With more processes and systems in facilities management, facilities managers must keep an eye on trends and analyze a broad range of categories. Today, the key challenge is to build a function where data drives decision-making.
Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, once said, “The goal is to turn data into information, and information into insight.” While the concept of data mining and warehousing is simple, the complexity, size, and value of the data are areas of concern. Facilities managers must use this data to show how the FM function is performing, often through a dashboard. CXOs and business leaders now expect facilities managers to act as key data providers, not just enablers. This is where “Big Data Analytics” in facilities management comes into play.
Facilities managers face several challenges today:
- Lack of clear metrics to benchmark or share with stakeholders.
- Outdated systems that don’t effectively manage issues.
- No effective systems to gather or track data.
- Poor visibility into performance.
The solution is to integrate Big Data Analytics into facilities management. The goal is to use a structured framework to transform data into information, optimizing both functional and strategic decision-making.
This structured framework in Big Data Analytics for facilities management can be broken down into four key areas:
- Activities: Plan, design, build, operate, and commission.
- Associated Contingencies: Financial analysis, cost estimation, procurement, utilization, operations, planned maintenance, and repairs.
- Business Processes: Project delivery, space management, operations and maintenance, inventory management, capacity planning, and functional management.
- Supporting Technologies: Computer-Aided Facilities Management (CAFM), Building Automation, Computer Maintenance Management, Capital Planning, and Project Management systems.
The Big Data environment will adapt as market complexities grow. By learning from historical data and using technology, facilities managers can gain insights that lead to creative and efficient decisions with a long-lasting impact.
