Internal Scheduling Programme?

Scheduling, specifically for Turnarounds and Maintenance Operations has been a challenge for many Upstream and Downstream organizations for many years. With increasing focus on managing deliverables the need for a robust Planning & Scheduling programmes. Although there is a multitude of service providers aiding in the understanding of tools and systems the big picture is too often missed through lack of internal support programmes. Below is a theoretical programme framework to enable continuous improvement, support and standardization. Further posts will focus on detailed information regarding programmes, the opportunities and considerations when implementing and managing these types of systems.

1.0 INTRODUCTION:

The leadership of Company XXX has determined that many members can benefit by offering a Planner – Scheduler Certification Programme that incorporates the use of Primavera Scheduler to meet recognized industry best practices for the effective planning of work and the subsequent scheduling of work for the benefit of improving overall asset performance and improved utilization of resources. The objective of this programme is to establish knowledge and skills requirements for the individuals that plan and schedule work within the Primavera Scheduler application and third party products that create a fully integrated planned and scheduled result.

2.0 Scope:

This program is limited to those who work within the Planning & Scheduling discipline and/or key leadership roles where effective development and management of scheduling systems will provide effective structure. The content of the programme will be the property of the Company XXX and will be the certifying organization based on the content of the programme. Mandatory participation in training sessions with written examination at the end of each section will comprise the certification process determining level of competence. Additional outside courses, certifications and experience (ref. Figure 1) will be taken into consideration enabling respective participants to progress into the appropriate level. If the participant does not advance through the Level examination extra training and experience will be required. To re-write failed examinations all training conditions shall be met including four month timeline from the examination date.

Maintenance & Reliability Strategies

The role of Maintenance within the Operational organization is built on providing a service of competing priorities where Corrective, PDM and PM activities struggle to meet the demands to realize sustainability. The premise, when achieved, equates to the comfortable awareness of predictable and manageable asset reliability while mitigating the risk of unscheduled downtime.

Unfortunately too often the systems we develop are not effectively understood, managed and integrated into the Maintenance and Operational organizations. The resulting factors define a culture focusing on immediate quick fixes undermining the integrity of the reliability ideology. Commonly this is a result of not developing and establishing a Maintenance Strategy, framework and processes to support the safety and production objectives that enable smooth consistent operation. Beginning with the vision statement feeding to the Maintenance Strategy, supporting management framework and reporting structure, reliability is a system which, like Safety is everyone’s responsibility. The reality is…if we are not managing a robust Maintenance & Reliability system we fail at providing the solutions to the core business pillars we endorse and live by. 

With the preamble said…based on my experience, below are a few common pitfalls and practices that induce failure…from a Maintenance perspective.

1.      Lack of Executive Management Support

Attempting to build a plan, system and governance guidelines is like pushing a string up hill if sustainability, production and safety are not top priorities. A good Maintenance programme increases reliability, increasing stable production while providing a consistent prioritized approach to work which increases safety.

2.      Not implementing a Maintenance Strategy

The strategy is required to provide guidance to ensure consistency of Maintenance policies, objectives and requirements reducing the effects stemming from reactive, emergency corrective activities. Introducing vision, quality, metrics, tools, training, change management provides a platform for adoption and governance.

3.      Establishing a Strategy without a framework

Many organizations create a strategy defining methodologies, lifecycle analysis, condition based monitoring, root cause failure analysis, PDM & PM programs along with the utilization of tools including the CMMS and supporting software’s. In order to continuously improve…change management, leading & lagging reporting performance and trend analysis guidelines. Unfortunately the framework often consists of individual silos of information and stakeholder groups that do not communicate effectively. Within the individual elements that the strategy and framework exist is the missing binding agent…communication and process adoption.

4.      Not establishing a Methodology

Although this may sound redundant, if the Maintenance system does not establish a structured and integrated framework the risk of managing the asset both micro and macro perspectives may compromise health and sustainability. Methodology is required to ensure consistency and to reduce the risk stemming from gaps in analysis, communication and inexperience.

