A fishbone diagram, also known as an Ishikawa diagram or a cause-and-effect diagram, was developed by Kaoru Ishikawa in the 1960s. It is a visual representation of the causes of a problem or failure. The diagram is structured as a fish skeleton, with the problem or event being represented by the head of the fish, and the causes of the problem branching off the bones of the fish.
Fishbone diagrams are used in maintenance to identify the root cause of a problem. They can also be used to identify patterns and trends, which can help prevent similar problems from occurring in the future. In this article, we will define what a fishbone diagram is and share a use-case example of how a fishbone diagram can be used.
What is a fishbone diagram?
Fishbone diagrams are a visual tool that shows all the possible reasons a problem or event may have occurred, as well as their source. It can be useful if the maintenance team is coming up short when troubleshooting an issue. Every possible cause is categorized by its source. Causes are then reduced again and again until you can isolate the root cause of a problem or outcome.
How do fishbone diagrams work?
A fishbone diagram helps maintenance teamstrace the steps that could have led up to a problem, like a piece of equipment breaking down. Take an aircraft, for example. Let’s say the ground crew engineer discovers that a compressor is malfunctioning. There are many possible causes of the malfunction, but by using a fishbone diagram, the crew can break the problem down into main categories. In this instance, you could isolate the issue in the following steps:
Personal: List out anyone who may have been performing maintenance or repairs on the aircraft
Machinery: Define and outline the technology
Materials: List the raw parts used to construct the aircraft
Measurements: Detail the inspection and steps taken
Environment: Detail the climate, geographical, and other factors relating to the environment
Methods: List the processes
In steps 1 and 2, you could break it down even further and into more detail. You know that some compressor parts were just replaced, and some new staff were working on the plane recently. You can now expand on the primary categories and see if you can identify the factor that caused the overall effect. For example:
A part is malfunctioning or was not inspected properly
Personal
A technician installed the compressor incorrectly
Some tools may be left inside the compressor housing
There was something jamming the rotation of the compressors that the mechanic missed
The pilot pushed the compressor too far and may have damaged it during the flight
Environment
Bird or drone strike
Measurements
The turbine was inspected and compressor wear was noted
The inventory for the aircraft parts and labor lists all of the pieces and staff who were active around the aircraft in a 48-hour span
The information that you have linked off of the first stem of ideas brings you closer to discovering the root cause of the problem. You have identified the main possibilities and now you can expand each possible cause by choosing the most probable outcome. This is what that might look like in our example:
The mechanic installed a part incorrectly which caused a malfunction. This caused the turbine to become damaged during a flight. This is the primary cause (also known as the main cause) of the failure.
Now that this hypothesis has been created, inspections can focus on certain traits, which means less time searching for a problem and less overall downtime for the aircraft. Even better, if this sort of problem is documented, there can be preventive and predictive maintenance making sure similar malfunctions are avoided in the future.
Other tools in your arsenal along with fishbone diagrams
There are also methods of troubleshooting, like root cause analysis (RCA) and the 5 whys methodology, which helps increase the chances of isolating the root cause of an issue. A fishbone diagram is a handy tool for troubleshooting any mechanical, electrical, or operational issue. As demonstrated in the example above, allow yourself to isolate and categorize the potential problems into subcategories making the troubleshooting fluent and efficient.
In the case of the aircraft example, knowing certain mechanical failures could possibly reoccur, you could store the part on-site or you could introduce more regular inspections to prevent further failures and minimize downtime. A fishbone diagram allows a simple but logical process of elimination which leads to faster problem resolution, ensuring your business reduces downtime and increases productivity.
Customer communication management (CCM) enables businesses to deliver personalized, context-rich communication, maximizing selling opportunities across various touchpoints.
A strong CCM, if appropriately implemented, can reduce operational costs, streamline communications, increase opportunities for cross-selling and up-selling. It can enhance your omnichannel communication and branding strategy and become a valuable tool for customer engagement with personalized customer communications.
Sneak-peak into the top 5 ways a robust customer communication management platform benefits your organization:
Empowering Employees
Customer communication management platform empowers employees with flexible designing and authoring capabilities by leveraging reusable designs, images, graphics, company policies, disclaimers, and graphs. CCM allows multiple users to collaborate via effective version control, check-in/ check-out, and approval workflows. Employees can also seamlessly and efficiently use external data sources and repositories to create effective contextual communication.
Personalizing Customer Experience
CCM helps you to deliver personalized communication to each customer on time, every time, with consistency and standardization through their preferred channel. You can add a personal touch to each communication by arranging variable data and information in structured templates in the customer’s preferred language. Welcome kits, negotiated insurance policies, appeals, and grievances communication are some of its best examples. Sending e-cards on birthdays and anniversaries improves your customer engagement.
