Westin- Maintenance Management: Making CMMS a Business Process Improvement Tool

Roy O. Brandon

Improvements in both functionality and ease of use have made computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) viable. Software developers have made Windows versions as easy to use as the leading word processing software. So why then are so many utilities unable to realize the major benefits of CMMS?

After more than 10 years of viewing maintenance organizations that have unsuccessfully implemented one or more CMMS packages, a common cause has been found: Most of their efforts have gone into the technical functionality and system compatibility and not enough time has been devoted to establishing a basic CMMS organizational integration philosophy.

The term "Organizational Integration Philosophy" relates to how the CMMS is used by the organization. Three basic integration philosophies have been experienced: two that generally do not capture the true value of CMMS, and one that does.

Philosophy One: Parallel Integration
-Typically, organizations using parallel integration philosophy are identified by limited maintenance involvement in using the computer and minimal interest in any data generated by the system. Most maintenance groups in this mode have data entered by personnel other than those directly involved in maintenance. This philosophy leads to using the CMMS as a parallel process to the paper system, generally recording reactive maintenance activities.

Philosophy Two: Series Integration
-Series integration philosophy is based on marrying a CMMS to the maintenance organization. Unfortunately, this is not a great marriage as most people view the CMMS as simply adding additional work. It does replace the paper system for writing work orders and the information is more accurate and current than the parallel approach, but it falls short of providing the real CMMS benefits.

Often, the series system is nothing more than automating the work order and inventory processes. Maintenance is still just as reactive as before and maintenance efforts are still controlled by event-driven maintenance priorities. Information held within the CMMS may not be referenced often or in a meaningful way, making the data entry task a burden instead of an asset.

Philosophy Three: Program-Driven Integration
-The most effective way to maximize the benefits of using a computerized maintenance management system is to design a fully functional maintenance program. In this setting, the CMMS becomes a tool communicating proactive maintenance tasks to maximize the life of each asset based on its criticality to the operation. Organizations following this philosophy are driven by opportunistic work, pre-planning maintenance activities with scheduled service intervals to obtain desired equipment lifecycles.

By design, maintenance organizations should expend about 70% of their time on proactive program driven work and 30% on reactive event-driven work.

With the focus on designing an optimum maintenance program, an interdependent relationship is formed between maintenance activities and the CMMS tool. Now the data provides not just the work history, but a documented picture of both current and future maintenance resources requirements. Labor saved by advanced planning and scheduling of work is redirected to increase the proactive work effort.

Maintenance Process RedesignMany computerized maintenance management system implementations have been considered failures. Unfortunately, like most maintenance organizations, the first thing fixed is the blame. Often the blame is placed on the CMMS developer and vendor. If the CMMS vendor is at fault, typically it is for setting the client expectations too high. Based on the price, most CMMS solutions are very comparable and functional. The real fault is the functional integration of the software and hardware into the way maintenance is performed and managed.

The first rule of implementation is to recognize you can't implement a CMMS solution anymore than you can implement a hammer. That is to say, a CMMS is a tool. If you expect implementation to change maintenance results then a change in human action must occur. Simply loading data and turning on the computer will not successfully implement a CMMS or change maintenance results in a significant way. To change the results of your maintenance department, you must change the culture.

Culture is defined as what most of the people are doing most of the time. Integration of a CMMS into maintenance planning, scheduling and workload management can provide excellent results if you approach implementation as more than loading and turning on a computer.

Why spend tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for a sophisticated CMMS solution and then only use a thousand dollars of its capabilities? Begin by developing a comprehensive maintenance program. Define each maintenance function and how it should work. Once you have designed and documented your maintenance approach, select a CMMS tool that supports each maintenance function.

Don't expect to move into a proactive environment using reactive thinking. If the essence of your existing maintenance program is responding to reactive maintenance priorities, don't be surprised to find you have only implemented the work order module. One of the chief benefits of purchasing a CMMS system is being able to have enough information available to predict and plan maintenance requirements proactively. However, almost every implementation of a CMMS program begins and often ends with the work order module.

A comprehensive CMMS solutions is a great value, but only when you incorporate its power into the way you manage your maintenance activities. Managing assets is dependent upon having a comprehensive maintenance program. Each asset requires unique levels of maintenance service and at varied intervals.

A world class maintenance organization has three characteristics:

Work Management: Maintenance work is managed in a comprehensive and consistent fashion. Seventy percent of the workload should be generated proactively from the computer, not from events caused by equipment failure. Work management is dependent upon the use of technology and technology is dependent upon the use of structured and constant processes.

Asset Management: Each asset has a measured and pre-planned maintenance schedule tracked by the computer. Based on the asset value and criticality, specific activities are applied to assure the full life of the asset is achieved. Assets with low criticality and low cost may require run-to-failure as the appropriate maintenance action. This means labor could be saved by not wasting it on unnecessary maintenance.

People Management: Efficiency and effectiveness is measured by results. World-class maintenance can only be achieved by planning each maintenance task. A CMMS is a tool for capturing job plans, which have measured effort and results as part of the plan. Supervising people by observation and repetitive direction has proven to be of little use in improving productivity. Human nature has proven that most well intended supervision is intrusive. Now, through the use of a CMMS, you can capture the best way to do a maintenance task by building job plans. By consistently following the job plans new employees can become more effective in less time. As the job market tightens and the experience of senior staff departs with them, job plans may be one of the most valuable benefits of a CMMS tool.

Like a tool in the hands of a skilled craftsman, a computerized maintenance management system is a tool that can yield extraordinary benefits. Utilities can and will achieve positive results only if they begin by developing a comprehensive maintenance program.

About the Author:

Roy Brandon is Vice President of Maintenance Consulting at Westin.