Introduction
This article is for you who works in an operation and maintenance department and is about to
implement a new maintenance system. You get a checklist of what to remember throughout the process to achieve a successful implementation.
There can be many reasons why your organization has decided to implement a maintenance system. Maybe you are facing a digitalization process? Maybe you have experienced a grand loss due to a breakdown? Or maybe you just want to change to another system?
1) The internal preparation
Identify internal stakeholders in the department
When you implement a maintenance system it affects the entire organization, and it is important to identify internal stakeholders early in the process. You must listen to the stakeholders and ask them about their wishes and requirements.
Typical stakeholders and requirements:
- IT manager’s requirement for server and cloud solutions
- CEO’s requirement about receiving KPI’s in his inbox
- Finance manager’s requirement for integration into the financial system
- Operation manager’s requirement for a simple system
- Operations worker’s requirement for simple and mobile routines
Find optimization areas in the maintenance department
Når du internt forhører dig om muligheden for at implementere et vedligeholdssystem, er den største
faktor næsten altid økonomi. Derfor er det altid vigtigt at have din argumentation på plads.
Here are a few examples:
- Optimization options of internal routines
- Better resource planning
- Optimization of spare parts and economy
- Fulfillment of possible requirements for documentation
2) Research and specification of requirements
Network with other companies
You might think that it is difficult to get an overview of what is important in a maintenance system. Therefore, it is always a good idea to contact a few companies from the same industry to arrange a possible visit and to learn about their situation and experiences with system, requirements and implementation.
Research the market for maintenance systems
There are different suppliers of maintenance systems both in Denmark and abroad. Therefore, it is important to research the market thoroughly. A simple search on Google on “maintenance system” will probably show you an adequate number of suppliers. Visit several websites to understand their solutions and functions.
Make a specification of requirements
In the initial phase you gather a lot of information and the next step is to make a specification of requirements. It should include a combination of your input from the internal stakeholders, areas for optimization, external companies and your research online. If necessary, divide your specification of requirements into overall categories like requirements for IT, requirements for functionality
etc. You can also divide your requirements into need-tohave and nice-to-have and thus clarify how important your requirements are for your use of the system.
3) Contact to the suppliers
Decide whether the suppliers meet your specification of requirements
Now it is time to contact your selected suppliers. You can submit your specification of requirements and have them answer it. The most important thing is to be aware about how the supplier matches your requirements.
Choose suppliers and arrange a meeting
Now you know which suppliers match your requirements. Now you should request individual meetings with the selected suppliers to meet them face to face. The agenda will be to introduce yourselves and the supplier will present the system and the specification of requirements. This gives you an impression of the supplier as a company and the system they can offer.
Invite internal stakeholders to the meeting
Make it possible for your internal stakeholders to attend the meetings. This ensures that everyone feels included and they are more likely to take part in the project and the implementation, which is a great advantage in the future.
4) Assessment and choice of supplier
Evaluate system and functionality
