Some constructive thoughts on “Choosing the Work Order Management System” that is right for you and your organisation

Choosing the Work Order Management System

• Your organisation and your people• Policies and processes• Technology that will help• System accessibility, delivering

outcomes• Success and avoidance factors

FM Innovations Credentials• Established in 1997 in Melbourne to service the FM

industry with suitable software solutions• Installed and implemented 120 plus FM systems

including Maximo, Impact XP, and our own WSM systems during that time

• Actively supporting over 80 customers with in excess of 50 million sqm property under management and handle tens of thousands of WO managed each day

• Successful conversion of Beims, Maximo, Mainpac, Pervidi and Sap users to our own WSM

• FMI and its customers have won FMA industry awards 3 times in those 16 years and have been runners up on numerous occasions

• Provide integration with most popular systems

Your organisation and your people

• Commitment of FM team members at every level • Commitment of Management levels to support

the team• The team (and each individual) must adapt to

change• Design (re-design) processes that facilitate the

FM team and the system effectively working together

• Understand policies & regulations that the system needs to administer and use to control process

Policies and processes

• Know your corporate policies and regulations that your team have to police and control – the system must facilitate this

• Understand your current processes and– Remove redundant ones– Modify critical ones to suit the system

operation and design– Test them out before the system goes live

• Identify resistance and persuade/train to smooth uptake

Technology that will help• Integration with other computer based systems• Integration with physical devices to control actions in the

workplace• Portable devices • Efficient Data structure housed in an SQL database• Web based interaction with the system by all

stakeholders• System design that ensures high level of internal

automation and one time entry of data for subsequent usage in many functions in the system

• System design that allows you to configure it to suit your industry, organisation, processes and company policies - dynamically

System accessibility, delivering outcomes

• System accessibility for all stakeholders• Technology use for maximising workflow automation• Traditional reporting functions are critical• Timely production (automatic scheduled)• Dashboards and drill downs• Real time graphical representations of selected data• Critical data summaries at operational level at all times

(thresholds, valid periods, alerts etc.)• Use of SMS, MMS, emails appropriately

Success factors• System must be logical to set up and simple to use• Implementation should be quick to show control and

encourage adoption in the user base• Planned rollout that suits the organisation and to gain

acceptance and experience• Effective training in the product with refresher courses

periodically planned• Vendor support/involvement as required• Hosted system away from local IT interference and

constraints• Effective system change control procedures• Set up test and training environments• Careful in the use of legacy data• Suitable vendor

Avoid – if you can

• Software modification in the early rollout and use • Retaining silos of information (data) separated by

processes and by political ownership• Excessive spread sheet use• Over ambitious implementation plans• “Big bang” approach to rollout – everyone everywhere• System Interfaces/integration activities prior to initial

rollout

Thank you

Email me on rlodge@fminnovations.com.au

At the heart of most FM computerised systems is the works management component. If implemented well, this component will provide a sound platform that assists in best practice implementation throughout the FM team.

The works management system will undertake a critical facilitating role between disparate elements of the existing FM environment: linking processes, contractors, legislative compliance, quality service and cost savings whilst mitigating known risks.

The FM team and its customer base are better connected as a result and the service outcomes are measurable. The role of the FM team is one of a multi-disciplined skill set which, when utilising a well-designed works management system, can achieve outstanding results for their customers, their organisation and its commercial interests.