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ASSET ENABLEMENT AND CALIBRATION PART 3

BY RIAN VAN DER MERWE

During my twelve years as a consultant in the asset environment, I have lost track of how many assets I have seen that have never been utilised to their full potential or never even been taken out of their boxes. Asset enablement is all about making sure that the asset that is put to work is delivering the best service for its purpose and therefore justifying  the expenditure thereof.

The enablement phase is post procurement. At this stage the investment has been committed to and the focus shifts to enabling this asset to function properly.

There are a number of potential stages in the enablement phase, including:• project management• environmental preparation• setup, install, confi gure and calibrate• integration• training• marketing.

Each of these points will be briefl y discussed below.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Most enterprise clients register an offi cial project when implementing new assets, processes or systems. A project manager is then appointed and given key deliverables and a timeline to enable the product within a specifi ed budget.Project management is one of the key components of enabling a new asset correctly. Often there are a number of role players in a company that each play an essential part in the enablement of an asset. These role players can potentially be individuals from fi nance, procurement, IT, legal services, etc. A project manager should be a neutral party that assists to obtain the correct level of input from internal and external role players in order to meet the set deliverables.

ENVIRONMENTAL PREPARATION

Different assets would have different requirements. In the case of a large digital printer for instance, one would consider the following factors from an environmental perspective to ensure that the environment is correctly prepared for installation:• Circuit breaker on the DB board to support the

device.• Suffi cient power and network points should

be available.• Suffi cient space for the device footprint to

allow for opening of side doors and pulling fi nishers forward on rails.

• Suffi cient ventilation.• Room temperature control.• Access control.

SETUP, INSTALL, CONFIGURE AND CALIBRATE

I have just purchased a new laptop and have experienced afresh how much effort is required after taking the product out of the box before it can replace my old machine. In order for me to use the new machine I had to do the obvious, like charging the batteries and switching it on, change power connectors and screen output ports, confi gure software, load all my personalised applications, confi gure the settings, transfer my data, etc. The enablement of a tool that was designed to be ’plug and play’ took me fi ve days. In the past I have taken short cuts and was eventually forced to format my machine and do it properly.

Additional to the setup and confi guration, I read the

tutorials and electronic manual on my new product and found that it had powerful advantages to my old machine. Had I not read this, I would have continued to use this product in the old fashion that I was used to and would not get the benefi t of wonderful time-saving features.

The setup and installation process of a complex asset requires a step by step process to setup, confi gure and install. Even seasoned technicians make confi guration errors in complex installations. For this reason it is strongly recommended to request that installation personnel use an installation guide to limit potential errors.

The following additional documentation should be provided by the installer as proof that the asset was installed correctly:• A completed installation checklist.• A calibration certifi cate.• A Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) checklist.• A passed product test certifi cate.• The product warrantee activation.

Documentation like these will ensure that a product is installed correctly and is ready for use. These documents should also be fi led appropriately for any future reference.

INTEGRATION

Often companies take almost the entire lifecycle of an asset before they have completed and matured an asset integration into essential back-

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end systems and processes. Even though there is an excitement to start using the new asset and integration might delay the launch with weeks or even months, it is nothing compared to the effi ciency that you would gain when you complete the integrations upfront.

Integrations require specialists from both your internal systems as well as the asset supplier. Once the architecture of both ends are understood, a fl ow diagram should be drawn up and approved by both parties. Once the fl ow diagram is approved, both parties will develop the required plugin to enable the integration. The integration should fi rst be tested in a controlled environment and provided

that it passes all tests, be introduced into the production environment.

TRAINING

It goes without saying that an essential part of the enablement of a new asset involves appropriate training. There are often multiple role players that have different responsibilities regarding the asset that might require different levels of training, such as operators, administrators, fi rst line support, etc.

It is generally preferred that the suppliers offer more formal training with a testing process, (even if it is a practical test) to ensure that the required skills to operate the asset is properly instilled.

MARKETING

A new asset provides an opportunity to market the added opportunities and capacities it brings to your clients. Companies buy assets with the core aim to reap a return on their investments. Therefore, besides the fact that the new asset provides the ideal opportunity to engage with clients, the interaction would in return lead to turnover which is the commonly accepted test of a successful, enabled asset.

Rian van der Merwe +27 (0) 83 257 2601(+27 11) 234 8116 rian@fi ne-print.co.za

THE INTEGRATION SHOULD FIRST BE TESTED IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AND PROVIDED THAT IT PASSES ALL TESTS, BE INTRODUCED INTO THE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT.