1. Data vs. Information.
When we analyze the information that is generated in a company, we can notice the significant amount that is being managed, to the detriment of others that, despite being important, are not those that decide strategic aspects. For this reason, a constant differentiation is sought between the sources of information and their value, since for the Management of the Maintenance Function, so much data far from helping, what they do is make work difficult. It is convenient to start from the idea that Information costs, and costs a lot, but also to begin to quantify how much it can cost us not to handle the necessary or wrong information. Much has been written about this aspect, but there has never been an attempt to focus attention on where to start and where to go to achieve a coherent information system.
The companies, when establishing the information systems, seek to strengthen them with software, thinking of being certain that two main criteria are achieved: that it is the correct system (depending on the mission of the organization) and that the system is correct (in depending on the characteristics of the software). No system that fails to meet these considerations will be completely useful to management or organization. These two criteria are focused on the design (selection) and subsequent programming (implantation) of computer systems, in this case, the well-known GMAC1. Now, how do I know if a piece of information is useful to me or not? To answer this question, we will present the differentiation between Data and Information, according to what is established in Figure 1.
Within the Maintenance Function Management, absolutely everything that is generated is considered data. Take for example the staff. The levels of occupational diseases, absences from work, late arrivals, lost time, poor use of the working day, among other problems that may arise. Within this great range of DATA, we have to differentiate those data that are Useful for Maintenance Management. And how do I know if they are useful or not? That is a question that will be answered in due course. For now, wait.
After the differentiation, a study and analysis of those data that provide a value for Decision Making is necessary, which as you can see, is the tip of the pyramid shown. Here, it is necessary to organize, structure and eliminate those data that are not useful (in the current situation), and work only with those who report information, and therefore, they are necessary for Decision Making. At this point, we can only generate management reports that are useful for all levels of information, and that report a usefulness in meeting strategic objectives. It is not considered wrong, the creation of reports or reports for control, what is a problem for companies, is the excess of "papers" (bureaucracy) that is required, and that, think about it, many are left over.
To clarify some aspects, it is necessary to conceptualize what we understand by the Information System, to establish some important criteria. Well, an INFORMATION SYSTEM is a set of elements that interact with each other in order to support the activities of a company or business. It may be made up of: computer equipment: the HARDWARE necessary for the information system to operate, the HUMAN RESOURCE that interacts with the Information System, which is made up of the people who use the system. But the most important thing here is to know what you want a Maintenance information system for. One criterion is based on differentiating Management Information Systems (SID) and Operational Information Systems (SIO), but only like this? Let's see.
2. Types of Information. Levels.
In practice, there are many types of information systems. In a general sense, three fundamental ones are recognized: Business Systems, based on the activity for the purpose of the organization; Information Systems, that their reason for being is to attend Decision Making (example: GMAC System); and Strategic Systems, which as its name implies, are to achieve competitive advantages and develop within the organization itself. As you can see, many of these systems work in our companies, but they are not known (in large part of them) for what the control guidelines are established, and to whom they provide information.
From this classification, we can deduce that the levels of information established in companies can be differentiated, especially for their usefulness, and the responsibility in decision-making and their subsequent business impact. In this sense, there are three well-marked levels of information in companies. If we start with the managers, we see that there is a Corporate Level, which focuses on the strategic changes that need to be made, and is supported by "strategic" information since it must dominate even what is known as PRE-information. This corporate level has a strong relationship with the Management Level, which is related to the executive management of the company and is in charge of adjusting the operation-production plans, adjustments, etc., and feeds on all management information.,that allows the Decision Making to be coherent and aligned with the strategic objectives. The third level, related to the Operational Level, in which the Maintenance Department is present, is responsible for managing Maintenance operations, execution of tasks / actions, inspection, planning, as well as proposing changes and adjustments that are useful for all the organization. It is based on operational information, linked to day-to-day, quick work and dynamic decision making, as is common in Maintenance Management.as well as proposing changes and adjustments that are useful for the entire organization. It is based on operational information, linked to day-to-day, quick work and dynamic decision making, as is common in Maintenance Management.as well as proposing changes and adjustments that are useful for the entire organization. It is based on operational information, linked to day-to-day, quick work and dynamic decision making, as is common in Maintenance Management.
When we compare the three levels of information, we can establish an increase in the complexity of the data at the operational levels, but a greater responsibility at the corporate levels, and this situation differentiates the data to be manipulated.
3. Types of Data Characteristics.
In order to structure a maintenance management information system in a coherent way, it is necessary to master the types of data and their characteristics. First, the organization of the data will depend on the type of data, referring to the unit of measurement or information that it supplies; the original information source of the data, which determines the validity of the data and the support that stores and processes this data, suggesting the use of computer-assisted information systems; as well as the subsequent use that is given to them.
When we analyze the Data Measurement Unit, it highlights the necessary differentiation between economic data, referring to the consumption of monetary units, as well as specific resources and time data, linked to the period consumption in which different activities will be carried out or maintenance tasks. Other different data are related to the description of events, such as actions, tasks, jobs or characteristics of Maintenance, and Technical data, which arose to describe technical characteristics of the equipment / systems, typical of Maintenance or Operation, and which they are part of the much-needed technical files.
In the case of Information Sources, for Maintenance, there is one that is inviolable, and we refer to the Work Order, a document that is fundamental within Maintenance Management. Also, reference can be made to business management support systems, such as warehouse management systems, production control, economy, Human Resources, Automatic control systems, On-Line Monitoring, among others. Everything that a DATA provides us, is considered a Source of Information.
