Before you start
Before starting a digital transformation, it’s essential to first explore the opportunities and challenges specific to your product design and engineering organization. Align the vision with your business objectives to ensure relevance and long-term value. Only then should you define the first steps—whether upgrading tools, training teams, or redesigning workflows. A thoughtful start sets the foundation for sustainable success.
Model Based Enterprise Maturity index
Align with business objectives
Begin by understanding the potential benefits digital transformation can bring to your organization. Explore the landscape of digital capabilities and assess your current maturity using tools like the MBE Maturity Index. This helps identify gaps and strengths across key areas. Align these insights with your business objectives to create a tailored transformation strategy and roadmap—complete with priorities, milestones, and a realistic timeline for implementation. Ensure you have strong support and buy-in from management to secure commitment and long-term sustainability. A structured approach backed by leadership ensures strategic focus and measurable progress.
Pilot projects
In the landscape of digital design engineering capabilities, many processes naturally shift, integrate, and connect—also with i.e. manufacturing systems, digital twins, and AI. But transforming your entire design and engineering ecosystem all at once isn’t possible—and it’s not necessary to begin realizing benefits.
Start by focusing on high-impact capabilities. Pilots serve as proof of value, allowing teams to experiment, learn, and refine processes in a controlled environment.
Adopt MBD first, creating 3D digital designs enriched with complete Product and Manufacturing Information (PMI). These models become the backbone of downstream processes, enabling automation and consistency. Other capabilities like Tolerance analysis and Product Costs analysis can be done automatically with MBD. These targeted improvements create measurable value early in the transformation journey, while laying the foundation for broader integration with requirements management, system simulations, generative design and digital threads that combine capabilities like MBD, Tolerance analysis and Costs analysis.
Digital transformation is not a single leap—it’s a series of strategic steps. By starting with specific, scalable capabilities, you build momentum, reduce risk, and prepare your organization for deeper, more connected innovation.
And finally
Technology alone doesn’t drive transformation—people do. In complex product development environments, effective change management is essential. Engage stakeholders early, communicate the purpose and benefits clearly, and provide the training and support needed to build confidence. Leadership must champion the initiative, while cross-functional teams collaborate to ensure alignment with business goals.
Once pilot successes are validated, scale up strategically. Use lessons learned to guide broader adoption, prioritize based on impact and readiness, and embed new practices into daily workflows. This phased approach not only reduces disruption but also fosters acceptance and long-term sustainability.
Digital transformation is a journey of continuous improvement. By starting small, managing change thoughtfully, and scaling with purpose, organizations can unlock innovation while maintaining stability in even the most complex engineering environments.
