Change Management
Managing engineering change is not a trivial exercise. There is usually a mass of often conflicting information held in separate systems.
Key questions have to be answered:
- What are the physical implications of the change?
- Have we got accurate information of what exists?
- What are the costs of the physical changes?
- What are the benefits?
- How many documents are impacted by the change?
- What is the cost of identifying and changing them?
- Will this cost, combined with the physical costs, make the proposal unviable?
I have worked on many change control processes to meet both regulatory requirements and the needs for efficient, low risk change in complex 24x7 process environments. I have recently selected software to support our work.
These partners provide a software solution that integrates all your information sources. They have an engineering pedigree, both here and in the USA. In the UK, they concentrate on the Configuration/Asset Management/Engineering Change Control capabilities of their premier product, frequently linking to other key systems, such as existing electronic document and drawing repositories and computerised maintenance systems.
The product itself has a strong Document Management capability. It acts as a "Corporate Glue" across a client organisation or complex project environments, uniquely creating links and connections between engineering data and documents, the relevant physical items, projects, organisations, people and physical locations. Because of these connected relationships, the value of existing systems is enhanced by promoting wide-spread usage of the knowledge that previously existed in separate silos.
As a key benefit, the product facilitates very efficient Engineering Change Management - typically saving 15-20% of these costs for an organisation.
As in all our work we intend operations to be across the entire asset lifecycle - handling information in Bid Response, Conceptual Design, Detailed Design & Construction/Fabrication, Handover, Operations and Maintenance and De-Commissioning projects. The latter was found to be the most demanding "information need" in one of our studies, because of CDM Regulations.
Our projects have enabled customers to benefit from speedier project delivery, reduced costs and risk for Engineering Change; and greater control in long-term maintenance and operational areas.