Physical Attributes and Data Standards

This topic covers:

• Sources of Data
• Determine Key Outputs Required
• Smart Asset Management.

Sources of Data

Each organization will have different sources for the data collection required to implement their asset management systems.

In most cases, the existing sources of data fall into four major categories:

• Graphical plans and maps
• Textual data such as notations on maps or specifications etc.
• The assets themselves, or full-scale working models that can be measured and quantified
• Other sources of data such as photographs and miscellaneous records etc.

Data collection staff need to familiarize themselves with all these sources of data and determine what is the most cost effective way to transfer data from these existing records to the proposed database systems. In some cases, it may require:

• Electronic transfer from existing electronic records
• Manual transfer from handwritten records and plans etc.
• Going out and actually measuring or identifying the data from the assets themselves using either:
  • Manual hard copy or
  • Electronic recording systems (hand held loggers).

No matter what process is required, it is essential that all parties concerned with the data collection have a good understanding of where data is available and what is the most cost effective way to transfer that data into the systems concerned.

Determine Key Outputs Required

• Asset Accounting:
  • Meet accrual accounting outputs
  • Valuation
  • Depreciation
  • Understanding the true cost of service delivery
• Technical Life Cycle Management Systems:
  • Asset attributes
  • Asset condition ranking
  • Asset maintenance records
  • Asset performance records
  • Asset failure mode prediction modeling:
    • Capacity
    • Level of service / reliability
    • Business efficiency (cost reduction opportunities)
  • Risk assessment & management data
  • Optimized renewal decision making data
• Maintenance Management Systems:
  • Procedures/practices
  • Schedules/programs
  • Planned/preventive
  • Unplanned/corrective/complaints
  • Spare parts/inventory relationship
  • Criticality priority setting
• Resource Management Systems:
  • Human staff resources
  • Materials and spare parts (inventory) management
  • Plant and equipment
  • Contract services
• Spatial Data Systems ( GIS and AutoCAD) :
• Detailed plans of facilities and
• Spatial data for networked – linear assets such as sewers