Is the word optimization overplayed? Short answer: yes. It’s amazing how many times companies can “optimize” a process, software, organization or maintenance strategy when in reality the myth of optimization is simply a promise with no realization of optimization delivered. The fact is to some degree optimization takes place every time a shutdown, turnaround or outage (STO) occurs. When companies engage in using best-practice methods, tools and philosophies, optimization is a form of continuous improvement. Think about the meaning of optimization: “An act, process or methodology of making something (as a design, system or decision) as fully perfect, functional or effective as possible.”1 Now let’s discover how organizations can capitalize on the facts of optimization.
Experience repeats
For various reasons, we experience the changing of management and contract teams to attrition within the workforce, having no knowledge of what’s taken place in the past. All together this causes revitalization or a circle of optimization. Companies will engage consultants, engineering experts, project managers and even recall previous staff for short-term contracts, all to assist in trying to get it right, yet again. STOs occur for a variety of reasons, including regulatory, corporate strategy, reliability or original equipment manufacturing recommendations, but yet we always seem to rediscover. It’s time to move beyond rediscovering and move to real optimization.
Let’s work into fact-based optimization rather than remaining in the mythical con-fines of contrived optimization. The reality is all STO activities are carried out from three perspectives:
1. People
2. Systems or IT tools
3. Process
Solution
Since we deal with the people, systems and process, this allows us to more easily resolve the continuous evolution of optimization. It takes a structured, disciplined approach but leads to continuous optimization as opposed to rediscovery. I’ve found many companies have a fairly well-designed process to deal with STO activity. The setback is in the lack of knowledge of people and proper use of systems. The solution isn’t always right in front of us, but it also isn’t buried beneath other problems either. Companies use Planning Optimizer (ePOp), Primavera, SAP, MS Project, Maximo and/or a host of other IT solutions. All of these can add terrific value, if used properly. I’ve found the best way is to use a tool that assures your history and knowledge are captured and reused, as opposed to rediscovered. You want a tool that is a best-practice solution, and one that always captures the knowledge of people and records the data in a library of information available to be reused. The data could then be easily found within a few mouse clicks, putting an end to rediscovery. Finally, you need a tool that actually puts the fact back into optimization by connecting the people, systems and process with a true intelligent connection.
Additionally, there are economic elements of optimization or cost cutting involved. We all know preparation for STO activity is not an option. However, it’s a myth to believe all preparation needs to be done on-site. In reality, the discovery of pre-preparation could save companies hundreds of thousands of dollars every time an STO occurs. The fact is pre-preparation can be done remotely, leaving only jobsite walkdowns to be done locally. All jobs can’t be treated equal. But all jobs have potentially been repeated, hence the power of tools to capture these occurrences across many industries.
For more information, visit www.planningoptimizer.net, or contact Larry Olson at (855) 488-0068 or l.olson@nexusglobal.com.
1 “optimization.” Merriam-Webster.com. 2015. www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/optimization (April 2015).
