Requirements for Developing a Simulation Game for Maintenance Planner Training THESIS BY EDWIN KAREMA This thesis is presented for the degree of Master of Engineering Science of the University of Western Australia School of Mechanical Engineering Engineering and Asset Management 2010 Requirements for Developing a Simulation Abstracts Game for Maintenance Planner Training Abstracts Today increasing market competitiveness has forced manufacturers and primary industries to compete on price and reliability. At the same time, there are greater complexities and risks associated with the purchasing, installing, and maintaining assets. These are some of the factors, which have lead to an increase in industry practitioners’ and academics’ interest in the study of asset management. Asset management itself is defined by Asset Management Council as “the life cycle management of physical assets to achieve the stated output of enterprise”. One of the key roles in the in-service phase of the life cycle is the maintenance planner. The planner input is vital in selecting and deploying the right maintenance tasks and sequences to ensure an asset's function is delivered at the optimal cost. One way to increase the effectiveness of the maintenance planning process is to improve the competency level of the maintenance planner. However, improving training and qualification systems is not straightforward. The lack of agreement on the maintenance planner tasks is one of the reasons why it is difficult to find a specific course for planners. Developing an effective training package for maintenance planners needs to consider planner competencies, cost, infrastructure, time flexibility and the content of the training itself. This could be achieved by developing a better understanding of maintenance planner role. Hence, a survey has been carried out to collect data of maintenance planner tasks from companies in different market sector and from literatures. Analysis of this data is then used to define a recommended set of maintenance planner tasks, skill sets and competency levels. Utilisation of the computer simulation game as an educational tool could assist prospective and existing planners (students) in enhancing their learning experiences of maintenance planning. It also provides a tool that can assist educators to evaluate students’ understanding of a concept. The challenge in achieving the conditions above is to establish an effective structure of an education simulation game itself. A framework that is able to relate the components that affect the planner’s work and the detailed technical requirements of a computer/electronic simulation game is required. The understanding of the components within this framework provides a clearer view of the required technical elements of a Page ii Edwin Karema 2010 Requirements for Developing a Simulation Abstracts Game for Maintenance Planner Training computer simulation game such as the functional requirements, data structure, simulation algorithm, interfaces, scenarios and entertainment aspects. As part of this research, a prototype of an Education simulation game for maintenance planners (ESMAP) was developed. The feedback has indicated a degree of enthusiasm for using a simulation game for maintenance planners training and a reasonable market/commercial prospect. Moreover, the findings from the process of developing the prototype, and the feedback of demonstration audiences have provide a valuable knowledge in understanding the requirements of a complete version of an education simulation game for a maintenance planner training system. Page iii Edwin Karema 2010 Requirements for Developing a Simulation Table of Contents Game for Maintenance Planner Training Table of Contents ABSTRACTS .................................................................................................................. II TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................IV LIST OF TABLES ...............................................................................................................IX LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................................. X ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................XI ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................................................ XII DEFINITIONS ..............................................................................................................XIV 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 1.1 RESEARCH BACKGROUND ............................................................................................ 1 1.1.1 ASSET MANAGEMENT STUDY...................................................................................... 1 1.1.2 MAINTENANCE PLANNER EDUCATION/TRAINING....................................................... 2 1.1.3 COMPUTER EDUCATION SIMULATION GAME .............................................................. 3 1.2 THESIS CONTRIBUTION................................................................................................. 4 1.2.1 THE CHALLENGES........................................................................................................ 4 1.2.2 RESEARCH QUESTION .................................................................................................. 4 1.2.3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY......................................................................................... 5 1.2.4 SCOPE LIMITATION ...................................................................................................... 6 1.3 THESIS OUTLINE ........................................................................................................... 6 2 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 7 2.1 CHAPTER OVERVIEW.................................................................................................... 7 2.2 LITERATURE REVIEW METHODOLOGY....................................................................... 7 2.3 EDUCATION SIMULATION GAME RESEARCH .............................................................. 8 2.3.1 SOCIETY ACCEPTANCE OF EDUCATION SIMULATION GAME .................................... 10 Page iv Edwin Karema 2010 Requirements for Developing a Simulation Table of Contents Game for Maintenance Planner Training 2.3.2 DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATION SIMULATION GAME................................................. 11 2.4 EDUCATION SIMULATION GAME IN VARIOUS FIELDS .............................................. 13 2.4.1 SIMULATION GAMES IN THE MILITARY..................................................................... 13 2.4.2 SIMULATION GAMES IN THE MEDICAL INDUSTRY .................................................... 15 2.4.3 SIMULATION GAMES IN BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT............................................ 17 2.5 SIMULATION GAME IN MAINTENANCE PLANNING ................................................... 20 2.5.1 THE MANUFACTURING GAME AND THE OILPRO GAME............................................ 20 2.5.2 THE MAINTENANCE GAME ........................................................................................ 22 2.5.3 THE RELIABILITY GAME............................................................................................ 22 2.5.4 ABB RELIABILITY CHALLENGE ................................................................................ 23 2.6 GAP ANALYSIS............................................................................................................. 24 3 MAINTENANCE PLANNER TRAINING SYSTEM................................................... 27 3.1 CHAPTER OVERVIEW.................................................................................................. 27 3.2 EXISTING MAINTENANCE PLANNING TRAINING SYSTEMS ...................................... 27 3.3 EDUCATION SIMULATION GAMES FOR MAINTENANCE PLANNING TRAINING- THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ..................................................................................................... 28 3.4 MAINTENANCE PLANNING.......................................................................................... 30 3.4.1 DEFINITION ................................................................................................................ 30 3.4.2 MAINTENANCE WORKFLOW....................................................................................... 30 3.4.3 COMPUTERISED MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMMS).......................... 33 3.5 UNDERSTANDING MAINTENANCE PLANNER ROLE................................................... 33 3.5.1 DATA COLLECTION.................................................................................................... 34 3.5.2 MAINTENANCE PLANNER’S TASKS............................................................................ 35 3.5.3 MAINTENANCE PLANNER SKILL SET.......................................................................... 44 3.5.4 MAINTENANCE PLANNER PERFORMANCE INDICATORS ............................................ 47 3.5.5 FACTORS AFFECTING MAINTENANCE PLANNER TASKS............................................ 49 3.5.6 MAINTENANCE PLANNING GOOD PRACTICE .............................................................. 53 3.6 THE MAINTENANCE PLANNER FRAMEWORK ..........................................................