Is Asset Management Planning easy to introduce?

Whenever you bring in a new business process, you can expect hard work at the start. Here are some of the concerns you might face and suggestions for dealing with them.

Will senior management commit to the asset management process?
There must be buy-in and commitment. Without support from senior management, the asset management process will have only limited benefit and probably end up as a simple maintenance plan. A carefully prepared business case, backed up by industry case studies, will help.

Do we have enough data?
It is important to have a well-thought-out information management strategy. However, don’t delay introducing an asset management process just because you haven’t got enough data. You can make assumptions and state the related data confidence. You can then improve your targeted data over time.

Do we have the right systems?
Systems play only a small part at the start of an asset management planning process. It is more important to set up the process, get buy-in, and find out what you need to know. Use the systems you already have. Microsoft Excel is an excellent tool for storing and analysing data.

How long will it take?
The process will take time and extra resources. Making a new business process work always takes time and effort. There’s not much you can do about this except get organisation buy-in. Make sure everyone’s roles are defined so they know exactly what it means for them.

Will it cost a lot to introduce?
Most of the external costs are for collecting data, introducing new systems and writing AMPs. You can cut these costs by collecting only the data you need at the moment, using your own staff, and using the systems you already have. You can expand each of these when the system starts to work and you have more financial resources. It is also worth noting that the long-term benefits of good asset management planning may actually lower ownership costs.

How hard is it to resource the process?
You need both internal and external budgets to be sure you have enough resources. Depending on the organisation’s level of commitment, it may be best for you to use internal resources at the beginning. However, external specialists can provide immediate benefits, so you should use them if you can.

How easily will staff adapt?
The process can be analytically taxing and the techniques, including strategy to operations, can become quite daunting. Management must ensure people’s roles are aligned with their experience and skills. Using the processes in this manual will provide great opportunity to progress within the industry and the organisation due to the wide business disciplines covered.

Where do I start?
Start with forming an AMSG and pull together a Project Team. Undertake a gap analysis at the start and end of the project. Assign actions and responsibilities to make it happen. The team will need a good plan with measurable improvements identified.