There are numerous challenges to properly implementing Configuration Management and Data Management (CM/DM) within an organization, a program, or across an entire enterprise including its supply chain partners. Historically, many of these obstacles were due to technology and tools as frequently discussed in past CMsights articles, but that is no longer the case as we will discuss.

CMstat has announced the addition of Dave Allen to its team of Configuration Management and Data Management professionals. In his new role Dave will serve as the company’s executive representative and business ambassador to the Aerospace & Defense Industry.

In this month’s CMsights we examine the important yet often misunderstood role of Configuration Management Champions within an organization. In a recent CMsights post we explored the obstacles to Getting Managers to Care About Configuration Management and asked readers for their own experience of making CM more important.  The top three responses cited by readers can all be traced to misconceptions that managers have about the CM function which CM Champions can remedy.

We at CMstat often hear comments that too many senior managers do not really care about Configuration Management until there is a product failure, or worse, a system-wide shut down. In this month’s CMsights we are pausing to ask our readers for insights as to what has been their experience in getting managers, directors, and executives to care about CM, even if only enough to understand what it is and is not.