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Five Reasons You Need a Maximo Mobile Solution that Integrates with Indoor GIS

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Five Reasons You Need a Maximo Mobile Solution that Integrates with Indoor GIS

Facility management is a complex task that requires efficient utilization of resources and meticulous organization. In today’s business climate of rapid digitalization, implementing a mobile solution that pairs with your robust enterprise asset management (EAM) system, such as IBM’s Maximo EAM, is crucial.

Furthermore, facility managers can significantly enhance the efficiency of their efforts by choosing a mobile solution that integrates with ArcGIS Indoors.

By combining these powerful tools, facility managers can unlock a range of benefits that improve facility visualization, asset tracking, space management, work order efficiency, indoor navigation, and more. Facility managers who integrate Indoor GIS capabilities with their mobile EAM solution can save both time and costs while improving overall facility management outcomes.

Below, we outline five compelling reasons why investing in a mobile EAM solution that integrates with Indoor GIS will be a game-changer for your facility management operations.

1. Comprehensive Asset Management

Utilizing a mobile solution that integrates with ArcGIS Indoors enables facility managers to seamlessly manage both outdoor and indoor assets. By integrating asset data and location services, facility managers can achieve real-time asset tracking, monitoring, and maintenance. This integration eliminates the need for manual record-keeping and enables facility managers to access critical asset information on the go.

Facility managers can track asset movement, monitor maintenance schedules, and ensure timely repairs. By optimizing asset management processes, facility managers can minimize downtime, increase asset utilization, and reduce maintenance costs.

2. Enhanced Spatial Understanding

ArcGIS Indoors’ detailed indoor mapping and spatial analytics capabilities provide facility managers with enhanced spatial understanding. By integrating this indoor GIS with a mobile solution, facility managers can utilize the detailed and interactive indoor mapping capabilities to visualize their buildings and facilities accurately and gain insights into asset locations, movement patterns, and spatial relationships. These insights improve decision-making, operational efficiency, and resource allocation.

Facility managers can visualize assets in their exact locations, understand spatial constraints, and identify optimal asset placement. By utilizing spatial analytics, they can identify patterns of asset usage, identify potential bottlenecks, and optimize workflows. This integration empowers facility managers to make data-driven decisions, streamline operations, and enhance productivity.

3. Indoor Navigation

An EAM mobile solution that integrates with ArcGIS Indoors offers intuitive and interactive indoor navigation capabilities. The integration provides users with turn-by-turn directions and wayfinding assistance within complex indoor environments. This ensures efficient navigation to desired destinations within buildings, reducing time wastage and enhancing user experience.

Facility managers can easily guide maintenance personnel or visitors to specific areas, assets, or facilities. This integration simplifies navigation within large buildings, multi-building complexes, or campuses, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing confusion.

4. Streamlined Work Order Management

Integrating an EAM mobile solution with ArcGIS Indoors significantly enhances work order management. Facility managers can view and assign work orders directly on their mobile devices, leveraging the spatial information provided by Indoor Maps.

With a clear visualization of maintenance tasks’ exact locations, facility managers can assign technicians promptly, track work order progress in real time, and ensure timely resolution of issues. This integration streamlines the work order lifecycle, leading to improved response times, increased productivity, and enhanced customer satisfaction.

5. Multi-Floor Navigation & Point of Interest Guidance

Integrating ArcGIS Indoors with an EAM mobile solution enables facility managers to assist users in locating specific points of interest and seamlessly navigate between different floors or levels within multi-level buildings. Users can easily find rooms, departments, amenities, or facility features by following step-by-step directions provided by the mobile solution.

The solution highlights optimal paths with instructions on floor transitions, staircases, escalators, or elevators, ensuring smooth vertical navigation and reducing time spent searching for specific locations.

This feature is particularly beneficial for new employees, visitors, or maintenance personnel who may be unfamiliar with the building layout. By providing accurate and efficient guidance, facility managers can enhance user experience, improve productivity, and streamline operations.

Facility managers can guide maintenance personnel to specific floors or assets efficiently, reducing time wastage and optimizing resource allocation. By enabling users to navigate indoor environments with ease, facility managers improve operational efficiency and overall productivity.

Integrating an EAM mobile solution with ArcGIS Indoors offers numerous advantages for facility managers seeking to optimize their operations.

From comprehensive facility visualization and real-time asset tracking to enhanced space management, streamlined work order processes, and improved indoor navigation, this integration empowers facility managers to make data-driven decisions, increase operational efficiency, and deliver better facility experiences.

By harnessing the power of these integrated solutions, facility managers can elevate their facility management practices to new heights, ensuring optimal resource utilization, improved maintenance outcomes, and enhanced occupant satisfaction.

To learn more about how you can streamline and enhance your facility management, check out ATLAS Indoor Maps.

Key Trends Unveiled at MaximoWorld 2023: Empowering Asset Management in the Digital Era

MaximoWorld trends

Key Trends Unveiled at MaximoWorld 2023: Empowering Asset Management in the Digital Era

MaximoWorld trends

MaximoWorld 2023, held this year in Phoenix, AZ, served as a nexus for asset management aficionados to explore cutting-edge developments, exchange valuable insights, and connect with fellow reliability-focused professionals. The four-day event spotlighted several key trends shaping the landscape of modern asset management with certificate workshops, roadmap courses, user group meetings, MaxUp morning shows, MaximoWorld Awards, Reliability Asset Performance (RAP) talks, expo crawls, and general learning sessions.

From mobility to sustainable solutions and data-driven insights to the power of AI, let’s explore the recurring trends that echoed throughout MaximoWorld 2023.

Data’s Decisive Role in Strategic Asset Management

Speakers and presenters across sessions championed the shift from routine Work Order Management to the more holistic approach of Strategic Asset Management. The emphasis on Strategic Asset Management versus conventional work order management allows facility managers to make informed, data-driven decisions about acquiring, operating, maintaining, upgrading, and disposing of assets to maximize their value and contribute to the success of their organization.

Courses like Terrence O’Hanlon’s “Elevating from Work Order Management to Strategic Asset Management” and sessions like “Optimizing PMs/Asset Strategies Using Maximo Data” showcased the transformative power of data analytics and the importance of leveraging data for predictive maintenance, enhanced operational efficiency, and strategic planning.

Amid the data-driven discussions, the importance of data governance and standards also stood out. Sessions like “Digitalization and the Importance of Data Governance and Standards” underscored the importance of setting data quality standards at the inception of digital initiatives to ensure successful transformations.

The emphasis on the transformational journey from tactical to strategic asset management was consistent throughout the conference, underscoring that modern asset management is no longer confined to reactive approaches but is becoming a proactive, cross-functional endeavor.

Mobility and Future-Ready Technicians

Mobility’s direct impact on improving operational efficiency resonated throughout the conference. In their session “Regulatory Inspections Before and After Maximo’ Nate Bolander, Technical Systems Manager at the Salt Lake City Department of Airports and EDI’s own Joseph Mahaz presented SLC’s previously cumbersome, manual regulatory inspections process before the implementation of Maximo and Mobility and the significant efficiencies gained after the implementation, including ease of complying with all FAA annual audit requirements. In fact, EDI and Salt Lake City International Airport were honored with this year’s Best Maximo Connected Workforce Award in recognition of the efficiency and connectivity SLC was able to realize with IBM’s Maximo® and their accompanying mobile solution, Arora ATLAS® Inspect.

The urgency of staying abreast of evolving technician expectations was a key refrain in sessions including “The Future is Now. Preparing For Today’s Technicians,” and “Mobility 4.0 – Your Practical Digital Accelerator,” which underscored the journey to a paperless future and the transformational power of practical mobility. These sessions and similar RAP talks showcased the urgency of aligning technology with the needs of modern technicians.

These discussions also showcased how mobility-driven solutions can revolutionize core processes and streamline asset management workflows. Speakers and presenters throughout the event echoed that mobility isn’t just a convenience— it’s a game-changer.

