Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com
Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect
ScienceDirect
Procedia
Available Computer
online Science 00 (2023) 000–000
at www.sciencedirect.com
Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia
ScienceDirect
Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278

5th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing

5th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing
Lean maintenance practices in the improvement of information
Lean maintenance practices in the improvement of information
management processes: a study in the Facility Management division
management processes: a study in the Facility Management division
Marta Fernandes a,a,*, Diogo Correia aa, Leonor Teixeira bb
Marta Fernandes *, Diogo Correia , Leonor Teixeira
a Department of Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism (DEGEIT), University ofAveiro, PORTUGAL
a DepartmentbofInstitute
Economics, Management, Industrial Engineering
of Electronics and Informatics Engineeringand Tourism
of Aveiro (DEGEIT),
(IEETA), University
Laboratório ofAveiro,dePORTUGAL
Associado Sistemas
b Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering of Aveiro (IEETA), Laboratório Associado de Sistemas
Inteligentes (LASI), Department of Economics,Management, Industrial Engineering and Tourism, University of Aveiro,
Inteligentes (LASI), Department of Economics,Management,
PORTUGALIndustrial Engineering and Tourism, University of Aveiro,
PORTUGAL

Abstract
Abstract
With the trends arising with Industry 4.0, there is an urgent need to reinvent the operations of industrial systems. The area of
With theManagement
Facility trends arising(FM) with isIndustry 4.0, there
no exception andishas
an been
urgentundergoing
need to reinvent the operations
an evolution with theofintroduction
industrial systems. The area of
of new information
Facility
managementManagement
tools. This (FM)
paperis comprises
no exception andon
a study hasthebeen
impactundergoing an evolutionin with
of lean maintenance the introduction
FM, supported of new
by a project information
developed at a
management tools. This
company dedicated to thepaper
supplycomprises a studyhot
of residential onwater
the impact of lean
solutions. Themaintenance in FM, supported
study was conducted by a project
in the Department ofdeveloped
Infrastructureat a
company dedicated
Management and aimedto thetosupply
reduceoftheresidential hot water solutions.
waste of information Theofstudy
in the area was conducted
Operations in the Department
& Maintenance. ParticularlyofinInfrastructure
the practical
Managementthe
component, and aimed
Lean to reduce methodology
Maintenance the waste of information
was used to in the area
define of Operations
processes, identify & Maintenance.and
inefficiencies, Particularly
select LMin the for
tools practical
waste
component,Inthe
reduction. LeanofMaintenance
terms results, it wasmethodology
suggestedwas thatused
LMtotools
defineandprocesses, identify inefficiencies,
the reconfiguration of the processand can
select LM tools
improve thefor waste
process
reduction. Initsterms
considering levelofof results, it waswith
automation, suggested that of
an increase LM33%,
toolsitsand
realthe reconfiguration
time of the
capability, which process 5%,
increased can its
improve the yield
first pass process of
considering its
information, levelincreased
which of automation,
11% and with an increase
its media of 33%,
disruption, whichits real time capability,
decreased its value inwhich
21%. increased
Thus, it was5%, its first passthat
demonstrated yield of
there
information,
is which
an opportunity forincreased
enhancing 11%theand its media
processes by disruption, which of
taking advantage decreased
Industryits value
4.0. in 21%.
Based on theThus, it was demonstrated
contributions thatitthere
of this project, was
is an opportunity
possible to concludefor enhancing
that the Leanthe processes
Maintenance by taking advantage
approach appliedoftoIndustry 4.0. Based on
the Infrastructure the contributions
Management sectorofcan
thishave
project, it was
a positive
possibleontoimproving
impact conclude the thatinformation
the Lean Maintenance
flow related to approach
the workapplied to the Infrastructure
order management process, Management sector
and in the process of can have preventive
defining a positive
impact on improving
maintenance strategies,thethus
information
reducingflow related towaste.
information the work order management process, and in the process of defining preventive
maintenance strategies, thus reducing information waste.
© 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
© 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review underresponsibility
Peer-review under responsibilityofof thethe scientific
scientific committee
committee of 5th
of the the International
5th International Conference
Conference on Industry
on Industry 4.0 and4.0 andManufacturing
Smart Smart
Peer-review
Manufacturing under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 5th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart
Manufacturing
Keywords: Industry 4.0, Facility Management, Lean Maintenance, Maintenance Processes, Information
Keywords: Industry
Management, 4.0, Facility
Information StreamManagement,
Mapping Lean Maintenance, Maintenance Processes, Information
Management, Information Stream Mapping

* Corresponding author. Tel.: 00351939837747;

