Our Process
Our perspective is one of a bright and prosperous future which is why we exist, to create value and sustainability by improving practices that deliver leading performance.
We do this by building and forging long term collaborative partnerships with the leaders of asset-intensive businesses.
We deliver accelerated improvements in asset management practices through the hundreds of years of combined wisdom in our team and through a proven six-phased approach.
one
Raise Awareness
Raise awareness of Asset Management and our vision of excellence
The AM Network is all about improving practices to deliver leading performance.
One of our key principles is that an organization cannot improve and sustain performance without establishing effective practices.
In other words, continually improving practices of an organization ensures that over time, leading performance from its assets will not only be delivered but sustained.
Raise awareness
Asset management practices for our purposes are categorized by the following work types:
- Foundational Work – This work ensures that there is a meaningful and compelling Organisational Strategic Plan supported engaged, capable and motivated People
- Strategic Work – This work ensures that there is a well-thought through Asset Management Strategic Plan that delivers on the Organisational Strategic Plan, which in turn drives the needs of the assets and their Asset Lifecycle Plans
- Tactical Work – This work drives and supports the asset lifecycle, including:
Acquire – Acquiring and modifying assets and infrastructure including engineering governance and technology
Operate – Operating assets within agreed limits, condition monitoring, and hydrocarbon management
Maintain – Maintaining, renewing, and disposing of assets.
All practices follow an Approach, Deploy, Results, Improve cycle aimed at continually creating value and sustainability – assuring all critical assets are safe, reliable and effective.
Most companies will generally have some form of policies and standards to describe Asset Management practices, however rarely are they integrated, complimentary and kept up to date.
To effectively manage assets and their associated performance, risks and costs, it is critical that the operations, technical, supply and maintenance teams are aligned and committed to an over-arching Asset Management Framework. Our approach ensures this happens.
two
Create Desire
Create desire to change through an AM Value Case based on asset performance and condition, practices, and competencies
We create a desire to change in three ways which then culminates into an Asset Management Value Case.
Firstly, we carry out an Asset Performance and Condition Audit to determine the current state of the assets and a preliminary plan to restore or sustain stable operation.
Secondly, we facilitate an Asset Management Practice Evaluation to determine the maturity of practices, processes and systems and a preliminary plan to close the most significant gaps to leading practice.
Thirdly, we assess the Asset Management Resources and Competencies to determine the adequacy (mix and headcount) and competency level of the management, reliability engineering, planning and execution resources. This provides a deeper dive based on the AM practice evaluation.
Create desire
We then develop a value case, working out the size of the prize in getting asset management right.
The value case is based on sustainable improvement of asset performance and costs and the potential financial value when aspirational targets are reached, balanced with the estimated cost to implement the potential improvements.
The value case combined with the vision of excellence for asset management creates a strong desire to change.
three
BUILD SHARED COMMITMENT
Build shared commitment in all stakeholders through communications and change management
We are constantly refining and evolving the processes and tools that help us build shared commitment with key stakeholders.
Our process is designed around having great conversations and progressively moving all key stakeholders from their current state to the desired end state. This also includes the Champions from the operation to ensure the changes are implemented and embedded.
Build shared commitment
Change management including the implementation of a consistent and meaningful communication strategy is essential. The AM Network have partnered with the TriHelix Group for this work.
four
Plan and Develop Roadmap
Plan and develop a 3-to-5-year roadmap, budgets and resource plans
The roadmap along with the detailed execution and resource plan creates the detail to enable approval by management and acceptance by stakeholders.
Each business has a different journey, it is not a one-size-fits-all. We have developed an approach to help streamline the work required.
PLAN AND DEVELOP ROADMAP
It is a 3-to-5-year journey to achieve and sustain excellence is Asset Management.
five
Implement and Embed
Implement and embed AM Policy, Standards and Guidelines in order to develop competent, motivated, engaged people, implement effective business processes and systems, and deliver safe, reliable and cost-effective assets
The AM Network have developed and implemented Asset Management Frameworks including Policy documents, Standards, Manuals and Guidelines for many large asset-intensive organisations. We call these artifacts.
Developing and implementing these artifacts has provided unique experience in not only what the format and content should be but also how to engage and gain commitment of key stakeholders.
These artifacts provide the foundation to:
- Develop competent, motivated and engaged people,
- Implement effective business processes and systems, and
- Deliver safe, reliable and cost-effective assets
IMPLEMENT AND EMBED
People
We have learnt that People make the greatest contribution to their team and the organisation when given purpose, capability, and autonomy
- Purpose – As leaders, we must relentlessly engage our people providing a line of sight to the organisation’s strategic plan, implementing best practices and improvements, and creating a safe and positive working environment where everyone feels a sense of purpose!
- Capability – As leaders, we have a duty to train, develop, coach, and mentor our people in their current role and preparing them for future roles – in some cases, doing ourselves out of our own role!
- Autonomy – As leaders, we must empower our people by providing the authority and the ‘space’ to get their work done safely and efficiently – this creates an “owner’s mindset” and provides a sense of satisfaction and contribution!
Processes
We have also learnt that Processes that are simple, effective, standardised and well supported by robust systems shape the practices people perform everyday – ensuring high productivity and effectiveness. Business processes and systems work for the people using them, not the other way around!
- The only way to sustainably produce the best performance from any business is to have best practices embedded throughout the business.
- The only way to sustainably embed best practices is through simple, effective and standardised processes and systems that error-proof and lock in the desired practices
- Build the processes and systems, and the desired practices will come
Finally, we have learnt that Assets that have been acquired or modified to fit a purpose, operated with care, and maintained with discipline and precision ensures high confidence of meeting or exceeding operational plans
- Plant, equipment and infrastructure must be fit for purpose and designed to withstand the intended maximum and cyclical loading as well as the process environment and duty
- For mature sites, we must first start by understanding the condition of our physical assets and restoring the asset’s inherent reliability before planned maintenance program can be effective
- As we all know, it’s the parts that fail, then the plant, equipment or infrastructure stops
By fully integrating the way we manage people, processes and assets, we responsibly maximise value and achieve sustainability.
six
Sustain and Improve
Sustain and improve by building Asset Management into the Annual Business Planning Cycle
Sustaining momentum and building a culture of continuous improvement is critical for ongoing success.
One effective way of doing this is to build Asset Management into the Annual Business Planning Cycle.
SUSTAIN & IMPROVE
The model shown here provides the concepts.
Quarter 1 is focused on implementing the business plan which continues all year, implementing improvements.
Quarter 2 is focused on carrying out the AM Diagnostic, which then feeds into the development or update of the AM 5-year road map in Quarter 3.
Quarter 4 is then focused on the development of the following year’s budget and business plan.
