Define the current state before choosing tools
Document the systems in use, the data people trust, the standards written down, and the workarounds people use when the process fails. Ask who owns each key decision and which measures are actually discussed in operating meetings. A new dashboard cannot repair a definition that varies from plant to plant.
Connect service to maintenance execution
Measure planned work delayed by unavailable parts, emergency orders, stockouts affecting critical assets, kit readiness, and the time between a material request and issue. Review the maintenance backlog with labor and material constraints side by side. A job can face both constraints, so avoid counting each as the sole cause of the delay.
Measure control as well as cost
Inventory value and turns matter, but so do record accuracy, obsolete material, supplier lead time, repairable-part tracking, and critical-spares coverage. Document the calculation, system of record, owner, and review frequency for each KPI. Make the baseline reproducible before claiming a benefit.
Choose a short list for leadership
Plant leaders need a practical view of safety, cost, and productivity. Maintenance and Engineering need material readiness. Finance needs a clear link between inventory changes, avoided disruption, and verified working-capital release. A small set of shared measures is more actionable than a long list without ownership.
Turn the baseline into action
Use the findings to rank gaps by consequence and effort. Assign an owner to each priority, define the evidence of completion, and revisit results at a regular operating cadence. The assessment should end with an executable 90-day plan, not only a score.
Put the ideas to work.
See how the MRO Excellence Assessment and book help turn evidence into priorities.