An assessment procedure to measure and improve the maintenance management information practices maturity: a case study

PurposeThis article presents a procedure for assessing the maturity of maintenance management information practices and defining improvement actions. It focuses on supporting companies, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in determining their information technology (IT) needs and introducing suitable informative infrastructures.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive procedure for assessing the maturity of maintenance management information practices and defining improvement actions is proposed. It consists of five steps: designing the current state of maintenance, identifying IT needs based on maintenance goals, applying an assessment model to identify weaknesses and strengths, proposing improvement actions based on maturity level and enabling continuous improvement. The procedure provides the applicability of the assessment model to evaluate the maturity levels of different databases: Equipment, Maintenance Personnel, Work Order and Report.FindingsThe model was applied to a company's maintenance process. Improvement actions focusing on enhancing the informative infrastructure and improving information management practices have been designed based on the current maturity assessment. The findings and recommendations provide valuable insights for SMEs seeking to enhance their maintenance effectiveness and adopt appropriate IT solutions.Originality/valueThe proposed procedure and the maturity model contribute to the field of research by addressing the specific needs of SMEs in assessing their maintenance management information practices. The model provides a roadmap for SMEs to identify weaknesses, prioritize improvement actions and enable continuous improvement. By leveraging the benefits of information systems, SMEs can enhance their maintenance processes, increase competitiveness and achieve higher maturity levels in maintenance management.