Which product life cycle management systems lead the market in terms of discrete manufacturing? As always, this question is as topical as it is controversial—but that doesn’t stop industry analysts from trying to position these developers against each other.

One of the more prominent and ambitious analyses is Forrester’s “The Forrester Wave: Product Lifecycle Management for Discrete Manufacturers,” a 2023 Q1 report examining the current PLM players in the context of their capabilities in discrete manufacturing; that is, the production of distinctive objects such as cars, furniture, smartphones, airplanes, and other products. This contrasts with process-industrial manufacturing, which is about combining supplies, ingredients, or raw materials using a formula or recipe.

One of the main aspects of the Forrester Wave report is a graphic representation illustrating how the analyst positions the PLM companies in different layers, and how they compare. This goes from the “Leader wave” and the one closest below it, called “Strong performers,” to the third wave with the players characterized only as “Contenders,” followed by the lowest wave, called “Challengers.”

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