* Corresponding [email protected]
E-mail address:author. Tel.: 00351939837747;
E-mail address: [email protected]
1877-0509 © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
1877-0509 © 2023 The Authors. Published by ELSEVIER B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 5th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 5th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and Smart Manufacturing

1877-0509 © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 5th International Conference on Industry 4.0 and
Smart Manufacturing
10.1016/j.procs.2024.02.046
2270 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278
2 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

1. Introduction

As our world moves towards the digital era, solutions from the industry 4.0 atmosphere dramatically transform the
operations and roles of existing industrial systems [1], [2]. The exponential growth in the adoption of information
technologies is increasingly influencing the consumers' perception regarding innovation, quality, and the variety of
products, as well as their speed of delivery [3].
This study is designed in the scope of the relationship between Industry 4.0 and Facility Management (FM) practices
and processes. Konanahalli et al. [4] refer that FM significantly enhances business performance and value, being well-
suited to establish itself as a vital strategic ally to the value stream of organisations [4]. In the context of the emergence
of Industry 4.0, FM is evolving due to the introduction of new technologies that enhance the capabilities of the
functions assigned to structure management and ensure their sustainability [5], [6]. To maintain their competitive
advantage, industries must develop self-awareness, self-prediction, self-comparison, self-reconfiguration, and self-
maintenance capabilities [3].
Maintenance service, one of the main sectors of FM, has begun to incorporate I4.0 tools to innovate service
provision [7], [8]. Karim et al. [8] state that, in this sector, enhanced use of Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) makes developing new tools and technologies easier. However, the maintenance sector still needs
to catch up and adapt to this new and rapidly changing reality. Moreover, new challenges accompany this shift, for
instance, regarding the management of data and the logistics of that process [8]. In the field of efficient building
management, it is widely acknowledged by Facility Managers that information is a critical resource and that well-
implemented Information Management (IM) systems are essential in attaining a competitive advantage [9].
The methodology applied to the development of this study's practical component is supported in the Lean
Maintenance approach proposed by Mostafa, Lee, et al. [10] and adapted to the constraints of the infrastructure sector.
Thus, the main goal of this study is to understand and analyse the potential and limitations of implementing a lean
thinking approach in the maintenance of infrastructures and systems, analysing and reducing waste on information
management, improving the efficiency of information streams, specifically in one of the most time-consuming
processes across the several employees of the FM division: the Work Order Management (WOM) process.
The paper is composed of 5 sections: the first section comprises an introduction to the paper; section 2 includes the
theoretical background that frames the principal concepts approached in the practical study, such as industry 4.0, FM,
lean maintenance and information management; section 3 describes the methodology employed – Lean Maintenance
- composed of 5 key steps: specify the value, identify the value stream, flow the value, pull the value and pursuing
perfection; the discussion of the results obtained are presented in section 4, where an initial assessment is conducted,
the reconfiguration of the processes is proposed and a simulation of the progress made is discussed; and, finally, the
last section is related to final remarks that summarise conclusions, limitations and relevant future work.

2. Theoretical Background

The concept of "Industry 4.0" refers to the ongoing industrial revolution concerning the digital transformation of
processes within several distinguished industries [11], [12]. In the Industry 4.0 context, machines and devices along
the entire value chain interact to provide self-sufficient manufacturing processes. Therefore, it is considered a "set of
technologies, devices and processes" [13, p. 23]. Industry 5.0 aims to synergize human expertise with advanced
machinery, fostering collaboration for efficient, personalized manufacturing with a focus on enhancing production
quality [14].
Regarding FM, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) approach to the definition of FM goes
in line with the ISO 41011:2017 norm, which states that Facility Management "is an organisational function which
integrates people, place and process within the built environment to improve the quality of life of people and the
productivity of the core business" [15].
The need for data to measure the performance of corporate properties has led to the establishment of the importance
of maintenance capabilities and performance. According to Roper & Payant [16], Operations & Maintenance is the
central sector of FM business. It is stated that a medium-sized, major headquarters can have more than 50 000 requests
for services annually, and four times more than that of preventive maintenance items corrected [16].
 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278 2271
Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 3

When it comes to the current situation regarding digitalisation in FM, it is stated that most management systems
within facilities are not connected, which means that the job of a facility manager gets even more complex by having
to rely on numerous different and incompatible systems to manage building information [17]. Regarding Maintenance
& Operations Tasks, maintenance staff usually refers to information as specifications, checklists, maintenance reports
and maintenance records. However, such communication methods between the facility locations and the office are
considered ineffective and inconvenient [18]. Therefore, the performance of facility maintenance can be enhanced by
using web technology for information sharing and communication [18].
The Lean Maintenance (LM) concept emerged in the final decade of the twentieth century, representing a novel
implementation of Lean manufacturing tools within maintenance operations that aimed to minimise waste [19]. Thus,
the fundamental concept of LM is achieving the maximum possible reduction in resource needs while simultaneously
reaching a satisfactory level of equipment reliability [20].To accomplish this objective, LM recognises the necessity
of identifying the inefficiencies within processes, assessing their effects, ascertaining the criticality of facilities, as
well as executing the requisite maintenance tasks [21].
According to Hicks [22], the general principles mentioned by Womack and Jones [23] regarding the lean
philosophy, such as the specification of value, the identification of the value stream, flow the value, pull the value and
pursuing perfection, can be applied to any stream of products desired to meet the customer, user or consumer needs.
Table 1 summarises the adaptation of lean waste to information management by several authors.
Regarding the performance measurement of IM processes, Roh et al. [24] proposed a set of five key performance
indicators (Table 2) to analyse the efficiency of the information processes and detect each of the lean wastes.

Table 1. Information Management Wastes

Lean Wastes Hicks [22] Verhagen et al. [25] Roh et al. [24]
Overproduc- Excessive information. Non-relevant, duplicate or excessively Excessive creation and provision of
tion detailed information. irrelevant information and data.
Waiting Analysis of information elements Process waiting for information or Unproductive time spent waiting for
that need to flow. vice-versa. pertinent information.
Transporta- Not available Conveying information between Transfer of information from one
tion several sources/systems. media/system to another.
Processing Generating new information and/or Transforming the information into the Unnecessary manual manipulation of
acquiring additional information. required format. information.
Inventory Not available Processing, transporting, and Retention of unused/unnecessary data in
maintaining redundant information. various forms.
Motion Not available Moving information to ensure access Search for information and consolidate it
and digitalizing manual information. from different sources or systems.
Defects Correct or verify information. Verifying, correcting, or hunting Erroneous, incomprehensible, or
down information. incomplete information transmissions.

Table 2. KPIs proposed by Roh et al. [24]

KPIs Description Equation

Real Time Represents the availability of the information in real time. 𝑖𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛 is the non-real-time ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑛𝑛𝑛𝑛
𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 = 1 −
Capability index capable information transfers and 𝑖𝑖 is the total number of information transfers. 𝑖𝑖

Level of Represent the level of automation of the information transfers within the process. ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎
𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 =
automation 𝑖𝑖𝑎𝑎 is the completely automated information transfers. 𝑖𝑖

Centrality index Analyses how the information is available in the central information management ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑐𝑐
𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 =
system. 𝑖𝑖𝑐𝑐 is the information transfers to a central IT-system. 𝑖𝑖

Media disruption Represents the transition of information from one media type to another. 𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚𝑚
index 𝑖𝑖𝑑𝑑 →𝑝𝑝 information transfers from digital to paper based; 𝑖𝑖𝑜𝑜 →𝑝𝑝 information transfers ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑑𝑑 →𝑝𝑝 + ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑜𝑜 →𝑝𝑝 + ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑑𝑑 →𝑜𝑜 + ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑜𝑜 →𝑑𝑑
=
from oral to paper based; 𝑖𝑖𝑑𝑑 →𝑜𝑜 information transfers from digital to oral; 𝑖𝑖𝑜𝑜 →𝑑𝑑 𝑖𝑖
information transfers from oral to digital.

First pass yield of It is defined as one minus the quotient of the number of information transfers for ∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑞𝑞
𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑖 = 1 −
information which a query is needed ( 𝑖𝑖𝑞𝑞 ), and the total no. of information transfers. 𝑖𝑖
2272 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278
4 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

3. Practical Study & Methodology

As stated before, maintenance management paradigms have changed dramatically due to the development of ICT
[26]. Thus, the main objective of the project development is related to implementing LM practices to improve
Operation & Maintenance information processes. Therefore, a practical study was developed at a facility management
department in a multinational company, present in more than 60 countries and located in the centre of Portugal. This
company has more than 1300 employees.
The methodology employed in the project derives from an LM process proposed by Mostafa, Lee, et al. [9] with
an adaptation regarding the sector's specific conditions and the project's limitations.
Therefore, the methodology is composed of 5 phases, adequately explained in Figure 1. The first step, "Specify
the Value", aims to deepen understanding of the maintenance strategies present in the field. Regarding the initial step
of characterising the maintenance system, the developed project featured a central element concerning the structure
of data and information since the data was widely scattered, lacking organisation and difficult to interpret. Therefore,
bringing together the data sources, structuring the data, defining responsibilities and associating a maintenance type
to each system or network were fundamental steps. The second phase is about the precise definition of the AS-IS state,
encompassing the mapping of the processes and the identification of waste using Value Stream Mapping and
Information Stream Mapping (ISM). The third phase of the methodology encompasses the analysis of the wastes
located in the previous phase and defines, if possible, a prioritisation of action. Then, it is determined the current state
gap. The fourth phase is related to the implementation process of the lean maintenance practices, beginning with the
reconfiguration of the ISM developed and moving on with the selection, development and implementation of the LM
practices. The final step, as it is naturally characteristic of a lean approach, is "Pursuing Perfection", aiming to
continuously improve the changes made.