Enabling Multichannel Delivery
Customer communication management enables marketing teams to configure, validate, and send contextual communications/offers to customers through their preferred medium, increasing offer effectiveness. It can be print, digital, social, or a mix of all.
Monitoring Communication
Once delivered, CCM tracks its delivery status, like delivered, undelivered, read, unread, clicked or bounced, etc., to get a 360-degree view of the customer communication lifecycle. CCM recommends complimentary offers for its customers based on the result, thereby increasing its selling opportunities. It also helps with the omnichannel branding experience with the same logo, color, font, design, and message, assembled in a structured template distributed across various mediums.
Securing Communications
CCM ensures the security of various documents. Encrypted data, digital signatures, password protection, and user-based access to copy, paste, and print help secure documents as per compliance.
Key Takeaway
A robust customer communication management platform helps you deliver a personalized customer experience using a ready-to-use template design with security and compliance.
Read one of our case studies with a leading insurance company to learn how Newgen helped them enhance their customer service.
Maybe you’re at a stressful point in your business and the maintenance team is struggling to keep up. Your team suggests purchasing maintenance management software. But what type is best for your company?
There’s a lot of different software available—from computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) to enterprise asset management (EAM)—and it can be hard to choose which one is right for you. In this article, we’ll break down the differences between CMMS and EAM software so that you can decide which will benefit your business most.
What is a CMMS?
A CMMS is a software solution that can help you manage maintenance and asset. It’s useful for many industries, including manufacturing, construction, utilities, and transportation. A CMMS can be used to track maintenance requirements and work orders.
A CMMS will also allow you to create an inventory of assets such as tools or machinery that need to be maintained or repaired. This allows you to keep track of each item’s condition so that when it comes time for them to be serviced or replaced, they will have a history regarding the cost-effectiveness of doing so, versus simply buying new ones at a full retail price every time one breaks down.
What is EAM software?
Enterprise asset management (EAM) software is a tool that can be used to track the maintenance of all types of assets, from small equipment to large industrial machines. It allows you to keep track of what your assets are, where they are located, how much they cost, and when they need maintenance. EAM software allows you to easily generate reports on this information so that you can see at-a-glance which assets need repair or replacement.
What is the difference between CMMS and EAM?
The CMMS originated as a punch-card system used to manage work orders in the 1960s. But despite its relatively low-tech beginnings, the technology has come a long way. Today, it allows maintenance teams to easily keep a centralized record of all assets and equipment they are responsible for, as well as schedule and track maintenance activities and keep a detailed record of the work they’ve performed. Generally speaking, the purpose of a CMMS is to manage all maintenance activities during the operational part of an asset’s life—all the time that it’s working as a productive part of a facility.
In contrast with a CMMS, EAM software provides a view of an organization’s assets and infrastructure throughout the entire lifecycle, from creation or procurement to disposal. So while an EAM can technically provide the same capabilities that a CMMS does, there are additional features available through an EAM that may overlap with an organization’s ERP, or may not be a requirement at all for the team purchasing maintenance management software.
CMMS vs. EAM
A computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) and enterprise asset management (EAM) software share some similarities but are used in different ways and for different purposes. Below is a table that illustrates some of the differences:
CMMS
EAM
Definition
A CMMS automates the collection and analysis of data to optimize maintenance operations. It can also be used to manage preventive maintenance activities.
An EAM software automates and analyzes data to help optimize maintenance operations as well as provide visibility into all crucial assets across an organization.
Advantages
Provides a single source of truth for all assetsReduces the risk of equipment failureImproves productivity and employee morale
Provides clear asset identification and managementImproves business processes through automation
Features
Monitors and optimizes scheduling work orders, purchasing inventory, and asset maintenance
Monitors, tracks and locates all critical assets, as well as monitors facility conditions
When it comes to technology it’s important to know what your options are
One of the difficulties of delineating a CMMS from an EAM software is that the gap between the two categories is more narrow than ever. Thanks to its start as a punch-card system, CMMS software is often seen as more rudimentary and less feature-rich than its EAM cousin. But when it comes to the capabilities shared between a CMMS and EAM, their quality and depth are more or less equal. The primary difference lies in scope.
Many CMMS solutions integrate with software like ERP systems in ways that allow them to perform similarly to EAM software, while still offering a user-friendly experience. The best course of action is to learn all you can about the solutions available to your team and determine which features are most important to help you hit your maintenance KPIs.
Nuix Discover® for Government has been designated FedRAMP Ready, at the high-security impact level, and is now listed in the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program Marketplace for US federal agencies and government contractors.