Maximo Application Suite (MAS) Took Center Stage

The words ‘Maximo Application Suite (MAS)’ were uttered repeatedly day in and day out by attendees, exhibitors, and presenters alike at MaximoWorld 2023. Reps from IMB led an illuminating session entitled “Maximo Application Suite Roadmap & Maximo Spatial,” which unveiled the exciting investments and advancements on the MAS horizon, including a critical emphasis on geospatial capabilities. Attendees were provided first-hand insight into the many benefits available with MAS, including enhanced integration across its capabilities, flexible licensing options, and optimized infrastructure.

Sessions like “Fast Track to MAS 8” exemplified tangible results, while “Key Takeaways when Upgrading to MAS” shared Con Edison’s successful migration story. In the realm of power generation, the session “Maximo Application Suite SaaS” spotlighted MAS’s role in managing critical assets. These presentations collectively underscored the growing interest in MAS across sectors, with organizations leveraging it as a cornerstone for modern asset management, demonstrating its potential to reshape practices and redefine operational excellence.

AI’s Transformational Potential

The transformative power of AI reverberated across sessions like “The AI-powered Industrial Revolution” and “Foundation Models – Turbocharging AI and Asset Management.” Attendees were immersed in the potential of AI, ranging from anomaly detection to predictive maintenance. The conference consistently highlighted that AI is no longer a distant dream but a reality shaping asset management’s future.

A crucial aspect of modern asset management is harnessing AI and data-driven insights. Sessions such as “Optimizing MRO Inventory Using Machine Learning: A Customer Case Study” and “Unlocking the Value of Data with AI” underscored the profound importance of leveraging data for predictive maintenance and intelligent decision-making.

Coupled with AI, Digital Twins were heralded as potent tools for revolutionizing asset management, as discussed in ESRI’s RAP talk, “The AI-powered Industrial Revolution: The Potential of Foundation Models,” and session “The Future of Asset Management with Digital Twins.” Presenters made it abundantly clear that the convergence of AI and Digital Twin technology are and will be increasingly more imperative in achieving predictive maintenance, allowing organizations to foresee anomalies, optimize operations, and prevent downtime.

Sustainable Solutions for a Greener Future

The conference spotlighted the role of asset management in driving sustainability initiatives. Attendees explored how organizations are redirecting efforts towards paperless work practices, reducing environmental impact, and embracing reliability-centered maintenance. Sessions throughout the event not only discussed the technology behind sustainable practices but also shared valuable insights on operational transformations.

Presenters and exhibitors repeatedly emphasized that sustainable practices aren’t isolated; they’re tightly interwoven with software advancements like mobility, AI, and Digital Twins.

The discussions centered on aligning asset management practices with sustainable principles. From “Sustainability – Our Future” to “Leading Sustainability Transformations,” the conference conveyed that businesses are moving beyond profit-driven strategies to embrace sustainability as a core driving force. Attendees were encouraged to explore how sustainable practices can not only enhance reliability but also contribute to a more eco-conscious future.

Conclusion

MaximoWorld 2023 gave the event’s 1,500+ attendees an enlightening glimpse into the current state and future potential of asset management. The prevailing trends that echoed throughout the conference – from mobility and sustainability to data-driven insights, innovative technologies, and digital transformations– underscored that we stand at the brink of a transformative era. The discussions, sessions, and interactions left attendees not only enlightened but empowered to navigate the evolving landscape of asset management with confidence. As we reflect on the experiences and insights gained at MaximoWorld 2023, we’re reminded that these trends are not ephemeral; they are shaping the future of asset management, ushering in a new era of efficiency, sustainability, and innovation.

Streamlining Asset Management and Indoor Navigation with Arora ATLAS® Indoor Maps

Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps

Streamlining Asset Management and Indoor Navigation with Arora ATLAS® Indoor Maps

Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps

Efficient asset management is key for organizations seeking to optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance productivity.

