Before I get into the details of how to set up and develop a priority system lets talk about what most people have in place today.

Most maintenance systems have a limited priority system in place, commonly a numerical system with one being the highest priority and going down to three or in some cases to five. These required fields are filled out but rarely used to assist in the planning and scheduling of work requests. When you have a system of 1-3 for priorities most of the work requests are entered in as 2's or in some cases 3's. This means that 80-90% of all work requests are the same priority? Where is the value? I also see a many organizations that in addition to the 1-3 or 1-5 priority system use target or due dates. The use of dates has in most cases no impact on how important the work request really is. When the date is missed most groups just change the date. Now that is really useful!

So the only successful way to manage the work flow in a maintenance organization is with a well designed priority system that is extensive enough to easily show the relative importance of all assets to other assets and also the same for all work requests.

My favorite is the RIME system; developed by the military I think 50 or 60 years ago. It stands for Ranking Index of Maintenance Expenditures and it places a 1-10 priority or critically index on all assets, and then a 1-10 priority on the type of work request. When the work order is approved the two numbers are multiplied together and now you have a priority of for a work of 1-100.  It spreads things out and makes it very easy to sort all work easily and quickly.

If you do not have this available with you current CMMS then at least develop a simple standard priority from 1-10 or if possible 1-25. 

If you would like a simple of the RIME system contact Anne and she will send you a copy.

Until next month,

Mike