let us know what it looks like from your perspective.