Skills and Culture - What Skills are Really Needed?

The people aspect of CMMS implementations is rarely given the attention it deserves. Perhaps this is because those of us from engineering backgrounds feel uncomfortable dealing with the "softer" aspects of Maintenance performance. Perhaps it is because we have not been exposed to these aspects during our training. In any case, skills and culture play a vital role in successful CMMS implementation.

What skills are needed for successful CMMS implementation?

Often, in a CMMS implementation, focus is given to the computing skills required to ensure that those using the new system know how to operate it. It is at least as important, however that they understand why they are using it. It is only when those people who are using the system understand the importance of the data that they are inputting, and how it will be used in the future, that you have at least a fighting chance of getting reasonable data into the CMMS in the first instance. Even better is when those people who are inputting data are also the ones using the data for decision-making. This is an important consideration in designing the control processes mentioned above.

We have had great success, in CMMS implementations, in integrating training in Maintenance Management principles with the training that is given on use of the CMMS.

In addition, we often find that Maintenance planners need enhanced skills in job planning (as distinct from job scheduling), and Maintenance Supervisors need enhanced skills in Leadership and Management, and that all Maintenance personnel need enhanced skills in Failure Investigation and Analysis and Reliability Centred Maintenance, if the full potential benefits of a new CMMS are to be realised.

What Organisational culture leads to successful CMMS implementation?

OCI have developed a method of measuring organizational culture along a number of dimensions. These can then be documented in a pictorial form, as shown here. At the highest level, there are three descriptors of cultural style. These are:

Aggressive/Defensive Styles, Passive/Defensive Styles, and Constructive Styles

Aggressive/Defensive styles are typically characterized by high levels of competition between individuals and groups. Passive/Defensive Styles are normally characterized by a high level of conformity and adherence to rules and procedures. Constructive styles involve individual and team affiliations, and creative processes.

In a Maintenance environment, an appropriate mix between Passive/Defensive Styles and Constructive Styles is most appropriate. For a successful CMMS implementation, clear disciplines must be in place, and rigorously followed for the input and analysis of data. For safety and other reasons, creative processes, and individualist behavior is probably best avoided. On the other hand, too much rule following prevents processes from being improved and leads to stagnation in Maintenance performance. A blend between the two is probably appropriate.

To support this desired culture, it is essential to put in the appropriate rewards and punishments. An essential element of a CMMS implementation is regular audit of compliance with the defined Maintenance Management procedures, together with an audit of data accuracy and timeliness. This is most effective when these become formal parts of an individual or team?s performance appraisal remuneration.

CMMS implementation where the system disciplines are not in place, and people are not rewarded for compliance with the defined procedures is destined to fail.

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