Fig. 1 Lean Maintenance Methodology

4. Results & Discussion

This topic comprises the results obtained by the implementation of the LM methodology, and it is divided into
three phases: (1) initial assessment, where the processes are defined and the inefficiencies identified; (2) the
reconfiguration of processes, where the processes are redesigned following the LM tools implemented, and, finally,
(3) the performance measurement, where the progress obtained is evaluated through the use of KPIs.

4.1. Initial Assessment

The maintenance system implemented in the department encompasses preventive, condition-based, and corrective
maintenance approaches. The analysis of the work orders (WO) generated in the CMMS of the company between
April 2018 and March 2023 indicates that nearly 70% of the work orders are about corrective measures.
The primary weaknesses identified in the process are predominantly associated with inadequate transparency
within information flows and insufficient data organisation to facilitate decision-making. Regarding the measurement
of performance, there is a lack of accuracy, believability, and interpretability of data, and it does not exist a
 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278 2273
Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 5

performance measurement system. Regarding the WO System, the use of multiple tools to deal with information, the
lack of transparency within the data, the lack of knowledge using the CMMS and the lack of standardisation when
dealing with WO Management were issues identified. Finally, regarding preventive maintenance, the maintenance
plans were found to be outdated, and there is a lack of a planning system for this matter.
The Value Stream Mapping (VSM) designed – Figure 2 – provides a deepened view of the activities in terms of
non-value added (NVA) or value-added (VA) activities, allowing a more focused waste analysis in the following steps
of the project. Nevertheless, the project's primary focus lies in the information flow analysis, so an approach proposed
by Roh et al. [25], consisting of the design of Information Stream Maps (ISM), was selected.
In the scope of this study, the most recurrent scenario was mapped – as can be seen in Figure 3b – in which the
information flow begins with the requester of the service, which detects a maintenance necessity in the
infrastructure/equipment and flows into the CMMS. The maintenance team leader must export the orders, and the
information is stored in the Work Order System (an Excel sheet), being consulted by the Operational Team (OT). The
technician allocated enters the order, and a timestamp is recorded. After the intervention is completed, approval from
the maintenance team leader is required, and the work order system is again updated, for the final consultation of the
technician, that then can close the order in the CMMS, being added one more timestamp to the process.
As a logical step after the mapping of the processes, Figure 4 was constructed to allow the identification of the LM
waste and the information waste in the processes since the objective is to analyse the information flow, which has an
impact on the effectiveness of the physical flow.
In order to better understand the definition of each waste and its impact on the process, Table 3 encompasses a
detailed explanation of the information wastes encountered.
Regarding the information flow in maintenance processes, the performance indicators proposed by Roh et al. [24]
depicted in Table 2 are used in line with the information stream maps and the lean waste associated, located
qualitatively in the previous step. This allows a simulation of the improvements in the processes.
Thus, Table 4 comprises a comprehensive performance measurement framework, adapted from Roh et al. [24], that
links the KPIs mentioned and the waste identified in the process. According to the association between the indicators
and the lean waste adapted to the information management processes and the results obtained for the process
explained, presented in Table 5, it is possible to retrieve some conclusions regarding the most evident waste in the
process.

Fig. 2 VSM applied to the work order management process

Fig. 3 (a) Description of symbols in ISM; (b) Information Stream Map

2274 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278
6 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

Fig. 4 Locating wastes in the process

Table 3. Waste explanation in WOS process

Waste Description
A Every week, there is an update to the Excel file used for analysing the WO, creating another sheet will comprise duplicate
information.
B The order is exported and analysed every week, the information is waiting to be applied to the process until the moment of the
exportation. Moreover, the process is also waiting for information in WT2, since the allocation of resources requires the data
gathered in the previous activity.
C This waste reflets itself multiple times due to passing of information between the engineering team and the operational team
and between systems like Excel documents and the CMMS.
D In the step of exporting the intervention requests (IR) and allocating the resources, new information is generated and there is
the need to transform it into the required format, with a certain number of fields.
E In every exportation, there is the need to manually update the Excel document with comments from the previous analysis.
G The process encompasses errors in data, that lead to misleading conclusions when analysing the data from the CMMS. This
happens because there is a lack of commitment to the system regulating the process, and the work orders often have data not
corresponding with reality. The correction of information may happen in the exportation phase, due to preventive maintenance
work orders poorly planned and in the IR closing phase.

