Citing improved efficiency, the University has switched over to Maximo, a more user-friendly work order request system, Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray and Executive Director of Facilities Services Bob Avalle announced in a Jul. 18 email to the community.

Maximo, an IBM software program that is used at businesses and universities worldwide — including Cornell University — is “an upgrade to an existing system that greatly expands and enhances the entire work management process, which will allow facilities services to better serve the entire campus and all customers,” Senior Associate Director of Facilities Mary Sharrigan wrote in an email to the Justice via Gray.

Sharrigan cited the previous system’s age as one of the factors in the decision to switch to Maximo, noting that the old system had not been updated in more than 12 years. She added that “limitations on changing or adding information as campus space and departments evolved over time [and a] desire to leverage current technologies to improve operational effectiveness and customer service” also played a role.

“Maximo’s new user interface was part of an overall enterprise system upgrade that provided our team with greatly needed technology upgrades,” Sharrigan wrote. She explained that some of the most positive impacts to come of the change have been a more efficient online system, an automated work flow and greater reporting and analysis capabilities for staff.

She added that those requesting facilities services can now enter “free text” to describe their problems rather than being limited to a static list of options. Requesters may also provide more accurate location information like floors and room numbers and can view their work order status and order histories online.

The benefits also extend to the staff receiving those requests: the Work Management Group can now locate the area of request more easily, provide better information to the supervisors who are assigning the work and respond more effectively to the status inquiries from users.

“Overall the system has functioned very well since our ‘go live’ on July 17,” Sharrigan wrote. “We have received user feedback – mostly positive – and people are still getting used to the look and feel of the new system.”

She also wrote that the University will continue to alter the website as feedback comes in. The University is “striving to provide the most effective and user-friendly experience for the community,” she wrote. “We look forward to hearing from students about their experiences as they return to campus. And there is a link to a help document, right at the top of the request page.”