Integration of Computerized Maintenance and GIS
Strategic information planning is critical to the success of any organization’s
investment of resources and provides a guideline for deploying these resources. A
sound strategic information plan will guide the implementation of technology so
that an organization’s goals can be realized. The strategic information plan should be
a dynamic document that will change as needs change. It typically comprises a needs
assessment, criteria development, selection and acquisition, and development of an
integration and implementation plan.
The needs assessment establishes what the users needs are – business and
operational needs – and requirements for the solution. The needs assessment is an
essential part of the project life cycle and is accomplished by conducting user
interviews and workshops with potential users or impacted parties and the
appropriate client decisionmakers. The information gathered in the needs
assessment will assist in selecting an information management solution that best fits
the client needs. The needs assessment will identify specific problems with present
systems to ensure compatibility with existing or future client systems. The needs
assessment will also identify project implementation components (e.g., system
interfaces, data conversion) and will determine user ownership.
Gaining an intimate understanding the organization’s business processes and
operational and management needs is the most critical success factor in
implementing an integrated CMMS and GIS. This knowledge will result in an
integrated system with the following benefits and advantages:
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Increased operational and management efficiencies and staff productivity
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Full leveraging of the capabilities of the system
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Endorsed and used regularly and easily by staff
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Provides immediate value to client’s organization
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Ensures flexibility to support future needs
One manager did not want users interviewed because he had worked with the
system extensively before being promoted and felt he knew what the system could
and could not do and how folks were going to use the system. During integration, a
number of necessary significant changes in the database were revealed. This cost the
organization a lot of money and time to start over with a true needs assessment.
A needs assessments helps to determine the priorities of the project so that the
highest need is addressed at the onset of implementation. It also determines how the
data will be maintained and used currently and what changes will be required to the
existing work flow process. Relevant questions to ask in a needs assessment include:
What are the system interface expectations? What are the mandatory requirements
and priorities? What kind of issues will need to be overcome? Can the client’s staff
populate and maintain the CMMS and GIS today? What additional resources will be
required?
Once the needs have been identified and prioritized, criteria for selection and
implementation should be developed for software selection. All stakeholders should
actively participate in the selection of the software. This will help provide ‘buy-in’ at
the beginning of the project and result in a more successful program. At one utility
department, the maintenance staff participated in the software vendor
demonstrations and completed written responses to selection criteria qualifications,
but they were not involved in the actual selection of CMMS software. As a result,
some concerns were not addressed thoroughly. At the same time, an integration and
implementation plan must be developed to identify the impacts to the organization
and how various components will work together.