Arora ATLAS®, an enterprise-level suite of mobile products that integrates with IBM’s Maximo® Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) software, has taken a significant leap forward by introducing innovative new functionality. Now seamlessly integrated with ESRI’s Indoor GIS, ATLAS Indoor Maps is a powerful solution to simplify asset management and revolutionize facility maintenance workflows.

The integration enables organizations to effectively manage both outdoor and indoor assets while providing users with intuitive wayfinding and turn-by-turn navigation within complex indoor environments. The solution enhances operational efficiency, improves asset utilization, and facilitates informed decision-making.

Users will benefit from features like interactive indoor navigation, point of interest guidance, accessibility support, location-based services, and multi-floor navigation. This integrated solution streamlines workflows, optimizes facilities management, and empowers organizations with valuable insights for continuous improvement.

Indoor Navigation

Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps revolutionizes indoor navigation by providing users with interactive and intuitive wayfinding solutions within complex indoor environments.

Leveraging the power of indoor mapping and location-based services, users can seamlessly navigate through buildings, finding the most efficient routes to their desired destinations.

Facility managers can empower employees, visitors, and technicians with turn-by-turn navigation, ensuring they can easily locate rooms, departments, amenities, or facility features. This not only saves time but enhances the overall experience within the facility.

Comprehensive Asset Management

ATLAS Indoor Maps empowers facility managers to seamlessly manage both outdoor and indoor assets by integrating asset data and location services.

With real-time tracking, monitoring, and maintenance capabilities, facility managers can efficiently oversee their asset inventory, identify asset locations, and proactively schedule maintenance activities.
By centralizing asset management and providing a holistic view of asset performance, this integrated solution enhances operational efficiency and reduces costly downtime.

Enhanced Spatial Understanding

The integration of Arora ATLAS and ESRI’s ArcGIS Indoors brings detailed indoor mapping and spatial analytics capabilities to facility managers and technicians.

With advanced tools and visualizations, ATLAS Indoor Maps will allow your organization to gain valuable insights into asset locations, movement patterns, and spatial relationships. This enhanced spatial understanding enables informed decision-making, improves operational efficiency, and optimizes resource allocation.

By leveraging these insights, facility managers can identify areas for improvement, streamline workflows, and enhance the overall efficiency of their operations.

Point of Interest Guidance

Locating specific points of interest within large buildings can often be a challenging task.

Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps addresses this issue by offering users step-by-step directions and highlighting optimal paths to their desired points of interest.

Whether it’s finding a specific room, department, or amenity, users can rely on the integrated solution to guide them efficiently. This feature improves productivity, reduces confusion, and enables users to make the most of their time within the facility.

Multi-Floor Navigation

For multi-level buildings, knowing exactly what level the asset or workorder is located in and allowing for seamless navigation between different floors is essential to understanding the best way to locate said asset/workorder. Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps simplifies multi-modal floor-aware turn-by-turn navigation through places like staircases, escalators, or elevators.

Users can effortlessly move between floors, ensuring smooth vertical navigation. This functionality is particularly valuable in large office buildings, hospitals, shopping malls, and other complex facilities. By eliminating navigation barriers, facility managers can enhance accessibility, improve operational efficiency, and provide a seamless experience to users.

ATLAS Indoor Maps: A Comprehensive Asset Management Solution

ATLAS Indoor Maps, the result of the seamless integration of Arora ATLAS with ESRI’s Indoor GIS, revolutionizes asset management and indoor navigation for facility managers. By harnessing the power of comprehensive asset management, enhanced spatial understanding, intuitive indoor navigation, point of interest guidance, and multi-floor navigation, ATLAS Indoor Maps streamlines workflows, optimizes facilities management, and empowers organizations with valuable insights for continuous improvement.

The result is improved operational efficiency, optimized facilities management, and valuable insights for continuous improvement. Facility managers who implement Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps can expect substantial time and cost savings while elevating the overall experience within their facilities. Embrace the power of Arora ATLAS Indoor Maps and revolutionize your asset management and indoor navigation practices today.

Contact our team today to learn more!

