Asset Management from a CMMS Perspective - Course Overview

The Two Worlds of Asset Management

When speaking of asset management, there are two worlds: the CMMS technologists and the reliability professionals. Most organizations have both of these groups. Unfortunately, they seldom interact and struggle to understand how they can help each other. As with any profession there should be a library of standards and definitions that they both use. Otherwise, they will struggle to communicate. The CMMS technologists mostly attend tech-centric conferences and the reliability professionals attend asset management conferences - and few crossover.

Where is the action plan that connects the dots?

This "middle ground" is the area that lacks discussion. It seems there are few who can speak fluently in both worlds.

In order to maximize ROA (return on asset) there needs to be a strategy that brings technology, process and roles together in support of corporate objectives. This business plan would include definitions, critical business systems (e.g., CMMS/ERP), process/procedure, core team, reliability team, and asset manager. If the goals are not aligned then staff may not be in tune with objectives. A core team would provide a CMMS utilization plan and data quality plan. The asset manager would perform periodic benchmarking activities and identify industry best practices. Without these key roles, then you most likely will end up with a work order tracking or labor tracking system - instead of an asset management system.

Truth be told, some organizations do not care about the endgame - or the CMMS

A best-in-class organization will treat the CMMS as a critical business system. Plus, there will be a clearly defined endgame. That said, not every organization thinks the same way. If it were up to me to choose a new CMMS, I would consider the following:

Path A – This team understands the endgame. But they also realize the CMMS they choose will most likely need to be configured.

Path B – This team is not clear about the endgame for asset management, but they recognize that education is needed, after which they will configure the system.

Path C – This team understands the endgame and have found a preconfigured solution that aligns with their objectives.

Path D – Even though they have leaders certified in reliability, they are unsure about the endgame, and plan to choose a least-cost system to start with.

Path E – Leadership lacks reliability leaders and does not have a good understanding of asset management. To play it safe, to choose a preconfigured system, hoping that this meets their future needs.

Path F – Leadership lacks reliability leaders and an understanding of asset management. Hence, they choose a least cost CMMS.

Note that a reliability leader may or may not be certified.

What do I mean by "middle ground"?

I don’t make the CMMS. Nor do I know how to perform advanced configuration. But, I do understand the importance of a 3-part failure mode which is an essential part of RCM. Similarly, I understand the importance of a bad actor report, but I do not know how to program such report.

Weekly scheduling may be the greatest puzzle not yet solved by the CMMS community. Some have a weekly schedule - but it is usually subjective and based on best guess. No one has an automated schedule which is resource leveled and generated direct from the CMMS. The maintenance/reliability professionals believe scheduling is a best practice but are unsure how to advise the CMMS community how to implement. I provide a possible solution to this puzzle in the post here.

I believe there is a need for a middle-ground curriculum that connects the dots. I call this Asset Management from a CMMS Perspective. Using my 3 decades field experiences, I emphasize subjects that are often excluded or glossed-over. I discuss best practices and bad practices. Here are some topics in the form of questions:

The Training Curriculums

1. Some trainers emphasize the elements of an asset management system. This curriculum would not, however, describe how to implement a CMMS, what data to load, or design a bad actor report.
2. The CMMS vendors sell software. Their focus is on the technology and future releases. They have consulting partners to assist with CMMS implementations. Conversely, they are not familiar with RCM analysis, defect elimination, ODR, and how to establish an RCM living program.

A Curriculum with Unparalleled Value

Very few instructors have the combined backgrounds of CMMS implementation, industry best practices, process optimization, asset management doctrine, and outage management. I will explain industry best practices that support operational excellence. And, I will explain how the reliability team should leverage data from the CMMS to make more informed decisions.

What path works best for you?

I can help your organization pursue operational excellence by emphasizing software, process and organization from a CMMS perspective. This knowledge can be shared multiple ways:

1. Google drive download of power points; all editable.
2. The download, plus 40 hours of training (you choose the file+topic); you choose schedule.
3. Download; 40 hours of training; plus site assessment with gap analysis and long-range plan. The site assessment normally lasts 2-3 weeks.

>> Reach out via LinkedIn messaging; or this post, as comment.