Table 4. KPIs to analyse the information flow

Waste Key Performance Indicators to analyse the information flow
Overproduction Although this type of waste is detected in the “Export IR” activity, the method presented by Roh et al. [25] does not
encompass the detection of this waste.
Waiting This type of waste is assessed through the real-time capability index, since if there is a high level of information being
transferred in real-time, then there is less opportunity for the occurrence of waiting; and through the media disruption
index: if the value of this indicator is low, then there is less waiting associated with transformation of information.
Transportation Transportation is evaluated through the real time capability index (according to the authors, if an information transfer
is real-time, then the transport is also in real-time), through the level of automation (if this indicator result is a high
number, then the transfers of information are automatized and so is the transportation, meaning a less waste regarding
it; and also through the media disruption index, since if the information is disrupted lots of times, then there is a
higher level of inefficiency in the transportation.
Processing Extra-processing is evaluated through the centrality index (if the information is appropriately transferred to the central
IT-System, there is no need to manually edit and process the information); and also, through the media-disruption
index, if this indicator gives a low number in disrupting information, thus there is no need to process inefficiently the
information.
Inventory waste are assessed through the centrality index, since if the information is adequately passed to the CMMS
(central system in this case), then there is no need to store the data in another systems.
Inventory Motion waste is evaluated through the level of automation (if the indicator gives a high value, then there is a lower
necessity in the interaction of systems and employees to receive the relevant information; and also, through the
 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278 2275
Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000 7

centrality index (this indicator allows a deeper understanding regarding the availability of the information in a central
system and therefore, if there is need to search for it or not).
Motion The defects are assessed through the first pass yield of information, since if the indicator turns out a high value, then
it shows that all the information is correctly transferred the first time regarding the three dimensions of information
space (relevance, quality, and availability).
Defects Although this type of waste is detected in the “Export IR” activity, the method presented by Roh et al. (2019) does
not encompass the detection of this waste. The author states that this waste is complicated to detect and therefore it
did not indicate a performance indicator to assess it.

Table 5. Results of IM KPIs

KPIs Result
Number of information transfers 13
Level of automation 15%
Centrality index 23%
Real time capability index 15%
Media disruption index 61%
First pass yield of information 79%

The level of automation and the real-time capability index has the general lowest value of all the indicators,
presenting both a result of 15%. Thus, there is a high level of waste in motion, transportation, and waiting. In turn, the
indicator first pass yield of information obtained a value of 79%, which means that there is not a high level of defects
regarding information passing. The centrality index is also low. This means higher inefficiencies regarding processing,
inventory, and motion. The media disruption index shows a value between 61%, meaning there is relevant waste
regarding processing, transportation and waiting.

4.2. Proposed reconfiguration of processes

The reconfiguration proposed regarding the information management processes has three main changes: the first
is the introduction of a Power BI-based Work Order System from where the information is pretended to be managed
for decision-making purposes; the second is the introduction of automation mechanisms that aim to support and
enhance the automatisation level of the process itself. These mechanisms act in the exportation of the orders to the
intermediate Excel file and in the various updates needed to have the information in the Power BI-based WO System;
the third is in the final phase, regarding the closure of orders, and the involvement of the Intervention Requester in
this phase, to give automatic feedback regarding the status of the order and comments regarding its development.
After planning the desired TO-BE state, it is necessary to define the lean maintenance practices adequate to the
path of attaining it.
The whole process is based on the use of the CMMS since it is the provider of the data needed to retrieve
information, and it is the system from where the management of the work orders takes place. Therefore, this system
is a crucial player in improving processes and where knowledge development is essential. Regarding the CMMS, the
improvements proposed began with the definition of the requirements in the field, with the support of the OT and ET.
Then, the maintenance plans were created, and their fields were standardised. The CMMS currently in use by FM
Division is the SAP Plant Maintenance module of the ERP system SAP R/3.
Aligned with using the CMMS, giving greater attention to Planned Maintenance was also a goal. Therefore,
multiple maintenance plans (MPs) were created to increase the Preventive Maintenance Ratio. More specifically, 44
MPs were created and uploaded into the system during the department's project development. Besides that, all the
MPs previously created (67 created from 2018 until 2020) were modified and updated according to the requirements
identified in the field.
As highlighted in this study, mapping the processes was considered extremely useful in identifying the present
waste. Therefore, the work order management process, which includes preventive and corrective maintenance
procedures, was mapped using the VSM and ISM tools.
2276 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278
8 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