How SLC Has Realized a 20% Backlog Improvement Per Shift with eSAM and Arora Atlas®

SLC Infographic

How SLC Has Realized a 20% Backlog Improvement Per Shift with eSAM and Arora Atlas®

SLC Infographic

Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) has consolidated three terminals into a new, single central terminal, thereby increasing annual passenger capacity by 50%. Kick-off to go-live of Maximo was achieved in less than 90 days, and SLC has not had to hire any additional maintenance staff to maintain the hundreds of additional assets.

This achievement was made possible by EDI, who implemented our Strategic Asset Management (eSAM) for airports Maximo EAM configurations, as well as the Fix, Inspect, and Request modules of the Arora ATLAS® mobile solition which integrate with Maximo to provide a seamless asset and data management system.

Download our infographic to learn how eSAM and ATLAS have allowed SLC to realize a 20% improvement of maintenance backlog per shift!

Tips for Implementing a Maximo Work Request Tool

Tips for Implementing Maximo Work Request Tool

Tips for Implementing a Maximo Work Request Tool

Tips for Implementing Maximo Work Request Tool

It’s an exciting time at your organization because you (hopefully) read our tip sheet on selecting a Maximo Work Request tool and subsequently decided to maximize the efficacy of your Maximo Enterprise Asset Management System (EAM) and improve the experience of your customers by investing in a mobile tool.

Ideally, you selected a mobile solution that allows your organization to take advantage of Maximo’s unlimited requestors, features an easy-to-use, wizard-based interface that you will prepopulate with the information important to your organization, is driven by QR codes with Maximo asset data attached, and geo-references work requests to ensure your technicians can spend less time locating problems and more time fixing them.

To reap the most value from your new solution there is data you need to gather, technicians you need to train, stakeholders you need to inform and a host of day-to-day responsibilities you need to keep up with, all while learning and implementing this new technology.

To make your implementation process as seamless as possible, we’ve asked the experts at EDI— EAM Software and Maintenance Best Practices specialists with over two decades of experience implementing Maximo and mobile solutions that support it to share their best practices. Click here to download our tip sheet!

If you have questions about the process or benefits of implementing a Work Request tool, contact info@edatai.com to learn more!

Our Guide to Improving Customer Experience

EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen, Development Director, EAM

EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen

EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen, Development Director, EAM

EDI Welcomes Paul Thielen

EDI and Arora Engineers (Arora) are pleased to welcome Paul (Paulie) Thielen as Development Director, Enterprise Asset Management.

Paulie brings 30 years of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) expertise in regulated industries and Governments. Paulie is the consummate customer advocate and problem solver who has delivered award-winning, efficient, and affordable client solutions across numerous verticals including Federal Agencies, the Department of Defense, Government-owned utilities, and the Aviation industry.

Paulie earned a Bachelor of Science degree at Christopher Newport University upon his meritorious Commissioning as a US Naval Officer. He maintained a stellar career as a Submarine Assistant Navigator and advanced his practical application of global command. He has experience in control and computing systems becoming a recognized expert in enterprise computing, environmental, and regulatory compliance as applied in Enterprise Asset Management. His civilian roles have advanced from IT Infrastructure Principals with IBM Corporation to DoD Corporate Compliance, Relationship and Business Capture management, and now his specialization in reliability and sustainability.

A globally recognized expert in sustainability, reliability-centered maintenance, and compliance, he will apply these best practices across all of Arora and EDI’s EAM solutions. In his new role, Paulie will lead business development, proposal, product development and client management efforts for Asset Management services including our Arora ATLAS suite of Mobile solutions across our numerous current market sector clients, as well as championing our expansion into new ones. 

“My passion is my client/partner’s passion, applying our robust toolset to make them more successful, efficient and sustainable is my joy.” Says Paulie.

We look forward to working with Paulie to continually improve our operations and quality, deliver for our clients, and continue our growth.