Nuix has initiated the FedRAMP authorization process, which can take up to 12 months. Upon authorization, federal agencies will be able to use Nuix Discover for Government to process and store their most sensitive unclassified data.
“We’re excited to have achieved this important milestone on the path to becoming FedRAMP Authorized at the High Impact level and providing a secure and robust cloud eDiscovery and investigation solution for federal agencies,” said Michael Smith, EVP, Americas at Nuix. “As part of our mission of finding truth in a digital world to be a force for good, we look forward to helping our federal government customers conduct their most sensitive and significant investigations using our secure cloud software.”
WHAT IS NUIX DISCOVER® FOR GOVERNMENT?
Nuix Discover for Government combines the world’s leading eDiscovery processing, review, analytics, and predictive coding in one software-as-a-service solution that can be hosted in Nuix’s US government-only cloud environment or an agency’s private cloud. It dramatically improves the speed and quality of early case assessment, investigation, document review, and case management in eDiscovery, investigation, and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request processes.
As part of the FedRAMP authorization process, Nuix has incorporated world-class end-to-end encryption into Nuix Discover for Government, meeting Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules.
The FedRAMP High Impact level is required for agencies that handle the government’s most sensitive, unclassified data in cloud computing environments. This includes systems where the loss of confidentiality, integrity, or availability could have a severe or catastrophic adverse effect on organizational operations, organizational assets or individuals.
“This significant investment in cloud security benefits not just our federal government customers but everyone who uses Nuix software as a service,” said Michael Smith.
Today, low code application development platforms are becoming the go-to option for enterprises to accelerate their digital journeys. According to Gartner, “low-code application platforms (LCAP) are expected to remain the largest component of the low-code development technology market through 2022, increasing nearly 30% from 2020 to reach $5.8 billion in 2021.”
What do you need to know about low code application development platforms?
A low code application development platform empowers professional IT developers and streamlines enterprise-wide workflows by enabling rapid development and deployment of complex, context-aware, and customer-centric business applications. It can help enterprises deliver a frictionless and hassle-free experience to their customers, employees, and partners.
With a low code platform, enterprises can:
Enable end-to-end automation of complex and content-centric business processes
Create domain-rich solutions to cater to dynamically evolving business requirements
Rapidly design and develop enterprise-grade applications for web and mobile
Drive continuous process improvement and enable a rich user experience with new-age technologies
Key business benefits to unlock
Ensure happy customers: Today’s tech-savvy customers want you to respond quickly to their evolving needs. Here, low code arrives as a savior by allowing you to rapidly adapt to the changing market and customer needs.
Empower IT: IT teams are burdened with the maintenance of systems with periodic updates, compliance checks, and various performance measurements. You can minimize this technical burden by automating such recurring tasks through low code capabilities, thereby letting your IT team handle more critical and dynamic processes.
Enable Faster go-to-market: The platform can help reduce application development duration through reusable components and drag-and-drop tools. This enables enterprises to bring their applications to market quickly and timely incorporate any required changes.
Enhance IT governance: Shadow IT is one of the most significant areas of concern for enterprises as it accrues technical debt and affects its overall risk monitoring. Low code deftly handles shadow IT by reducing dependency on third-party applications and ensuring a collaboration-driven work environment. Low code boosts IT governance by doing away with data, process, and security vulnerabilities.
Your enterprise can gain much more than speed and agility by leveraging low code with a suitable platform. Read this whitepaper to learn how a low code-based digital transformation platform can help organizations unlock simplicity by managing their content, processes, and communications.
It’s about time you started taking care of your equipment. It’s not just about whether or not you’re working with the latest and greatest, it’s about making sure that what you have is up and running as efficiently as possible. You don’t want to find out that your equipment needs repair in the middle of a critical operation, or worse: when it breaks down completely. That can lead to lost time, money, and even injury.
But why does this happen?
A lot of facilities and maintenance managers find it challenging to manage their preventive maintenance programs without using spreadsheets—but spreadsheets can be time-consuming, get lost among other paperwork, or be downright frustrating.
Preventive maintenance (sometimes called preventative) software enables managers to schedule maintenance, send alerts to the right people when a job is due, and increase resource access and allocation. It also keeps equipment operating efficiently, increases the safety of employees, and helps you avoid costly repairs down the road. In this article, we will discuss preventive maintenance software, why its used, examples, and some important things to consider when implementing it at your organization.
What is preventive maintenance software (and who uses it)?
Preventive maintenance software is used to help schedule ongoing preventive maintenance work. It allows companies to be proactive about their maintenance, rather than reactive. It’s often used by maintenance and plant managers and other industrial and maintenance personnel. It’s used because it’s one of the best solutions to avoid unexpected repairs. By planning your preventive maintenance schedule, you can be proactive about the regular checkups that keep your equipment running smoothly.