Regarding Work Standardization, the practice was selected because it was helpful in the efficiency of the process
itself. One of the main problems identified is the lack of knowledge in the CMMS regarding Preventive Maintenance.
The launch of SAP PM in the management of WO occurred in 2018, but during the following three years, almost no
MPs were produced or edited. Thus, instructions were created to standardise the maintenance plans and system use
among the operational and engineering team.
Besides that, to retrieve accurate data from the CMMS for analysis, training the team was also fundamental: training
was given to the engineering team with the primary objective of giving them capabilities in defining maintenance
requirements and turning them into structured MPs, possible to be scheduled in the system automatically.
The Integrated Work Order Management System (IWOMS) proposed is created around the principles of
transparency in information to all the actors involved, with the primary objective of creating information that supports
decision-making. Moreover, the automation mechanisms also intend to enhance the capability of having the
information up-to-date and available to everyone in one platform. This solution presupposes the structure of data
gathering, storage and visualisation.
The first step to guarantee the well-functioning of the system is Data Gathering. In this stage, the CMMS act as the
only provider of data that helps in decision-making. Several steps were taken to retrieve the three most relevant reports
from the CMMS with the necessary data needed to analyse the performance of the WOS.
As stated before, the historical data regarding scheduled-based maintenance is not consistent with creating a reliable
framework of KPIs from where conclusions about maintenance lead times can be retrieved. However, it is valuable to
construct a dashboard where maintenance items and their specifications are depicted, as well as their predicted and
scheduled dates, so it is possible to predict maintenance activities that are already planned and not act on them after
the planned date. This aspect represents a significant change in the way preventive maintenance is seen in the division
since it is proposed a shift from the actual state of exporting all orders (whether they are scheduled or not) and starting
the planning process of identification of resources after and a to-be state where it is possible to see in advance
preventive maintenance orders. Therefore, it is suggested that an automatic exportation of the maintenance items list
is executed every week, and an Excel file is stored in a pre-defined folder accessible to the team.
Regarding the non-scheduled work orders, it is suggested an automatic weekly exportation of two reports from the
CMMS, "In progress WO" and "Historical Data of WO". Then, the Power BI file is automatically updated through a
mechanism computed in a low-key code platform called "Power Automate". This platform, owned by Microsoft, is a
comprehensive Robotic Process Automation tool that can automate manual and recurrent tasks [27]. It is an emergent
technology that has the power to automate tasks of a determined business process [28]. Thus, it is guaranteed that
every week the information can be consulted in the WOS, and it will always be updated with the latest exportation
from the system.

4.3. Evaluation of the progress

The AS-IS state counts with 13 information transfers, and the TO-BE state, which can be seen in Figure 5a, with
the addition of the Integrated Work Order System, counts with 15 information transfers.
The KPIs defined to evaluate the progress in the information flow show a slight improvement in results (Figure
5b), except for the Centrality Index, which decreases its value from 23% to 13%. This happens due to the increase in
the number of information transfers, which diminishes the ratio's value. However, the number of information transfers
to the CMMS did not encounter any alteration. The level of automation suffered the most dramatic change, rising
from 15% to 47%. It is a relevant accomplishment since the tool created presupposes the automation of the exportation
of orders to the IWOS and the constant updates to the files over the process.
Another essential key takeaway from this analysis is the not-so-significant increase in the process capability of
transferring information in real-time. The only opportunities concerning this aspect are the automatic generation of
orders at the beginning of the process and the automatic generation of feedback at the end of the process, only when
the CMMS is the system responsible for sending information.
However, since the Facility maintenance processes are, in a general perspective, different from
Productive/Manufacturing Maintenance processes, real-time information regarding the work orders is not as relevant.
In conclusion, it is demonstrated that LM tools applied alongside data-visualization tools and automation mechanisms
can significantly impact the reduction of information waste.
 Marta Fernandes
Author et al. / Procedia
name / Procedia ComputerComputer Science
Science 00 (2023)232 (2024) 2269–2278
000–000 22779

(a) (b)