Tips for Selecting a Maximo Work Request Tool

Tips for Selecting Maximo Work Request Tool

Tips for Selecting a Maximo Work Request Tool

Tips for Selecting Maximo Work Request Tool

Does your organization want to improve customer experience and public perception? Are you struggling to address maintenance, cleanliness, or equipment issues quickly and efficiently?

If so, your organization may want to implement a work request tool that seamlessly integrates with your IBM Maximo software. Maximo allows licensees an unlimited number of requestors, which gives your organization the ability to empower anyone to provide valuable feedback on their customer experience for free!

There are several work request tools that integrate seamlessly with Maximo, but they are not all created equal. Click here to download our whitepaper to learn about some of the features and functionality you may want to consider when assessing a new work request tool.

If you have questions about the process or benefits of implementing a Work Request tool, contact info@edatai.com to learn more!

5 Effective Ways to Improve Customer Experience

EDI Customer Experience blog

5 Effective Ways to Improve Customer Experience

EDI Customer Experience blog

Forbes contributor Yuri Kruman said it best in his article on the importance of customer experience in the age of instant gratification – the same old customer experience no longer works.

In our digital age every business, service, and product can be subject to public scrutiny across a litany of social and web channels for past, current, and future customers to investigate. Research suggests that almost all consumers (93%) say that online reviews impact their purchasing decisions . Considering these circumstances, it is no wonder that over 90% of c-level executives say that improving customer experience is one of their top three priorities for the next several years.

Modern organizations understand the significant role customer experience plays in lowering operational costs, maintaining brand loyalty, and ensuring sustained growth. But how exactly can your organization improve customer experience?

Understand your Audience
Ensuring your organization understands what type(s) of consumers are visiting your facility or procuring your product or service is essential. The only way to meet the needs of your customers is to first understand who they are, what motivates them, and what they want. Start by assessing:

1. Who is your customer base?
2. What needs must your facility or service fulfil?
3. Are you able to meet those needs – why or why not?

This information is the foundation of an effective customer management strategy. Once you understand who your customers are and what they need from your business, you can more efficiently implement tools and strategies to improve their experience.

Encourage Customer Feedback
Over 85% of adults in the USA now own a smartphone — which is great news for your organization. There is a wealth of technology available to allow consumers to use their own device to provide the critical feedback you need to meet their needs more efficiently.

Rather than forcing your customers to stand around at kiosks and touch public smart devices to provide feedback, the best customer experience tools are accessible via a quick QR code scan with a smart device.

Leading web and app-based customer experience tools are simple, easy-to-use, and can be optimized to walk your customers through a wizard-based interface with answers your organization prepopulates to ensure you have all the information you need to address their concerns.

Harness the Data
As mathematician Clive Humby once proclaimed, “Data is the new oil.”

In the digital age, enterprises have the exciting opportunity to collect data more easily from various sources online and within their facilities. This information, when used properly, can revolutionize the customer experience.

Implementing a digital customer experience tool and customer-focused processes that allow you to collect data are critical steps your business can undertake to understand customer behavior and interest. The question then becomes, what data is important in your quest to improve customer experience? Is it impressions on the quality of your facility or service, consumer purchasing habits, public engagement, or something else? As noted above, understanding your audience and their needs should simplify the process of defining what data you need to collect.

Once you determine what data you need, you can identify important trends and patterns that you can then use to improve your processes or amenities.

Mind your Assets
Asset management is an excellent way to use data to improve customer experience. Just as you should have a well-rounded understanding of your customers, the same level of understanding should be applied to every asset within your organization.

Your assets are one of your most expensive investments and are closely related to the experience of your customers. Heating or cooling issues, restroom cleanliness, and spills/hazards are some of the most common issues often reported by customers.

Giving your customers the tools to provide feedback on your facility and its assets can help you efficiently prioritize work requests, determine key usage patterns, and identify repeat problem areas or equipment which may need to be maintained more frequently, or replaced entirely.

Empower your Employees with Information
Your employees can be your best line of defense in improving customer experience – but their efforts are only as effective as the information they receive.

