The Joys of Maximo Mobility

Mobility for your company’s enterprise software is a hot topic these days. We are all very reliant on our phones when it comes to our personal lives, but a lot of organisations are lagging when it comes to business. Maximo is no exception, with many Maximo implementations lacking any mobile platform.

The benefits of a mobile solution are clear. Allowing your workforce access to a key system like Maximo on the move and without having to wait to get back to a desktop is incredibly useful, especially when your assets are dispersed. This can increase the quality and quantity of data uploaded to your system and decrease human error risk due to notes legibility. So why isn’t it more common?

Why do you need Mobile Maximo?

Understanding the use cases is certainly one of the key elements in deciding how to go mobile. Many companies know they want mobility for Maximo but are unsure of the use. This is a very valid concern; I have worked on a number of Maximo mobility projects, including both Everyplace & Anywhere. In my experience, not having a clear plan of what business needs mobility is trying to address is a course for disaster.

Is mobility a relevant solution for your business?

Especially one project I was involved in springs to mind. The client’s Business Analysts had created a heavily detailed specification,  which took about half a year to implement. When we finally got to user acceptance testing, one user, in particular, flagged that the mobile version was not as detailed as the desktop one and that he preferred using the desktop for this particular use case. He pointed out that the project team was no more than 5 minutes away from a PC at this location at any given time. It became apparent that this essential detail was not taken into consideration while planning Maximo on the go. It is critical to understand that; you have to strike a balance as you don’t want to swamp your mobile users with excessive options and buttons but at the same time make the applications relevant and appropriate for the job. This example highlights the importance of considering the right use cases ahead of the project or developing a proof of concept before the full system rollout.

What is your timescale?

Another blocker can be significant mobility implementation times. As discussed above, the customised mobile app execution throughout the company operations can take months, if not more. With mobile technology moving as fast as it is, this slow implementation time can have a significant impact, especially when new releases and products become available. At the same time, a company is stuck in the implementation process.

Are you spoilt for choice?

The final issue can be the choice. There is a myriad of Maximo Mobile solutions on the market, including multiple options from IBM themselves. Customers’ can often be paralysed by time-consuming analysis as they try to evaluate intricate details of all the options and ultimately find themselves overwhelmed.

SRO’s Maximo experts have spent time and effort reviewing various available mobility routes and have decided to partner with A3J Group to offer MxMobile as their preferred Maximo on the go solution.

The applications are simple to use and implement, with only an app store download required, and even come with a 30 days free trial. As such, Maximo users have a unique opportunity to try the product before committing and incur any cost. This is a perfect way of alleviating the above concerns: use cases can be worked out using the applications, without significant implementation time or up-front cost, and if the product is not suitable, it was a free trial, and nothing has been lost.

It is an exciting time in the world of Maximo, and Enterprise Asset Management and SRO are thrilled to be at the forefront of the mobility conundrum.

We are happy to assist  Maximo users in realising their mobility dreams.

Contact Joe (link to LinkedIn profile and info@ email.