Finance and controlling (costing, profitability management)
IT department
Corporate and business unit management
Every stakeholder insists that their own challenges should be treated as top priority. However, implementation projects always face constraints in budget, resources, and time.
If prioritization is handled through continuous one-on-one negotiations, the project manager becomes overwhelmed by coordination overhead and loses the ability to manage the overall roadmap.
This is where a “priority visualization model” based on common evaluation criteria becomes essential.
With such a model, the PM’s statements shift from “personal opinions” to “proposals based on an agreed evaluation framework,” dramatically increasing credibility and alignment.
Four Standard Evaluation Axes for Tier-1 Automotive Projects
For SAP/PLM programs in Tier-1 environments, the following four evaluation axes are highly practical:
1. Strategic Alignment
Alignment with OEM requirements (quality, traceability, cost reduction, QCD)
Support for global production, parts standardization, and carbon neutrality
Consistency with mid-term business plans, corporate strategy, and DX initiatives
2. Business Value (Quantitative Impact)
Inventory reduction, waste reduction, setup time reduction, defect rate improvement
Cost variance reduction
Revenue opportunities through lead-time reduction
Contribution to maintaining or improving OEM supplier ratings
3. Risk and Constraints
Regulatory and compliance requirements (traceability, audit readiness, record retention)
Findings from OEM and internal audits
Legacy system risks (end-of-support, knowledge silos, cybersecurity)
4. Feasibility (Execution Readiness)
AS-IS maturity (process standardization, governance, master data quality)
System complexity and dependencies
Availability of business resources and key users
The key point is that strategic importance and maturity are not standalone criteria, but inputs used within these four axes.
Step 1: Define Stakeholders and Decision Governance First
The PM must first establish governance: “Whose input is considered, and where final decisions are made.”
Stakeholders
Business unit / product line leaders (plant managers, production heads, engineering heads)
Executives (CFO, division heads)
IT leadership (IT director, enterprise architects)
Decision Layers
Workshops: Draft evaluation criteria and scoring (business + IT)
Project steering meetings: Review and refine priorities
Steering committee: Final roadmap approval
Clear governance allows the PM to focus on structuring discussions rather than mediating conflicts.
Step 2: Decompose into Business Capabilities
Break down the SAP/PLM scope into business capabilities. Typical Tier-1 examples include:
Demand and order management (OEM EDI, delivery schedules)
Parts of this article were developed with reference to generative AI suggestions and were reviewed, refined, and supplemented based on the author’s professional expertise and judgment.