If we store information or data, based on having GMAC systems, servers, networks and computers, we have to think about the subsequent use that is provided to them. For this, its use will be differentiated in data related to the operation of the equipment / systems, data from the Maintenance plans; data related to management reports, which provide information on the status of Maintenance Management, Technical-Economic Indicators; and data related to executive summaries, Decision Making, annual analysis and execution of improvement plans within the Maintenance Function. As you can see, the data has its own personality, and much of it depends on the treatment that is given, especially to report useful information.
However, the problem of knowing whether a data is useful or not has not yet been answered. First, you have to consider what kind of information it provides, as well as for what level, and start determining your treatment. Then, it is necessary to establish the data collection sources or create them, as the case may be, and finally, to establish the data equations. And ready, we already have information! Will it be that simple? To verify this, we present the Definition Model of data to control, and some illustrative examples.
4. The Data Definition Model. Examples.
In Figure 2, the definition Model is shown, whose main objective is to establish a differentiation between all the data generated in Maintenance Management, based on a single principle: What are the Maintenance objectives? By answering this question, you will be able to obtain useful Management reports, little and efficient data management, as well as safety at work, since there will be no excesses or missing important data. Let's look at the Model.
The flow chart shown presents a model to define what data needs to be controlled, and focuses its result on specifying the data records to be used, as well as the inherent characteristics of the Indicators. As is the custom (see BSC3 Methodology), the tour of the Maintenance Objectives begins, from here, a definition is made of the Indicators to be controlled, from which the search for the Origin of Data, Documents and / or Measurement Points (as the case may be). At this point, it is necessary to ask whether or not the Information Sources exist. If we obtain a no as an answer, the Creation of the Data Collection Bases will be necessary; in front of a yes, their organization. From here, the Data to be controlled is defined,allowing the search of the Measurement Frequency or acquisition of the values.
Although the definition of the indicators presents us with an already established Calculation Basis, this step is incorporated to study them and adapt them to the conditions of the company; very common problem in the so-called World Class Indicators (ICM). At this point, we try to establish the Data Relations, constituting the correlation between all the Values that are calculated, in order to specify bases of comparison, which allow us to recognize the different moments of Operation and Maintenance that arise within the operational context, and that its study, definition or comparison is not possible separately.
This systemic analysis will guarantee a data structuring in charge of puncturing the input data and that will become the Numerical Values that must be followed; either on a Command Board (BSC) or simply on a GMAC system and / or Spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel®.
In the end, we obtain the definition of the Exit Reports, which are responsible for displaying the information (verifiable), towards the three fundamental levels: Strategic, Tactical and Operational. The Model ends with the necessary correspondence between these Exit Reports, and the Indicators that show the current situation of the Maintenance Function, and that are aligned with the established strategic objectives. If we understand that the need to "inform" is vital for any management, we can verify the usefulness of the Model. Do you believe. what is complex? To see its usefulness, let's look at two (2) illustrative examples.
EXAMPLE # 1: For an electricity distribution company, it is established as Objective: Guarantee the Availability of Electricity Transportation. For this, it is established as a Maintenance objective, to maintain an Availability of 98%. Well, once the maintenance objectives have been established, in this case setting the value, we can refer to the Origin of the Data. To determine the Availability 4 values, it is necessary to manage the System Operation time (obtained from the operations control system) and the system downtime, which are specified in the Work Orders to be executed by Maintenance in the entire transmission line. In this particular case, the sources of the data are obtained, together with the origins, since they are information that is always handled. Immediately,We have to establish the guidelines for organizing the data, differentiating the Work Orders (OT) that causes the system to stop and those that do not, as well as those failures outside Maintenance (if applicable). The data is defined within the OT, the frequency, which can be monthly or weekly (depending on the company), and the calculation equation that is intended to be used is discussed. Note that it is said to "discuss" because it cannot be that Maintenance calculates availability in one way and Operations in another, or that Availability is determined based on assumptions. Be careful !, the electrical distribution is much more serious than you think. In the end, these data are organized into reports, and Models will be established to report to the different levels, organized in tables and figures for better understanding.
Note the need to clarify the way of calculation, and the origin of the data, because there are still maintainers who do not believe that the inclusion of the "stop time" is necessary, as data from an OT.
To recognize the usefulness of the Model, let's look at this example, where it is intended to control the data necessary for Maintenance, and which depend on the fulfillment of the objective function of a team / system.
EXAMPLE # 2: For a steam boiler, it is necessary to establish the control parameters, to guarantee its uninterrupted operation. For this, the objective is to generate Water Vapor at: Pressure X; Temperature Y; Z quality 5. In this case, the indicators coincide with the values to be controlled, since the fulfillment of the objective function depends on them, and they can be obtained, in this case "DIRECTLY FROM THE INSTRUMENTS COUPLED TO THE EQUIPMENT". These data will be organized and calculated, in order to establish data correlations, which are useful for Predictive Maintenance, but which will also allow knowing at what exact moment it is convenient to carry out Maintenance actions. Here, far from thinking that the model is not advantageous, it must be clarified that we are talking about a very clear objective function,and that all the Maintenance of this equipment will depend on compliance with these operating parameters.
The usefulness of this Model is constituted by the need to control only those important data, and it helps to have a sample of the data that should not be missing in a GMAC system, to meet the objectives of the Maintenance Department. Flour of another matter, is formed by the data within the Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Process, since although the objective is one (to avoid equipment failure), the strategic indicators that measure this objective are fed with very distant data. (depending on the origin) and from very complex sources (depending on where they are generated). I invite you to try it and check its usefulness. Don't let your organization lose competitiveness.