Selecting a configurable, wizard style Q&A tool that guides consumers to provide all the information your technicians need is preferable. Other handy features leading customer experience tools contain that your technicians will appreciate are:

1. The ability for customers to attach photos to their feedback.
2. Mapping functionality so that they can locate issues faster.
3. Integration with your company’s Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system so they do not need to duplicate critical maintenance resolution information for two systems.

When employing a technology tool to allow customers to provide feedback, ensure that the data you collect and subsequently disseminate to your employees is complete and includes the asset and location data your technicians need to address issues quickly and efficiently.

If you have questions or want to learn more about improving the experience of your customers, contact sales@edatai.com today!

What type of Maximo Work Request Tool is Right for your Organization?

EDI ATLAS Blog

What type of Maximo Work Request Tool is Right for your Organization?

EDI ATLAS Blog

IBM Maximo allows licensees an unlimited number of requestors – but what does this mean for your organization? You have the ability to empower anyone visiting your facility to provide valuable feedback on their customer experience for free.

Allowing your employees and public users to provide feedback quickly and easily via their own smart device can help your organization understand, prioritize, and address issues faster, thereby improving the experience of your customers and overall public sentiment.

You just need to find the right request tool to pair with your Maximo EAM system to capitalize on this functionality. First, you need to understand the difference between the types of work request tools that integrate with Maximo – native apps and web-based tools.

What is the Difference Between Native Apps and Web-based Tools?

According to UX Magazine, “A native app is one that is built for a specific platform, such as iPhone or Android, using their code libraries and accessing their available hardware features (camera, GPS, etc.). A web-based app, on the other hand, is one that is hosted on the web and accessed from a browser on the mobile device.”

Features/benefits of web-based tools
1. There is no waiting for the updated iPhone/android/etc. version of the app to be released –
software updates are automatic for all users when using a web-based tool. This is especially useful for organizations who do not want to add additional burdens to their IT teams.

2. Many request apps only allow authorized Maximo users to submit Requests – a web-based tool can be configured to allow public users who do not have the app to provide the feedback you need to maintain your facility more efficiently.

3. The best web-based request tools are QR code based and allow your organization to attach Maximo asset and location data to each of the QR codes located throughout your facility.

These QR codes allow users to simply scan the code using their smart device, quickly fill out a work request with all of the pertinent data your team needs to address the issue and continue on their journey with the satisfaction that they have been able to provide you feedback on issues of importance to them.

Features/benefits of native apps
1. Users can download an app for their smart device from their app store, and the app can then access their available hardware features. The downside being that the process of going to the app store to find the app, downloading it, and then subsequently figuring out how to use said app may be a deterrent for some customers. In Enterprise situations, these apps are usually pushed to users by the IT department.

2. Thanks to the fact that the code that runs the app is stored locally on the smart device, native apps tend to be faster and more responsive than their counterparts. The negative being that users are then responsible for managing updates pushed out via the app store for their phone’s particular platform.

This becomes especially cumbersome for the organization relying on the app-based Request tool for data, because their IT team needs to continually monitor for those releases and remind their users and the general to update their apps.

3. Native apps can run asynchronously, meaning dynamic information can be stored locally on the phone temporarily and synchronized with the central web-based server later. While recent technologies and features (such as those in HTML5) will allow for this to also be done in a web-based environment, native apps are still ahead of web-based ones on this front.

Is a Web-Based or App-based Request Tool Best for your Organization?

This answer depends on whose feedback you are looking for. If your organization wants to limit requestors to only those people inside your organization, an app may be best. If you select an app-based request tool you will have to work with your IT department to set up your users, configure to specific platforms, and remind requestors to download updates from their respective app store.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a work request tool that capitalizes on your ability to allow anyone to submit a Maximo work request free of charge, a web-based tool may be best for your organization. If your goal is to simplify the work request process for everyone involved, from your IT department, to your Maximo users, to the general public using your facility, you will want to seek out a web-based Request tool that allows anyone with a smart device to scan a QR code which is linked to Maximo asset data to quickly provide your technicians with the data they need to locate and resolve issues.