Three steps to consider when choosing a preventive maintenance software
1. Understand at what level your organization manages preventive maintenance
Before choosing your preventive maintenance software it’s important to first understand at what level your organization manages preventive maintenance. If you have a large company with many different sites, it would be beneficial for you to use something like a CMMS. This will allow your sites and teams access to the same information and data.
Whereas, a good fit for a smaller organization may be a single-site solution. The next step to consider is how much money you want to spend or can spend on a solution. While there are programs that are low cost, and sometimes free, others may need more funding to run properly and improve your processes.
2. Assess your needs vs. your wants
When choosing the right preventive maintenance software, it’s important to first assess your wants and needs. This means reviewing your processes and seeing how they can be improved with the software. Think about what features the software has that can improve efficiencies for your team and maintenance process, and ask yourself:
What are my goals?
How much time do I have to dedicate to a project? (Consider if there’s already a system that needs improving)
What kind of data do I want to track? (Think about how many assets you have, and how many technicians and managers you employ)
3. Stick to the financial budget
Every maintenance team needs to stick to its financial budget, and choosing preventive maintenance software can be costly. When you’re making a decision consider the budget you have available and the structure of the business. This will help you determine the best solution. In addition, it’s important to keep future scenarios in mind, and financial forecast and plan for things like: business growth, new facilities, and economic downturns.
Types of preventive maintenance software
Preventive maintenance software comes in all shapes and sizes, from extremely specialized systems to giant platforms connecting maintenance to other business units. Below are the most common types of preventive maintenance software.
1. Computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS)
CMMS software and maintenance apps help maintenance teams keep detailed and centralized records of all assets, equipment, and completed work. A CMMS allows facilities to plan, track, and optimize work orders, inventory, and everything associated with maintenance.
A CMMS manages all the maintenance activities that take place during the operational part of an asset’s life. At the same time, this type of preventive maintenance software works as a productive part of a facility.
All CMMS preventive maintenance software can be divided into two groups: Cloud-based CMMS software and on-premise CMMS software.
2. Enterprise asset management (EAM)
EAM software provides a holistic view of an organization’s physical assets and infrastructure throughout its entire lifecycle, from design and procurement to operation, maintenance, disposal, and replacement. EAM systems record asset information, manage work orders, coordinate inventory purchasing and usage, organize labor, track contracts, measure costs, and spending, and calculate KPIs.
3. Enterprise resource planning (ERP)
Here’s how ERP software works: every company has different business units that make it function, like accounting, human resources, and maintenance. ERP software takes everything these different departments do and connects them, so the entire organization has the same processes and information.
Because there is one central place for all data, it means an accountant, a salesperson, a maintenance technician, and a CEO can all use the system for their day-to-day activities while relying on the same information to plan, assess, and complete those activities. By collecting transactional data from multiple sources, ERP systems eliminate data duplication, offer data integrity, and provide a single source of truth.
While it’s not exactly maintenance software, ERP systems are part of the larger maintenance technology ecosystem. It’s important for maintenance technology to be able to integrate with an ERP system to help keep accurate inventory levels and keep your finance team in the loop. Many other preventive maintenance technologies are used in asset-heavy production and manufacturing facilities.
Steps to take when integrating preventive maintenance software at your organization
Integrating any type of new technology or software into an existing workplace can be challenging, but taking the right steps will make the process much easier for everyone involved in using the new technology. Here are the steps to follow when implementing a new preventive maintenance software:
Recognize that integration is a process, not an event. Integrating preventive maintenance software involves a lot of planning, and preparation, as well as addressing technical challenges that may occur prior to the implementation and cause risk, and a plan of action for when and if those challenges occur.
Plan at the right level. You will inevitably ask yourself if it makes sense to integrate this software with the existing systems or processes, but you need to plan ahead for the future as well. For example, if you’re integrating a CMMS for multiple facilities and warehouses, you can easily integrate them together from day one—rather than having two separate systems talking to each other through other means (like an email).
Recognize that acceptance of the new software won’t always be smooth. Read that again. It’s hard for managers to recognize that their team may not embrace the new software with open arms. You may face challenges and questions about the software, why it’s being used, and how exactly it’s going to save time and money. Be prepared to address these concerns and work with your team to get into the new processes. With time, your team will recognize how valuable software like a CMMS or ERP really is.
The right maintenance software can help your company save money and reduce downtime
By implementing preventive maintenance software your team can become more proactive about your maintenance. The first step is to assess where preventive maintenance occurs in your organization, and next, you need to review your current needs and wants so that when you find the right software for your organization there are no surprises.
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