Best Practices for Asset Information Access ARC’s CALM (Collaborative Asset Lifecycle Management) model is a Best Practice-based strategy for developing effective capital asset management programs. Asset information management is a key element of all CALM programs and applying Best Practices in this arena should be a top priority for all asset owners/ operators. A previous ARC Insight discussed Best Practices surrounding the capture and maintenance of Asset Information (ARC Insight 2003-21E – Best Practices for Managing Asset Information). This Insight extends that discussion by addressing Best Practices for asset information access by the many asset stakeholders internal and external to the organization. Diversity in asset information roles and stakeholder needs demands use of collaboration via web-based tools and role-based portals that support access through visualization.

1. THOUGHT LEADERS FOR MANUFACTURING & SUPPLY CHAIN
ARC INSIGHTS
By Sid Snitkin
INSIGHT# 2003-32E
AUGUST 6, 2003
Diversity in asset information roles
and stakeholder needs demands that
Asset Information Access Best
Practices include collaboration, web
access and role-based portals that
support access through visualization.
Best Practices for Asset Information Access
Keywords
CALM, EAM, Asset Information Management, CEC
Summary
ARC’s CALM (Collaborative Asset Lifecycle Management) model is a Best
Practice-based strategy for developing effective capital asset management
programs. Asset information management is a key element of all CALM
programs and applying Best Practices in this arena
should be a top priority for all asset own-
ers/operators.
A previous ARC Insight discussed Best Practices sur-
rounding the capture and maintenance of Asset
Information (ARC Insight 2003-21E – Best Practices
for Managing Asset Information). This Insight ex-
tends that discussion by addressing Best Practices for asset information ac-
cess by the many asset stakeholders internal and external to the
organization. Diversity in asset information roles and stakeholder needs
demands use of collaboration via web-based tools and role-based portals
that support access through visualization.
Analysis
Asset information is diverse and develops throughout an asset’s lifecycle.
Requirements, specifications, POs and contracts are created during plan-
ning and procurement stages. Design information for processes, facilities
and equipment, including drawings, calculations, bills of materials, installa-
tion, operation and maintenance instructions, are key information
deliverables of the asset acquisition stage. This information is subsequently
revised during installation to include actual settings and adjustments and
during the asset’s operate/maintain phase for modifications and upgrades.
Historical information about the asset’s use and maintenance are also re-
corded during this latter phase.

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Role Is Central to Effective Information Management
Asset information plays different roles and fulfills different needs during
these various lifecycle stages. Best practices in asset information manage-
ment must respect these differences and support the unique needs of
different stakeholders in each phase.
In the early stages of planning and acquisition, information is used to de-
fine intent and to support decision making. The benefits of effective asset
information management are reduced engineering time and better deci-
sionmaking. Collaboration is a key issue while information is generally
only shared on a periodic basis to keep various groups coordinated. Web-
enabled CAD/CAE products and their associated document management
capabilities provide the Best Practice solutions for these asset information
management needs.
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Operate/MaintainPlan Acquire Install
Define Communicate UnderstandIntent
Decide Execute SupportUse
Engr ($) Capital ($$) Recurring ($$$)$ Impact
Periodic Prompt ImmediateTiming
Collaboration Change Control AccessIssues
CAD/CAE Doc Mgmt VisualizationSolution
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Operate/MaintainPlan Acquire Install
Define Communicate UnderstandIntent Define Communicate UnderstandIntent
Decide Execute SupportUse Decide Execute SupportUse
Engr ($) Capital ($$) Recurring ($$$)$ Impact Engr ($) Capital ($$) Recurring ($$$)$ Impact
Periodic Prompt ImmediateTiming Periodic Prompt ImmediateTiming
Collaboration Change Control AccessIssues Collaboration Change Control AccessIssues
CAD/CAE Doc Mgmt VisualizationSolution CAD/CAE Doc Mgmt VisualizationSolution
During the manufacturing and installation stages, asset information be-
comes a key tool for communicating specifics to machine shops, fabricators,
sub-contractors, sub-tier suppliers and construction contractors. Proper
and efficient execution of these activities is the primary focus and informa-
tion questions must be resolved promptly to avoid costly delays in
complex, multi-party project schedules and expensive rework. Web-
enabled document management systems, particularly those supported by
CAD/CAE companies, are the Best Practice solution for these stages by fa-
cilitating quick access to structured document trees, tight change
management control and prompt dissemination of changes to all parties.

