Q: I am beginning a new phase in my career by taking on a CMMS implementation. Do you have insight regarding pitfalls that would help me listen to the “whispering road signs” I encounter?
A: I think that there are three things that you should ‘listen’ out for:
- Planning vs. Scheduling: My experience is that most maintenance departments are better at scheduling than they are at planning. To me scheduling relates to ‘when’ and ‘who’ and planning relates to ‘what’ and ‘how’. So the application of most CMMSs ends up identifying that ‘John’ will perform task X on Friday but lacks the detail to ensure that the required materials will be/are available.
- Transaction vs. Policy: Most systems are very good at transaction tracking and often the implementation is measured on the accuracy of this. What is missing is the framework (or policy) in which the system should operate. From a spare parts perspective this is usually seen as tracking the ins and outs (transactions) without providing guidance in stocking levels (policy).
- Theory vs. Practice: Most off the shelf packages will apply standard inventory management theory but this rarely translates into the practical realities of spare parts management. This video expands on this: The Truth About Inventory Management Theory