Model Process for Implementing Maintainability

Most companies lack a formal method to address maintainability during the project delivery process, yet maintenance can seriously affect project costs. To address the opportunities available to companies through the effective inclusion of maintainability concepts, the Construction Industry Institute formed the Maintainability Research Team. Using a combination of recent literature, a questionnaire survey, personal interviews, and case studies with industry professionals, the research team organized maintainability best practices into a model implementation process. Developed from the owner's perspective, the model process has two levels: corporate and project. Milestones, steps, and activities further define each level. The benefit of the model process is that it provides owners with a starting point for implementing maintainability. This paper outlines the proposed model process and describes the potential roles and benefits of maintainability on various types of projects.