Powerfully Simple

News from FM:Systems today…

FM:Systems Launches FM:Interact Version 8.2 with Scenario Planning, FM:Mobile and FM:BIM Modules

Enhancements also include support for Alternative Officing to streamline planning for dynamic workforces

RALEIGH, N.C. – October 30, 2012 – FM:Systems, a leading provider of integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) and computer-aided facility management (CAFM) software, today announced the upcoming release of Version 8.2 of its Web-based FM:Interact Workplace Management Suite.  FM:Interact 8.2 offers a compelling set of new tools for facilities professionals helping them to better plan, optimize and manage their facilities.  FM:Interact 8.2 provides FM:Systems customers with an opportunity to access several new capabilities including powerful new features specifically built for space and occupancy scenario planning,  a new add-on module that extends the power of FM:Interact into the field on mobile platforms such as on Apple® iPad® and iPhone® devices as well as enhancements to existing FM:Interact capabilities.

The new product will be featured at World Workplace, Booth # 651 on October 31 – November 2 in San Antonio, TX. 

“This is one of our most exciting product launches to date,” said Michael Schley, founder and CEO for FM:Systems.  “As always, we have listened to our customers and the industry and have developed a solution that will allow them to proactively plan for and manage their space.  In addition, we have also added support for Alternative Officing which can help our customers adapt to modern workplace requirements enabled by mobile technologies and a highly dynamic workforce.  These new additions are just another example of how FM:Systems helps our customers continue to be at the cutting-edge of facility planning.”New capabilities include:

• Scenario Planning: The FM:Interact 8.2 Strategic Planning module now has scenario planning capabilities which allow users to proactively plan for and manage change in their physical space inventory.  The Scenario Planning features enable space planners to evaluate multiple planning scenarios with interactive stacking and blocking tools including expansions, reorganizations, consolidations, reconfigurations and unexpected events such as environmental disasters.
• FM:Mobile: Extends the power of FM:Interact into the field with support for floor plan viewing and work orders, and provides security-based access that can allow authorized users to edit FM:Interact data views on Apple® iPad® and iPhone® devices.

In addition to the new modules and capabilities introduced in FM:interact 8.2, several additional enhancements have been added including:

• Support for Alternative Officing: Many modern organizations are adopting new approaches to workplace planning that have been enabled by mobile technologies and a highly dynamic workforce. These new approaches include flexible workspace, the ability to quickly support cross functional teams, more ad-hoc and collaborative areas, and support for Activity Based Workplaces (ABW) that break away from the practice of assigning one workstation per employee.  To address these changes, FM:Interact 8.2 introduces alternative officing capabilities to the FM:Interact Space Management Module. 
• BOMA Area Calculations: Allows flexible support for classifying space by BOMA 1990, 1996, 2010A and 2010B standards for area calculation methods, including the ability to specify different methods for different buildings.
• New Floor Plan Viewer: FM:Interact includes a new floor plan viewer which is fast, intuitive, and requires no special installation.
• Extensibility Enhancements: FM:Interact users and business partners can now take advantage of extensibility enhancements that enable organizations to extend the out-of-the-box capabilities of the FM:Interact System including new functions for user-defined controls and actions on data forms.
• Improved BIM Integration: FM:Interact 8.2 provides customers with improved integration between the FM:Interact Workplace Management Suite and Autodesk® Revit®.  This means building data can be made available to all stakeholders throughout the entire building lifecycle.

For more information visit http://fmsystems.com/products/interact.html.

About FM:Systems, Inc.
By connecting people, place and process, FM:Systems helps facilities and real-estate professionals improve customer service, reduce costs and increase productivity enterprise-wide. FM:Systems Web-based software improves management of space, occupancy, moves, maintenance, leases and property. Customer results include: real estate costs reduced by 15 percent, move spend reduced by 88 percent, enterprise productivity savings of $1.5 million and an internal customer satisfaction rate of 97 percent. Many of the world’s leading organizations rely on FM:Systems products, including CA Technologies, Devon Energy, FINRA, Freddie Mac, Herman Miller, Indiana University, Lockheed Martin, Northwestern University, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Target stores. FM:Systems is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, and conducts business in the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about FM:Systems, please visit http://www.fmsystems.com or call 1-800-648-8030.

