Since opening the Operations and Practitioner Playbooks, one question has naturally come up: Which Playbook is right for me? The answer does not depend only on your job title or how many years of experience you have. It depends on the question you are trying to answer and the work you need to do. The […]
The Complete SparePartsKnowHow.com Playbook Platform is Now Open.
For the past few months, we have been reshaping SparePartsKnowHow.com around a simple idea: People responsible for spare parts need more than another course. They need practical access to the right expertise, at the point where they are making decisions. That work has now reached an important milestone. The Operations Playbook and Practitioner Playbook are […]
From Training Courses to Decision Support: The Next Stage for SparePartsKnowHow.com
For many years, SparePartsKnowHow.com has presented much of its expertise through training courses and supporting resources. That structure made sense. Training is important. Spare parts inventory management is often misunderstood, and many people who become responsible for spare parts have had little or no spare parts-specific education. But over time, it has become clear that […]
What is Spare Parts Management?
Spare parts inventory management is the process of making decisions about the stocking, control, and use of spare parts that support physical assets and equipment. Its objective is to balance operational risk, service requirements, and inventory investment. Why Spare Parts Are Different Unlike retail inventory: * Demand is often irregular. * Demand can be extremely […]
The Foundations Playbook is Now Live
Spare parts decisions are connected One of the key ideas behind the redevelopment of SparePartsKnowHow.com is that spare parts management is not just a list of topics. It is a connected set of decisions. What should we stock? How many should we hold? Which parts are critical? How should we manage obsolete inventory? What […]
A Shift in How Spare Parts Knowledge Is Delivered
Subject Area: Spare Parts Knowledge Spare parts management is a decision-heavy environment. What should we stock? How many should we hold? Which parts are truly critical? How do we reduce excess without increasing risk? How do we build systems, processes, and capability that produce better decisions every day? These are not occasional questions. In most […]
Doing the Hard Things Makes Spare Parts Management Easier
Most organizations try to make spare parts management easier. They simplify approvals. They speed up purchasing. They rely on experience. They trust “what’s worked before.” And in doing so, they make everything harder. Because the things that actually make spare parts management easier are the things most teams avoid. They’re the hard things. Why […]
Why Every Plant Thinks Its Spare Parts Challenges Are Unique (and Why They Aren’t)
Subject Are: Spare Parts Challenges Everyone thinks they are the exception. After several decades working with maintenance, engineering, and supply chain teams across mining, oil & gas, utilities, manufacturing, and infrastructure, I can say this with confidence: You are not the exception. Not in downtime. Not in lead times. Not in ERP usage. Not […]
Avoiding Survivorship Bias in Spare Part Procurement: From Efficiency to Resilience
In procurement, the goal is clear: secure the right parts, at the right time, for the right price, while minimizing inventory costs and avoiding supply disruptions. But amid this balancing act, a hidden cognitive bias often distorts decision-making: survivorship bias. This error, focusing only on parts that are frequently used or successfully delivered, can lead […]
Survivorship Bias in Spare Part Inventory Management: A False Sense of Security
In the complex world of spare part inventory management, we all know that decision-makers are constantly striving to optimize stock levels, reduce costs, and ensure operational reliability. However, what many don’t realize is that a subtle and dangerous cognitive bias often creeps into these decisions: survivorship bias. This is a logical error: focusing only on […]