ASM
Visualisation for Asset Management
Visualisation is not just about better presentation, it’s about adding business value.
Computerised asset management and maintenance management systems have been around for many years. They occupy a well-established niche in the software market.
These systems have traditionally relied heavily on text and tables to present information. Virtually every piece of information is presented as either words or numbers. But continuing improvements in communications, hardware and GIS visualisation mean that users have come to expect better presentation. Modern interfaces are more graphical and interactive.
One of the first questions that the editor asked when we proposed this article was: What does visualisation add to the process of asset and maintenance management?’ The answer, of course, is that if visualisation does not add real business value, it will never be more than a gimmick to make sales presentations look more attractive.
So let’s look at some of those areas where emerging visualisation technology does add business value.
It’s important to note that the increased use of visualisation and images is not a new way of carrying out asset management. It is an alternative way and, in certain situations, it is the most appropriate.
Just because an image can be seen (a picture, plan or map) does not mean that one needs to see it. On the other hand, if an image helps to make sense of the information, it may be the best way of dealing with that particular task. This means that context is often an important factor in deciding whether or not to use images in presenting information.
A second observation is that workplaces are conservative. Most organisations will be slow to adopt images, even as an alternative source of information, because usually their work practices are well established. In many cases there are years of history and long accepted work patterns embodied in their business processes. Only those that improve these will end up being adopted.
So what might make the manager of a business change the way things are done? Business management teams are always looking for increased efficiencies. They want to spend less in terms of time or money or some other resource that, in the end, can often be broken down into time or money. This demand for efficiencies can act as a driver for the adoption, where appropriate, of completely new processes.
Can the adotion of imagery fit this bill? An intuitive way of approaching asset management is to understand what the assets are, where they are at any particular time and, importantly, when any changes occur. One can call this the table view, the map view and the calendar view.
Older systems deal well with the ‘what?’ implicit in these questions – they offer a table view. Systems that also have an understanding of schedules and workflows can support the ‘when?’
The ‘where?’ comes with the addition of mapping, location-based services and spatial analysis.
There are a number of instances where spatial and graphical presentations can add business value to asset maintenance management. Imagine that asset locations incorporated in dynamic maps can be manipulated and changed. On this schema, every asset will have a present location on a map, no matter how often – or how far – it moves. The map display will always be current – a vast improvement on a situation where a static map is attached to a static record.
By visualising the location of assets and their activities over time, the manager can identify clusters and patterns that are not apparent in tabular data. For example, a map showing maintenance activity or costs for a spread of locations can help in business analyses. Using a spatial presentation of this complex time and motion information can identify issues that warrant further investigation.
Another useful map cluster could be a series of overdue work orders in a particular location. The cause could be an absent repairman or some other breakdown in the system.
Clearly this strategy will be more effective if it is used to access information in a large database. Data is tightly managed in smaller information silos, but it is much harder to find intuitive or obvious explanations for observed behaviour in a larger version.
Another example might be the use of location-based processing to manage work orders. This can also greatly enhance efficiency. Location and priority can be combined when scheduling work orders from a central office. Automatic scheduling is a far more efficient way of ordering the sequence of jobs. This will never fully replace intelligent, thoughtful activity by well-trained maintenance managers, but it can certainly improve the management process.
Another example is planning the routes for service workers. Rather than sending them into the field and allowing them to decide their work priorities for the day, routes are decided using current location information. GIS is able to overcome some of the constraints and limitations of postcode or other address data.
Visualisation may also improve the accuracy of work being sent to personnel in the field. Map information can be forwarded as attachments to work orders, cutting the time spent looking for the correct locations. This could even extend to the use of satellite navigation in repair vehicles.
As an example of implementing visualisation as an additional way of viewing information, we envisage that certain data will be presented to management users via a three-part screen. On one screen, information about maintenance management activity and costing may be presented in a table format. The user could switch to another view containing a series of detailed calendar-driven items or to a map visualising the key elements of the tabular data.
The map may be divided into zones, each representing the territory of a worker. The system would enable the employer to monitor the location and activities of personnel and their work output. The map would provide immediate confirmation (or not) that expected outcomes were being achieved.
It is now becoming the norm to develop systems that combine data-centric business software with powerful GIS processing. These systems add useful layers of alternative information – and indeed alternative methods – for asset and maintenance managers, allowing businesses to improve efficiency.
Realistically, we are not expecting a revolution in facility maintenance management systems. However, we do anticipate an evolution, one that will contribute significantly to the efficiencies that business owners are looking for.
