Throughout the summer, we’ve been hard at work developing Maximo, the new Asset Management System that will replace FAMIS. Here’s a status update:
In June, we announced that Phase 1 of this initiative would continue until Maximo’s go-live in winter 2024. We are still on track to meet this deadline, and the decommissioning of FAMIS will follow shortly afterwards.
What has happened since June?
The project team (IT, JLL, and FMAS) has begun designing and developing the platform to ensure that the final solution addresses most of our expressed needs.
Integrations (applications that are used to transfer information to and from other systems) are being developed to enable data transfer between Maximo and McGill's existing IT infrastructure. The project team's work on connecting Maximo with Banner, Unifier, eSpace (Space Management), and McGill MarketPlace is expected to continue until November.
What are the next steps?
System and user-acceptance testing will begin in November. We look forward to seeing how purchasing, work orders, inventory management, and all our current FAMIS processes work in Maximo.
Change management lays the groundwork to support impacted FMAS employees through this transformation. Your participation makes a difference. To help make this project a success, we invite you to get involved with the Change Network. The benefits of membership include:
- Advance exposure to Maximo,
- The opportunity to contribute to training material creation,
- Early-bird Maximo training,
- Becoming a go-to resource for your colleagues.
To find out more, please contact the project’s Change Management Advisor, valerie.connell [at] mcgill.ca.
New development team member
The project team welcomes their new Business Program Manager: Olivier Bemmann, who came to McGill one and a half years ago as Contract Administrator in Facilities Operations. He will now be involved in the Maximo Asset Management project and work closely with Fabien Welp-Barr (Associate Director, Asset Management Processes Utilities & Energy Management) on the following:
- Determine the business processes.
- Act as liaison between FMAS and the IT project teams.
- Ensure the system’s setup, maintenance, and continual improvements, going forward.
- Supervise end-user training and ensure future knowledge transfer and documentation updates.
Training
To prepare you for using Maximo in your activities, end-user training for most FMAS staff will begin early winter. Stay tuned for an invite!
Selected management and staff members will receive advance training so they will be able to assist others during end-user training and in the immediate post-go-live period. They will also ensure that training materials are accurate, easy to use, and ready for use by FMAS employees.
How will this solution help us manage our facilities assets?
Maximo provides the following features and benefits:
- A user-friendly self-service portal available on both desktop and mobile platforms.
- Accessibility from anywhere on campus for both work orders and timecard entries.
- Reduction of paper-based processes and unnecessary duplication of work.
- Automated system tasks, leading to greater efficiency of operations.
- Meets industry standards and is used in many similar organizations.
- Enhanced reporting on operations through dashboards and a diverse set of reports.
Maximo will enable the following:
- Access to information in real-time, to better-inform decision-making.
- Greater visibility on all assets.
- Clients’ ability to track their service requests on the portal.
For more information on the Maximo solution and project plan, please see the project announcement.
Questions? Send them over to maximo.fmas [at] mcgill.ca