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©2003 • ARC • 3 Allied Drive • Dedham, MA 02026 USA • 781-471-1000 • ARCweb.com
The need for asset information
recurs throughout an assets long,
useful lifetime. Effective information
management during this stage is
particularly important and offers
extremely large paybacks.
Operate/Maintain Presents Some Unique Challenges
In early asset lifecycle stages, stakeholders can anticipate their need for in-
formation. Stakeholders in operate/maintain activities rarely know what
they will need or when they will need it. But when the need arises, their
need is immediate as there can be huge costs associated with even minutes
of downtime. Therefore, asset information management in this stage must
support the most rapid access to information facilitating rapid response and
repair to bring a piece of equipment back on-line.
During the operate/maintain stage, asset information
supports the effective use of assets by the
owner/operator. Getting the maximum Return-on-
Assets (ROA) requires operators to understand how
the equipment is supposed to work under all condi-
tions. Continuous improvement programs like ARC’s
Operational Excellence (OpX) and Overall Equipment
Effectiveness (OEE) likewise require an understanding of the optimum po-
tential of each asset. Effective maintenance programs focus on minimizing
unplanned downtime and require a clear understanding of the asset’s de-
sign and operating failure modes to establish appropriate maintenance
strategies and optimal parts inventories. Since these needs recur during an
asset’s useful life, effective asset information management can provide the
greatest benefits during this stage.
Stakeholders’ diversity is another distinguishing feature of the oper-
ate/maintain lifecycle stage. In earlier stages, stakeholders are specialists
who continuously work on capital asset design and installation. They are
comfortable with more technical forms of asset information and access
methods. During the operate/maintain stage, stakeholders are production
and supporting personnel in maintenance, parts management, purchasing,
accounting, etc. While they can describe the asset and its location in com-
mon terms, they often have no idea about specific asset names or
equipment codes, nor care to learn this information. Interfaces requiring
this information hinder employee’s timely access to information leading to
inefficiencies at the most critical times.
Visualization Provides Role-Based Portal Capabilities
Role-based portals are recognized as a Best Practice for information access.
Portal technology enables users to navigate through widely distributed in-

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©2003 • ARC • 3 Allied Drive • Dedham, MA 02026 USA • 781-471-1000 • ARCweb.com
formation without having to know the location of the information or the
characteristics of different systems. Portals that support the needs of spe-
cific organizational roles amplify the benefits of portal technology by
delivering only the right information in the most useful form for the user.
Role-based portals provide an ideal approach for accessing information for
assets in the Operate/Maintain lifecycle stage. But such portals must rec-
ognize that they support both power and casual users of asset information.
They must exploit the fact that these users recognize capital assets as the
physical objects they see on a day-to-day basis and use this as the basis for
information access. Asset-information portals that support structured, “hot
spot enabled” pictures, 3D drawings and sketches capture this capability
and are considered a Best Practice approach in this arena.
Recommendations
• Get everyone in your organization to recognize the importance of com-
prehensive, accurate asset information and ensure that all lifecycle
stages for new assets are managed with asset information in an elec-
tronically accessible format being a key deliverable.
• Review your current information accessing capabilities for assets in the
operate/maintain stage against the Best Practice approaches discussed
in this report. Do these capabilities meet the demanding needs of op-
erations, maintenance and other asset information stakeholders? If not,
investigate how role-based portals and visualization could benefit your
company.
Please help us improve our deliverables to you – take our survey linked to this
transmittal e-mail or at www.arcweb.com/myarc in the Client Area. For further
information, contact your account manager or the author at srsnitkin@arcweb.com.
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