News from FM:Systems today…

FM:Systems Launches FM:Interact Version 8.2 with Scenario Planning, FM:Mobile and FM:BIM Modules

Enhancements also include support for Alternative Officing to streamline planning for dynamic workforces

RALEIGH, N.C. – October 30, 2012 – FM:Systems, a leading provider of integrated workplace management systems (IWMS) and computer-aided facility management (CAFM) software, today announced the upcoming release of Version 8.2 of its Web-based FM:Interact Workplace Management Suite.  FM:Interact 8.2 offers a compelling set of new tools for facilities professionals helping them to better plan, optimize and manage their facilities.  FM:Interact 8.2 provides FM:Systems customers with an opportunity to access several new capabilities including powerful new features specifically built for space and occupancy scenario planning,  a new add-on module that extends the power of FM:Interact into the field on mobile platforms such as on Apple® iPad® and iPhone® devices as well as enhancements to existing FM:Interact capabilities.

The new product will be featured at World Workplace, Booth # 651 on October 31 – November 2 in San Antonio, TX. 

“This is one of our most exciting product launches to date,” said Michael Schley, founder and CEO for FM:Systems.  “As always, we have listened to our customers and the industry and have developed a solution that will allow them to proactively plan for and manage their space.  In addition, we have also added support for Alternative Officing which can help our customers adapt to modern workplace requirements enabled by mobile technologies and a highly dynamic workforce.  These new additions are just another example of how FM:Systems helps our customers continue to be at the cutting-edge of facility planning.”New capabilities include:

• Scenario Planning: The FM:Interact 8.2 Strategic Planning module now has scenario planning capabilities which allow users to proactively plan for and manage change in their physical space inventory.  The Scenario Planning features enable space planners to evaluate multiple planning scenarios with interactive stacking and blocking tools including expansions, reorganizations, consolidations, reconfigurations and unexpected events such as environmental disasters.
• FM:Mobile: Extends the power of FM:Interact into the field with support for floor plan viewing and work orders, and provides security-based access that can allow authorized users to edit FM:Interact data views on Apple® iPad® and iPhone® devices.

In addition to the new modules and capabilities introduced in FM:interact 8.2, several additional enhancements have been added including:

• Support for Alternative Officing: Many modern organizations are adopting new approaches to workplace planning that have been enabled by mobile technologies and a highly dynamic workforce. These new approaches include flexible workspace, the ability to quickly support cross functional teams, more ad-hoc and collaborative areas, and support for Activity Based Workplaces (ABW) that break away from the practice of assigning one workstation per employee.  To address these changes, FM:Interact 8.2 introduces alternative officing capabilities to the FM:Interact Space Management Module. 
• BOMA Area Calculations: Allows flexible support for classifying space by BOMA 1990, 1996, 2010A and 2010B standards for area calculation methods, including the ability to specify different methods for different buildings.
• New Floor Plan Viewer: FM:Interact includes a new floor plan viewer which is fast, intuitive, and requires no special installation.
• Extensibility Enhancements: FM:Interact users and business partners can now take advantage of extensibility enhancements that enable organizations to extend the out-of-the-box capabilities of the FM:Interact System including new functions for user-defined controls and actions on data forms.
• Improved BIM Integration: FM:Interact 8.2 provides customers with improved integration between the FM:Interact Workplace Management Suite and Autodesk® Revit®.  This means building data can be made available to all stakeholders throughout the entire building lifecycle.

For more information visit http://fmsystems.com/products/interact.html.

About FM:Systems, Inc.
By connecting people, place and process, FM:Systems helps facilities and real-estate professionals improve customer service, reduce costs and increase productivity enterprise-wide. FM:Systems Web-based software improves management of space, occupancy, moves, maintenance, leases and property. Customer results include: real estate costs reduced by 15 percent, move spend reduced by 88 percent, enterprise productivity savings of $1.5 million and an internal customer satisfaction rate of 97 percent. Many of the world’s leading organizations rely on FM:Systems products, including CA Technologies, Devon Energy, FINRA, Freddie Mac, Herman Miller, Indiana University, Lockheed Martin, Northwestern University, Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Pfizer, and Target stores. FM:Systems is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, and conducts business in the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia Pacific. For more information about FM:Systems, please visit http://www.fmsystems.com or call 1-800-648-8030.

 

Thinking about implementing an IWMS or CAFM system?  Or maybe you just want to get more from the one you already own?  Join FM:Systems for the complimentary webinar series “Strategies for Success” where you’ll hear other facilities professionals discuss what was important to them in selecting an IWMS/CAFM system, tips on implementation, and how they challenged themselves and the system to solve problems and do more. 

