This article is part of the How Do YOU CM2? blog series in collaboration with the Institute for Process Excellence (IpX). Although I receive compensation for writing this series, I stand behind its content. I will continue to create and publish high-quality articles that I can fully endorse. Enjoy this new series, and please share your thoughts!
It’s a familiar scenario, isn’t it? We’re all wired to solve problems. We identify an issue, envision a solution, and our brains immediately jump to implementation. We tend to gravitate towards solutions and implementing solutions, but this tendency causes us to forget or skip impact analysis of the proposed solution.
This isn’t just a minor oversight; it’s a blind spot that can lead to costly rework, unforeseen dependencies, and a cascading effect of issues down the line. Especially if you know that:
😧 About 40% of the changes are a change on a change, in other words a corrective action.
That statistic alone should make us pause and reflect. A staggering 40% of our efforts are spent on fixing changes! Not to mention the opportunity cost! If the change is worth doing, then it is worth doing right the first time. Proper impact analysis and planning don’t hurt anybody; it doesn’t stifle your speed or agility.
Why do we skip this vital step? Is it the perceived time investment? The complexity? Or simply the human inclination to “act” rather than “think”?
🧠 CM2 teaches us that change is inevitable, but chaos is optional.
Effective Impact Analysis isn’t about slowing down the change process; it’s about accelerating successful change. It’s about meticulously understanding:
– What components, documents, or systems will be affected?
– What are the potential ripple effects on other projects or products?
– What resources (people, budget, time) will be required for the change and its downstream impacts?
– What risks are we introducing or mitigating?
When done correctly, Impact Analysis transforms a reactive approach into a proactive, strategic one. It’s the difference between blindly forging ahead and navigating with a clear, illuminated path.
Impact analysis is not about slowing things down. It’s about enabling speed without sacrifice. It’s the secret ingredient to:
– Preventing rework.
– Ensuring downstream alignment.
– Building cross-functional trust.
– Maintaining digital thread integrity.
– Customer Trust
🚨 Quick reality check:
If your impact analysis looks like:
– “Check with engineering”
– “Email manufacturing”
– “Hope for the best”
You’re not doing impact analysis. You’re flipping a coin.
💡CM2 Best Practice Tip:
Start treating impact analysis as a standardized, teachable, measurable process—not tribal knowledge. Use a CM2 Change Process that enforces structured evaluation of impact before approval. Track the First Time Right Yield to measure progress. You’ll see fewer corrective actions and a more agile system.
So, I want to hear from YOU, the CM2 and PLM community!
How do you ensure thorough Impact Analysis is conducted in your organization? Share your insights below!
Check out the other How Do YOU CM2? posts.
Copyrights by the Institute for Process Excellence.