Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) and Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) implementations have become significantly more complex over the last decade. The days of installing an application and using it only in maintenance departments are gone. Today, with larger and more complex enterprises, management needs to have near real-time access to data that could affect the company's ability to produce its product. That, coupled with the need to reduce the cost of production, makes it easy to understand why the systems have become more integrated.
The applications are designed to house data. That data ranges from assets to inventory to craft types and crew makeup, and more. Collectively it's a lot of data. Historically such systems were designed in-house or purchased from an industry-specific vendor. At the core, these systems can all store, categorize, and report on events, but they are only as good as the information they are fed. At some point after the system is in place, there will be a need to evaluate it for viability or to re-determine requirements. Questions will arise, including "Are we getting what we paid for, and if not, why?"