Fig. 5 (a) TO-BE state ISM; (b) Evaluation of the progress

5. Conclusions, Limitations & Future Work

The LM methodology has been advantageous regarding the definition of processes and the discovery of
improvement opportunities, and, therefore, the project showed itself as the construction of a structured basis for the
further implementation of Industry 4.0 tools. However, a lack of practical applications within the literature that directly
apply LM to FM maintenance processes was found, suggesting that further research on this aspect is needed. The
constant rise in tendency regarding data gathering, analysis and visualisation for decision support leverages the
importance of action concerning improving information management systems. Therefore, the project acts as an enabler
for enhancing the progress needed to introduce Industry 4.0 trends. Although the data exists within the processes,
what was found was a lack of preparation of the team and the systems regarding its use for strategic conclusions about
the business.
Thus, the project contributes with an advance in research regarding mapping information management processes
in the practical context of FM processes, analysing their potential to improve them. Moreover, it is considered a
contribution by itself the LM methodology implementation in this sector, contributing positively to the research that
unites these two concepts. This study also contributes to the research considering the maturity of FM regarding
Industry 4.0 and lean implementation and also analysing the opportunities and limitations that each one of these
aspects have in improving the infrastructure maintenance process regarding information management. In the practical
context, the main contributions rely on the construction of standardised maintenance plans, the cleaning of historical
data, the training and development of the team regarding the CMMS and the redesign of the WOM process considering
a data-visualisation tool. When it comes to the results obtained regarding information streams, four KPIs used to
evaluate the progress improved their values (the level of automation and the media disruption index improved
significantly), becoming clear the impact that implementing LM tools alongside with data-visualisation techniques
and RPA mechanisms can have in enhancing maintenance processes.
One of the most relevant limitations of the project regards the ISM approach since, the processes are more complex
than what the map can represent. Alongside this, there are some limitations regarding the application of information
metrics in the practical study. If the ISM becomes more complex, more effort is required to analyse each information
transfer to its characteristics. The whole project also had limitations related to the credibility of the data stored in the
CMMS. The factor that difficulted the process of improving data accuracy is that all of these fields are filled by the
client (intervention requester). The lack of knowledge or willingness to correctly structure the WO might lead to
defects in data that are difficult to acknowledge without deep and individual research. However, creating visual
instructions and manuals for internal employees is a good contribution to improving data inputs.
Regarding future work, incorporation of the cost factor is important since the department could have an overview
of the maintenance sector's expenses and begin assessing potential reductions in cost and maximisation of value
delivered. However, the future trends imposed by Industry 4.0 lead to predictive strategies that the current systems
cannot support. Regarding further research, it is necessary a deepened investigation on information systems that enable
real-time data integration from various equipment, as well a holistic view on the rise of Industry 5.0 paradigm, that is
promising contributions regarding the integration of information.
2278 Marta Fernandes et al. / Procedia Computer Science 232 (2024) 2269–2278
10 Author name / Procedia Computer Science 00 (2023) 000–000

Acknowledgements
The present study was developed in the scope of the Project Augmented Humanity [POCI-01-0247-FEDER-046103 e LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-
046103], financed by Portugal 2020, under the Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program, the Lisbon Regional Operational
Program, and by the European Regional Development Fund. It is also carried out within the Institute of Electronics and Informatics Engineering
of Aveiro (UIDB/00127/2020), funded by national funds through FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia.

