Enhancing the usability of maintenance data management systems

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore and study the aspects of usability related to eMaintenance solutions. The study aims to expand the domain of eMaintenance by increasing the usefulness of the computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) through improved usability. Design/methodology/approach - The paper opted for an exploratory study using interviews, one expert focus group discussion, and observations. Findings - The paper provides insights on specific usability characteristics that can be adapted to eMaintenance solutions for industrial usage, e. g. aviation and process industry. The findings show that the current implementations of eMaintenance solutions in CMMS, in many cases, suffer from an insufficient level of usability. This has led to usability issues resulting in errors and mistakes. The result is a call for a more user-based focus, in which, the system needs to be easily understood, easily navigated, containing the necessary information to conduct maintenance tasks, tracking of the work conducted and who was involved, and the system needs to be compatible with other systems so that necessary information can be accessed via the CMMS. Research limitations/implications - Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further. Practical implications - The paper includes implications for the development of a CMMS, which could have positive effects for maintenance tasks. Originality/value - This paper fulfills an identified need to study how CMMS actually fulfill the task they are designed to do.