Efficient Plant June 2023 - 9

feature | pilot plant strategies
IN TODAY'S PLANTS, cloud-based computerized
maintenance management system (CMMS)
soſt ware has become a vital tool to schedule, plan,
manage, and track maintenance activities. CMMS
has signifi cant benefi ts for large enterprises
because it can standardize operations across
many global sites, delivering effi ciency, cost savings,
and greater visibility, while simultaneously
easing the audit process. However, implementing
a new CMMS can be daunting, especially if you
manage multiple sites.
Success in these multi-site implementations
depends on getting things right with the pilot
plant. Don't start by implementing a new CMMS
across all locations. Begin with a pilot plant that
has a visionary staff who are committed to building
the right confi guration for their team's needs.
Once that site has proven its success, the cloudbased
soſt ware can be quickly deployed at other
locations and staff members trained on its use.
Experts estimate as many as 80% of CMMS
implementations fail to meet expectations. Th is
is oſt en due to a lack of planning and preparation.
CMMS solutions also oſt en fail as the novelty of
implementation wears away and the spotlight
moves to other projects.
IMPLEMENTATION FAILURE
Many organizations mistake a CMMS implementation
for a technology project. In large implementations,
a great deal of time, sometimes as much
as a year or more, can be required to make sure
the soſt ware meets specifi c criteria. Selecting the
correct soſt ware is key. However, CMMS projects
typically face greater hurdles with preparation and
change management than technology.
Many organizations fail at project and change
management because they don't have comprehensive
project plans. Th e plan must be documented,
followed, and used to track and analyze progress.
Implementations also fail because teams are not
held responsible for their tasks or accountable for
the results.
Lack of future vision is another reason why
implementations falter. When it comes to change
management, a team needs developed goals and a
JUNE 2023
vision of how maintenance will function with the
new CMMS fully implemented. It's important to
document and communicate goals for the role of
maintenance in facilitating organizational success,
the company's approach to maintenance, and how
a CMMS will support business processes.
For example, one major manufacturing services
company needed a new CMMS to yield important
data regarding decisions around their KPIs, such
as uptime percentages. As soon as their implementation
was completed, they began seeing useful,
accurate data that helped them improve their
return on investment. However, they couldn't fully
leverage this data right away because they hadn't
incorporated it into the implementation plan. Th ey
had to develop a new standard to utilize the data.
SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATIONS
Whether you're deploying an enterprise asset management
(EAM) system or CMMS soſt ware, implementations
should be systematic and methodical.
A useful way to begin is with a list of what your
organization would like to accomplish with a
CMMS from a wish/want/needs perspective.
Developing these goals and a well-rounded
implementation plan is a time-saving process that
leads to reducing costs and meeting goals. Th e
process revolves around prioritizing those goals to
experience the full potential of a CMMS.
Most successful implementations incorporate:
a defi ning phase to develop pertinent data standards,
ensuring consistent data collection
the knowledge of an experienced CMMS
implementer
a defi ned initial implementation period to gauge
where an organization is, where it's going, and what's
next.
For example, one health-product manufacturer
implemented a CMMS with aggressive growth
goals in mind. Th eir maintenance manager interviewed
technicians, collected foundational data,
and developed a vision statement for where the
company wanted to be in fi ve years. Th en, they
populated CMMS dashboards with these goals and
consistently provided updates.
Th is approach to implementation and
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Efficient Plant June 2023

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