References
[1] Candón E, Martínez-Galán P, de la Fuente A, González-Prida V, Crespo Márquez A, Gómez J, et al. Implementing Intelligent Asset
Management Systems (IAMS) within an Industry 4.0 Manufacturing Environment. IFAC-PapersOnLine. 2019 Jan 1;52(13):2488–93.
[2] Mrugalska B, Ahmed J. Organizational Agility in Industry 4.0: A Systematic Literature Review. Sustainability 2021, Vol 13, Page 8272
[Internet]. 2021 Jul 23 [cited 2023 Jan 28];13(15):8272. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/15/8272/htm
[3] Lee J, Kao HA, Yang S. Service Innovation and Smart Analytics for Industry 4.0 and Big Data Environment. Procedia CIRP. 2014 Jan 1;16:3–
8.
[4] Konanahalli A, Marinelli M, Oyedele L. Drivers and Challenges Associated With the Implementation of Big Data Within U.K. Facilities
Management Sector: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Approach. IEEE Trans Eng Manag. 2022 Aug 1;69(4):916–29.
[5] Nota G, Peluso D, Lazo AT. The contribution of Industry 4.0 technologies to facility management. International Journal of Engineering Business
Management. 2021;13.
[6] Sivanuja T, Sandanayake YG. Industry 4.0 enabled predictive maintenance of facilities: A study on applicability, benefits and challenges. 2022
[cited 2023 Jan 28];585–97. Available from: https://doi.org/10.31705/WCS.2022.47.
[7] Talamo C, Paganin G, Rota F. Industry 4.0 for failure information management within Proactive Maintenance. IOP Conf Ser Earth Environ Sci
[Internet]. 2019 Jul 1 [cited 2023 Jan 28];296(1):012055. Available from: https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/296/1/012055
[8] Karim R, Westerberg J, Galar D, Kumar U. Maintenance Analytics – The New Know in Maintenance. IFAC-PapersOnLine. 2016;49(28):214–
9.
[9] Atta N. Internet of Things for Facility Management [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2021 [cited 2023 Jan 26].
(SpringerBriefs in Applied Sciences and Technology). Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-62594-8
[10] Mostafa S, Lee SH, Dumrak J, Chileshe N, Soltan H. Lean thinking for a maintenance process. Prod Manuf Res [Internet]. 2015 Jan 1 [cited
2023 Feb 12];3(1):236–72. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21693277.2015.1074124
[11] Ching NT, Ghobakhloo M, Iranmanesh M, Maroufkhani P, Asadi S. Industry 4.0 applications for sustainable manufacturing: A systematic
literature review and a roadmap to sustainable development. J Clean Prod. 2022;334.
[12] Hermann M, Pentek T, Otto B. Design principles for industrie 4.0 scenarios. Proceedings of the Annual Hawaii International Conference on
System Sciences. 2016 Mar 7;2016-March:3928–37.
[13] Castelo-Branco I, Cruz-Jesus F, Oliveira T. Assessing Industry 4.0 readiness in manufacturing: Evidence for the European Union. Comput
Ind. 2019 May 1;107:22–32.
[14] Maddikunta PK, Pham Q-V, B P, Deepa N, Dev K, Gadekallu TR, et al. Industry 5.0: A survey on enabling technologies and potential
applications. Journal of Industrial Information Integration. 2022; 26:100257. Available from: http://doi:10.1016/j.jii.2021.100257
[15] ISO/TC 267. ISO 41011:2017(en) Facility management — Vocabulary [Internet]. 2017 [cited 2022 Dec 2]. Available from:
https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:41011:ed-1:v1:en
[16] Roper KO, Payant R. Facility Management Practice. In: The Facility Management Handbook. 4th ed. AMACOM; 2014.
[17] Wong JKW, Ge J, He SX. Digitisation in facilities management: A literature review and future research directions. Vol. 92, Automation in
Construction. Elsevier B.V.; 2018. p. 312–26.
[18] Lin YC, Su YC. Developing mobile- and BIM-based integrated visual facility maintenance management system. The Scientific World Journal.
2013;2013.
[19] Mouzani I Al, Bouami D. The integration of lean manufacturing and lean maintenance to improve production efficiency. International Journal
of Mechanical and Production Engineering Research and Development. 2019 Jan 30;9(1):593–604.
[20] Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek M, Saniuk A. How to make maintenance processes more efficient using lean tools? In: Advances in Intelligent Systems
and Computing. Springer Verlag; 2018. p. 9–20.
[21] Antosz K, Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek M, Paśko Ł, Zhang C, Wang S. Application of machine learning and rough set theory in lean maintenance
decision support system development. Eksploatacja i Niezawodnosc. 2021;23(4):695–708.
[22] Hicks BJ. Lean information management: Understanding and eliminating waste. Int J Inf Manage. 2007 Aug 1;27(4):233–49.
[23] Womack JP, Jones DT. Lean thinking : banish waste and create wealth in your corporation. Free Press; 2013.
[24] Roh P, Kunz A, Wegener K. Information stream mapping: Mapping, analysing and improving the efficiency of information streams in
manufacturing value streams. CIRP J Manuf Sci Technol. 2019 May 1;25:1–13.
[25] Verhagen WJC, De Vrught B, Schut J, Curran R. A method for identification of automation potential through modelling of engineering
processes and quantification of information waste. Advanced Engineering Informatics. 2015 Aug 1;29(3):307–21.
[26] Carchiolo V, Catalano G, Malgeri M, Pellegrino C, Platania G, Trapani N. Modelling and Optimization of Wind Farms’ Processes Using
BPM. In: Szyperski C, Shaw MJ, Rosemann M, Mylopoulos J, Aalst W van der, editors. Information Technology for Management: Current
Research and Future Directions [Internet]. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2020. (Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing;
vol. 380). Available from: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/978-3-030-43353-6
[27] Microsoft. What is RPA? [Internet]. 2023 [cited 2023 May 31]. Available from: https://powerautomate.microsoft.com/en-us/what-is-rpa/
[28]Wewerka J, Reichert M. Robotic process automation - a systematic mapping study and classification framework.
https://doi.org/101080/1751757520211986862 [Internet]. 2021 [cited 2023 May 31]; Available from:
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17517575.2021.1986862