Empirical Study of Failure Records Utilisation in Troubleshooting: approach for reducing troubleshooting time

Existing studies of downtime reduction have usually been based on the idea of preventing failures. These studies have undoubtedly made a significant contribution towards downtime reduction, although it is impossible to predict and prevent all failures. In this first instalment of a two-part paper it is suggested that an approach to minimising downtime – by reducing troubleshooting time via the analysis of failure records – can be founded on evidence from published literature, evidence which suggests that providing maintainers with easy access to detailed information about previous failure experiences should make troubleshooting quicker. It also suggests that current maintenance information systems and documentation are not coping efficiently with providing assistance to maintenance technicians during troubleshooting. Part II of the paper will present results from an exploratory case study, conducted with practitioners, that demonstrates the feasibility of creating a documentation system to support troubleshooting, and that confirms findings from the literature review regarding failure information management. It will also present suggestions, derived from the practitioners’ experience, for optimising the management of maintenance documentation.