Facilities Management Performance Improvement - Public Sector
Peter Cholakis
Improve facilities repair, renovation, maintenance, and new build outcomes and reduce costs
Adapting to changes and making progress isn’t easy.
It is particularly especially difficult in the public sector where the same methods have been in place for decades with no apparent motivation for improvement.
Nonetheless savvy public facility management professionals are diligently working to significantly alter the 'status quo' and achieve significant performance gains. Proven successes can be found where public sector FMers have, through their leadership, competence, and commitment, begun to implement integrated LEAN planning, procurement, and project delivery processes for their real property portfolio's ongoing repair, renovation, maintenance, sustainability, and new build requirements. Examples of these processes are integrated project delivery, IPD, for major new construction, and LEAN job order contracting for repair, renovation, and "minor" new construction.
With respect to these new processes, technology is an enabler. Technology embeds these robust processes, providing a solid platform within which employees can perform meaningful work. Technology, however, should never be the driver. Furthermore, as indicated, people need tools to help their work. Program management", "IWMS", "ERP", and other "general purpose" systems rarely improve work efficiency and simply add another layer of administrative burden.
In short, a focus upon robust LEAN processes across all core FM related activities... planning, procurement, and project delivery... and subsequent selection and implementation of domain-specific technology, is a most direct path to best value outcomes.