In episode 149 of the Asset Champion podcast, host Mike Petrusky speaks with Susan Clarke, Senior Manager of Building Operations Strategy at Autodesk, and Erik Zink, Vice President of Worktech Consultancy & Corporate Development at Eptura. The guests share the latest trends and challenges in asset management, explain the opportunity for collaboration between different teams, and talk about what it takes to be a facility management leader today. They discuss the importance of data quality, the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving workflows, and the need for a holistic approach that considers the entire asset lifecycle. Quality data in asset management is a “team sport” that requires collaboration across multiple teams, including architecture, construction, and operations, so the guests share a framework for improving data management by focusing on stakeholders, standards, and skills. They also offer practical advice on how to start digital transformation projects.
Agenda
- Future of data management in facility and asset management
- Concept of data management as a “team sport”
- Opportunities related to data standardization and workforce changes
- Advice on how to get started with digital transformation
What you need to know: Facility and maintenance takeaways
Takeaway 1: Quality data management in facility and asset management is a team sport that requires cross-functional collaboration
Organizations must see data management as a collaborative effort.
“Quality data in this industry is very much a team sport. And to get better quality data in facilities management, we’re going to need different teams to come together. It’s not just the work of facilities management teams, but it’s also the work of architecture, construction firms, and beyond,” explains Clarke.
Zink adds: “It’s critical that those teams understand the upstream and downstream impacts of what they are doing because a lot of times we will see certain functions or pieces of the process doing things a certain way, not recognizing that what they are doing may have a negative impact on something downstream.”
Both stress the need for alignment and communication across departments to ensure data is accurate and useful throughout the asset lifecycle.
Takeaway 2: Facility and asset management leaders should start small with digital transformation and AI to effectively manage their data
Digital transformation isn’t all at once. Organizations should start with smaller projects that help them build momentum and confidence. The first step is finding the right place to start.
Clarke encourages facility managers to “take one part of your process and see the impact of better digital processes or digital workflows around that one area.”
She shares examples of facility managers who are already experimenting with AI, like feeding in maintenance documents for trend analysis. “I think there are some very incremental ways that you can start testing AI as a facility manager.”
Takeaway 3: Addressing data standards and skills is crucial for effective data management in facilities and asset management.
Clarke’s research with IFMA identified three key areas: stakeholders, standards, and skills.
“We’ve already dug into the fact that we need to bring lots of stakeholders together to drive alignment around data outputs. But equally important, we found was spending time thinking about some of the foundational data governance and data standards that you want to govern your enterprise data related to facilities management.”
Zink echoes this point, emphasizing the challenge of data standardization, especially for organizations that have grown through acquisitions. “If you think about the complexity of a customer’s environment, especially if they’ve grown through acquisition, there’s a need for data cleanup,” he says.
Maintenance management insights
- Quality data in facility management is a team sport, requiring collaboration across multiple teams, including architects, construction firms, and facility management.
- Stakeholders, standards, and skills all play a role in improving data management.
- Facility managers and asset managers should start small with digital transformation and AI to see incremental impacts before scaling up.
- Organizations need to find ways to mitigate the impacts of workforce changes, including the aging workforce and the potential loss of embedded knowledge.
- Technology, particularly AI, can help reduce manual effort and improve data quality.
Do a deep dive into more asset management insights by exploring all Asset Champion Podcast episodes.
