Dear reader,

On October 24^th, 2023, I participated in an event called SAP Enterprise Product Development (EPD) Customer Co-Innovation Council in St. Leon-Rot, Germany, and in this blog, I would like to take you through the highlights of the first day. The event brought together industry leaders, SAP experts, and valued customers and partners to discuss the latest product strategies, customer insights, and innovative use cases in SAP Enterprise Product Development.

Additionally, supporting partners showcased their businesses in a partner exhibition and shared their experiences with SAP Enterprise Product Development. Let’s dive into it and explore the key takeaways from day one!

Welcome & Introduction

Petra Streng from SAP PLM Product Management opened the event with a warm welcome and an introduction to the SAP EPD Co-Innovation Council agenda, so the attendees got a glimpse of what was in store for the day. Petra introduced the participating customers and supporting partners and emphasized that everyone is happy to meet in person to foster collaborative innovation, and engage with everyone directly.

Also, Carsten Dietze-Selent, Head of PLM & Engineering at SAP, welcomed everyone and expressed his heartfelt thanks to the entire team which contributed to the event in many ways.

SAP Enterprise Product Development Product Strategy

This session hosted by Ismail Serin, Head of PLM Product Management, provided a holistic view of how SAP PLM aligns with industry trends and customer needs. Attendees gained valuable insights into the roadmap and vision for SAP’s PLM portfolio for discrete and process industries. Ismail also shared some thoughts on how AI could be infused into the product development lifecycle of SAP EPD.

In addition to a deep understanding of where an enterprise wants to be and how to get there, Ismail also emphasized that personal exchange is important to make our customers’ PLM journeys successful.

Customer Insights & Feedback

One of the highlights of the event was the opportunity for customers to share their experiences and provide feedback on SAP’s Enterprise Product Development solutions. SAP EPD customers were given a platform to voice their opinions, share success stories, and discuss challenges they have encountered. This session provided valuable insights into real-world implementations and best practices.

In addition to customers, Prof. Dr. Jörg W. Fischer, a renowned professor and industry expert from the Steinbeis-Transferzentrum in Karlsruhe shared his view on past, current, and future buzzwords in PLM and their influence on the market, which diminished fast sometimes as the next hot topic was already waiting around the corner.

Facilitated Workshops – EPD Customer Use Cases

The event also featured facilitated workshops focused on SAP EPD customer use cases. Participants were divided into groups and assigned specific use cases to explore in-depth. These interactive sessions encouraged participants to brainstorm, collaborate, and share their expertise to identify innovative solutions and best practices together.

Partner Booths

Participating partners had dedicated booths where they showcased their businesses and shared their experiences with SAP Enterprise Product Development. Attendees had the opportunity to engage with them, learn about their success stories, and explore potential collaborations. The immediate personal exchange offered valuable insights into how partners have leveraged SAP EPD to enhance their product development processes and drive business growth.

Conclusion

The SAP Enterprise Product Development Co-Innovation Council was a unique event that brought together industry experts, SAP experts, customers, and partners to foster collaboration, share insights, and drive innovation in SAP EPD. Through a combination of informative sessions, interactive workshops, and partner presentations, attendees gained valuable knowledge, built connections, and they concluded day 1 being inspired about how to optimize their product development processes.

For me personally, this event was a great opportunity to meet many new people within the PLM community. I got the chance to talk to the experts directly, learn from their experience, and expand my network.

Watch Sarah Mei Niesel’s vlog to hear what Ismail Serin, Head of PLM Product Management, has to say about the event.

Are you interested to learn more about SAP Enterprise Product Development?

There are many ways to engage with us:

• Visit our webpage www.sap.com/PLM
  
• Join our upcoming Discover SAP Enterprise Product Development Webinar to learn about the latest innovations! Register here to grab your virtual seat on November 29, 2023!
• Sign up to the SAP EPD Community to stay up to date, ask questions, and get your answer from an SAP expert directly!