5.      Installing a tool without a Process

Whether it is implementing a new version of CMMS, scheduling or condition motoring tool the lack of poor or non-existent processes leads to confusion, inconsistent data and loss in confidence in the role of Reliability & Maintenance. Realizing there is know out of the box one size fits all software solution. Each tool requires tailoring to manage the demands and requirements of the organization. The development of processes clearly defines and establishes gathering, reporting and analysis protocols at an objective level.

6.      Not developing an Asset Prioritization matrix and  tool

Reliability, Operations and Maintenance stakeholder groups need to have consistent tools, developed by all key groups, to best understand work prioritization and risk. This begins with establishing criteria and scale for assigning asset priority from both an HSE and Production Critical perspective. It is this list that will drive focus on PDM, PM, Corrective, Turnaround and Project activities. This list, when integrated into the CMMS and Work Prioritization Matrix will objectively help not only understand and manage asset care and attention, from a reporting view it allows crucial data to be reported, trended and managed effectively. Many KPI’s can be derived from asset prioritization which leads to transparency, better communication and resolving of key challenges.

Planner Role - Time and Scope Managment

Time and priority management is essential to maintaining the maintenance backlog and ultimately increasing confidence that "Approved" Work Orders are prioritized and queued for execution. In order to begin to achieve a level of competency it is important to first understand the current condition and compare to the plan. To clarify, the plan was to develop a backlog where all Work Orders were prioritized, planned and estimated with target dates.

Below are a few steps to discuss with stakeholders in order to have a clear discussion about the role "Planner". Because lack of stakeholder support is a leading cause for the breakdown of Maintenance success, stakeholder alignment is the lynch pin for establishing a cohesive environment.

Scope Management

   1. Typical list of tasks you are responsible for and currently perform as a Planner

1. Scope jobs in field
2. Create job plans on CMMS
3. Scope jobs in field
4. Identify & Order Material
5. Create reusable job plans & maintain data base
6. Create WO’s and schedule 3^{rd party contractors}
7. Produce detailed cost estimates as required
8. Manage Backlog and Target CMMS
9. Produce high-level weekly contractor schedule outline
10. Run adhoc Reports to determine Backlog health

  2. Typical list of tasks you currently perform as a Planner that you are not responsible for

1. Sort and manage work orders directly from Operations
2. Create Work Orders for client
3. Provide emergency coverage for Priority Urgent and Emergency Work orders
4. Manage & delegate FCR’s
5. Scope/manage priority Urgent and Emergency Work Orders
6. Manage poor Work Order reporting practices ( Poor WO prioritization, verbal WO, unnecessary break in WO)
7. Assisting with management of daily work activities
8. Identify the 4 or 5 major time consumers that consumes your day
9. Managing Priority Urgent and Emergency Work Orders
10. Managing daily work activities due to lack of understanding of Planner roles and responsibilities
11. Managing & delegating FCR’s
12. Managing & delegating Break in work   

Time Management

1. Identify the 4 or 5 major time consumers that negatively impact productivity and work towards developing a balance between being at the desk, meeting with stakeholders and being on site.
2. Set a routine based on Work Order Priority, Target Start Date and magnitude of scope.

Welcome to my blog site.
I encourage you to review and comment on any of the posts I have written.
For those whom are visitors I truly wish you have gained some value and insight into my thoughts and real life experiences accumulating over the past twenty years. Unfortunately I will be taking a short sabbatical to follow, yet another journey with a group which will command much attention. This along with my personal ambition to complete a Masters in Business will consume much of my time.
My goal is to continue writing, time permitting...however accumulating and aggregating new experiences and resolving challenging dilemma's will be an on-going process that I will cherish, gather then share.

I wish you the very best in the new year and look forward to new beginnings in 2012.

Kindest Regards...Mike Grabill