Leading industry analyst firms including AMR Research, Gartner, and Forrester have identified Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) as a market category that defines the necessary requirements companies need to successfully manage products from idea through retirement. PLM has emerged as the primary means by which to improve product development processes across the value chain to deliver the most business value.

But it's important to recognize that PLM is unique from other enterprise systems such as CRM, SCM and ERP. PLM is about products not transactions. It should not be approached as simply an extension of your company's existing enterprise transaction infrastructure.

PLM requires the ability to create high fidelity digital products, collaborate cross-functionally in an organization and throughout the digital product value chain, and control and manage product information and product development processes throughout the product's lifecycle.

In other words, it's about building great products. To build great products you need a PLM solution that enables you to seamlessly create, collaborate and control.

Read on to learn how PTC's philosophy, Product First, can show you the way to building great products that create value.