We have three unique upcoming webinars that you’re not going to want to miss:

Thursday, October 18, 2012 | 2:00 pm EST

Adding Value — Implementing IWMS Modules in Stages: The Regions Bank Story

Implementing and growing a new software system can be daunting. That’s why the teams from Regions Bank, Little and CBRE say, “It’s important to take it in stages.” Learn what they found important to tackle first and other implementation secrets that will put you on the path to success.

Read the details and register here.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012 | 2:00 pm EST

Providing Service as a Culture, The Colorado Springs Utilities Story

Sammy and his team believed that workplace information could make everyone at Colorado Springs Utilities more efficient, so they set out to provide enterprise-wide access to internal customers. Find out what happened when they adopted a customer-first approach to facilities management.

Read the details and register here.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 | 2:00 – 2:30 PM EST

Innovative Uses for an IWMS System, The Navy Federal Credit Union Story

Business continuity planning, managing an army of security cameras and tracking keys and locks are just a few of the creative ways that Navy Federal Credit Union plans to use its IWMS system—that’s in addition to moving 2000 people annually and helping the organization operate with new efficiencies.

Read the details and register here.

I’m excited to start a new series of blog posts called Lifecycle BIM Perspectives! 

In addition to my occasional musings on Lifecycle BIM technology, processes and value, as FM:Systems engages with more and more AEC firms and their owner clients, I will interview a key participant in the project about their thoughts on BIM for the building lifecycle.

My first interview is with Mark Mergenschroer, BIM Innovation Services Manager for TME, Inc.  Mark is working on a new construction project for a major correctional facility and actively preparing BIM data to streamline handover and jumpstart facility management.

How is BIM revolutionizing the design and construction industry?

Building Information Modeling is making the AEC community communicate better. Communication, as we all know, had been a thorn in the side of our industry for years. BIM now brings everyone to the table, with everyone hopefully being on the same page. Information is such a key to design and construction, why shouldn’t we share the information to give our clients a better deliverable?

How is a Lifecycle BIM method different?

With Lifecycle BIM, we will have the correct data in a central location, rather than spread out across multiple servers. Having a central database of information will reduce the number of errors, omissions and duplicate information. This will also lead to a better understanding of the systems within the building as we should have the facility management involved in the BIM process. Understanding how a building operates and functions early in the project is key to Lifecycle Management.

Will FM:BIM make a difference in your business? How?

FM:BIM will make an impact by looking at the Lifecycle of a project from concept. Have the database for the entire project team, including building owners, readily available with help with some of the issues we see today. Having the correct information in one central area is such a key to having great building information. FM:BIM will be a key in the future of the Lifecycle Facility Management.

What were the challenges you faced with Lifecycle BIM on a project? What were the successes? Lessons learned?

Our biggest challenge has been consistent data collection and making sure that all parties involved are working for the same goal. We have found that several people want certain aspects when it comes to the lifecycle of a building and some people think certain information is not useful when others think the information is very useful. 

The successes…

Being able to bring many people to one consistent platform, with all of the data looking the same for each user. Being able to consolidate all of the information in one database, with one log-in, is what our clients are considering success.

The value of using our Design/construction deliverable to capture the Lifecycle information. Rather than letting the data be pushed to the side and forgotten, we can now use the database to give the client a wealth of knowledge for the facilities.

Lesson learned….

I needed more knowledge about process, understanding the data collection process is what I came away with. You can collect all kinds of data, but it does you no good if the client will not use that data.

Be prepared early in the process. Give them useable kickoff documentation that is on their level and that they understand is also a key lesson.

Education of the client to the process before the Needs Analysis is done. The client needs to know and understand the process before we really determine what Lifecycle needs they will want to track.

If I could do my first Lifecycle BIM project over again, I would streamline the beginning of the process. More work needs to be done before the needs analysis, so that the client understands what is about to happen and they can come to the table with well thought out decisions at the analysis, rather than taking up time because they don’t understand the process.

Distance Learning Labs (DLL) from FM:Systems offers live, instructor-led learning events that are presented over the Web. Just like classroom training, distance learning students receive one-on-one attention from instructors, have the ability to ask questions, and must complete hands-on assignments. And you don’t have to travel to do it!  

DLL sessions focus on topics associated with FM:Interact modules and run approximately three to four hours.  Through a Web-based training system, students can login from their personal computer and be connected to the classroom.  Materials are easily downloaded from the course information page, and all students are required to attend a free preparatory class to familiarize them with the interface and ensure there are no security issues with access.  DLL is FM:Systems training that comes (via a computer) live to you!  

