RCM doesn't have to be a team sport any more...

When RCM was first popularised it was heavily promoted as a team activity. One requiring a group of people around a table for the duration.

The key here is the promotion, not the original intention which lent itself to analysts - not facilitated teams. (Who all need training)

And of course, they had to be good people. Technicians, operators and engineers who knew the assets, knew the area of operation, and understood the design and limitations of the machines.

All well and good. A very good way to transform culture, a good way to embed learning, and a good way to get the best available knowledge available in the company into the analysis.

If you can do it that way, you should do it that way. Unfortunately.. it is no longer very practical.

Many companies cannot spare the resources to do this type of approach even if they deeply understand and want the benefits that a facilitated team approach will provide.

Trying to force companies down this path leads to delays, one-man analysis team sessions, more delays, loss of momentum, people drifting in and out of the analysis, and worst - instead of getting the best people, you just get the people who are available.

Team facilitated RCM is great when you can do it... but modern pressures are making it it is largely a thing of the past unfortunately.

There is another limitation that could not have been foreseen when the method was popularized.

The old way of doing this generally limited your inputs to those available and in the room. Today that often means one or two people at best.

When RCM started to be popularised people commiunicated via large devi ces with circles on the front that were attached to walls with cables. (Telephones)

Today, I can find, contact and establish a conversation with the leading hydraulic expert globally in off road mobile hauling assets.. within 12 - 24 hours. (And then I can call her on her cell no matter where in the world she is at the time)

So why would I ever consider limiting my options to the people trapped in the room?

RCM didn't need streamlining, it needed a more efficient way of implementation, one I developed at the turn of the century called the RCM analyst approach...

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