Terminology used by maintenance departments can be inconsistent, at best. There are countless terms to describe different maintenance strategies and work types, including world-class maintenance, preventive maintenance, corrective maintenance, 6:1 maintenance golden rule and more. Robert Brieck, a professional services consultant for DPSI, shared his views on maintenance management terminology inconsistencies in the June/July 2019 issue of Uptime Magazine. The following excerpt originally appeared in the article, “Battle of the Work Types.”
“Each organization needs to clearly define and record its own, unique meaning associated with each work type to eliminate any potential misunderstandings.
Most computerized maintenance management system (CMMS) software solutions allow users to enter this type of information, such as in a comment field. It would be extremely beneficial for an organization, such as the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities, or perhaps another relevant group to publish consistent definitions of terms used by maintenance departments. Undertaking an effort of this magnitude would provide an industry standard for the term, world-class maintenance. Consistent definitions for PM, CM, EM and others would certainly provide unification for maintenance departments across the board, regardless of sector.”
Click here to read “Battle of the Work Types, “the full article written by Robert Brieck and published on reliabilityweb.com. For questions on this topic, or to learn more about CMMS software, contact DPSI for additional information.