Our customers love it! See what they have to say:

• “So practical. I didn’t need to travel anywhere to interact with the instructor and my classmates. We had an awesome instructor and I learned as much - if not more - in my DLL sessions with her than I have by working with my favorite consultant at our site. The training was worth every penny, and I would highly recommend it for anyone new to FM:Interact!”
• “The instructor managed the classroom well. There were people at different levels and she engaged everyone!”
• “The instructor gives us very practical examples as activities, which we can relate to and they are easy to follow with the handouts” 
• “There was an appropriate amount of instruction and interactivity for the participant to progress further on their own.”
• “I like the structure of the class - instructor led teaching and demos. The student practiced what was taught then there was a second activity to reinforce the learning - very effective.”
• “It was very easy to follow along - the instructor was very easy to communicate with.”
• “The virtual participation and being able to have “hands-on” training within the session was very effective.”
• “Interactive, engaging, and good exercises.” 

See the Distance Learning Labs schedule here.

The Workplace Strategy Summit: Research in Action held at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York September 5-7 will unite FM professionals with the leading thinkers on workplace strategy to explore workplace effectiveness; the nature of collaborative work; and the organizational, lifestyle and infrastructure changes that will impact the workplace of the future. 

This fast-paced, interactive event will discuss two main questions facing facility management professionals:

• What do we really know about workplace effectiveness?
• Do we understand the true nature of collaborative work, or are we relying upon theory and supposition?

Look for our own Mike Schley, Founder and CEO of FM:Systems and IFMA fellow, who will be addressing the conference. We hope to see you there!

See more information here: http://www.ifmafoundation.org/summit/summit/

David Stephenson, CFM is a Facilities Planning and Space Management consultant with 14 years experience in the implementation and management of CAFM and IWMS technology. David’s specializes in working with management and end users to set implementation goals and build consensus around new technology. David also has experience coordinating with internal IT staff on hardware, software, and security requirements as well as identifying opportunities for data integration with other corporate information users such as HR and Telecom.

Earlier this week I was scrolling through the current news feeds when I came across a link entitled “How to Pitch Anything in 15 seconds.” Since I am constantly pitching complicated technology to our clients, I thought this might be a worthwhile read. The author/presenter outlines how a message map can be used to pitch any idea; as simple as soap or as complex as 4G LTE networks. A message map is the visual display of your idea on a single page.  Below are the three steps to creating a message map.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/carminegallo/2012/07/17/how-to-pitch-anything-in-15-seconds/

Step One. Create a Twitter-friendly headline.

The headline is the one single overarching message that you want your customers to know about the product. Ask yourself, “What is the single most important thing I want my listener to know about my [product, service, brand, idea].” Draw a circle at the top of the message and insert the headline. Make sure your headline fits in a Twitter post – no more than 140 characters. If you cannot explain your product or idea in 140 characters or less, go back to the drawing board.

Step Two. Support the headline with three key benefits. 

As I discussed in a previous article, the human mind can only process about three pieces of information in short-term memory. Specifically outline the three or, at most, four benefits of your product. Draw three arrows from the headline to each of the key supporting messages.

Step Three. Reinforce the three benefits with stories, statistics, and examples. 

Add bullet points to each of the three supporting messages. You don’t have to write out the entire story. Instead write a few words that will prompt you to deliver the story. Remember, the entire message map must fit on one page.

Using these three steps, I’ve created a message map for a new FM Strategies tool called FM:BIM.

FM:BIM bridges the information gap between A/E/C and Owner.

FM:BIM is an easy to use web based tool that has a live connection to the Revit model allowing bi-directional information sharing during the entire design and construction process. This provides owners earlier access to room schedule data as well as building equipment data which allows them to start planning the maintenance of the building earlier in the lifecycle. It reminds me of when my wife was pregnant with our son. We had two ultrasounds, each giving us a bit more information about our baby for our planning needs. That is how owners feel today, gradually getting information from the A/E/C during construction meetings, or having to ask for exports of schedules for room finishes. I know if I had known two weeks earlier that we were having a boy, I wouldn’t have bought that off-white set of crib sheets with the lambs. They would have been blue or red, with pirates! Believe me, owners are becoming more sophisticated about BIM and they want access to the data as soon as it’s defined and they are already making BIM deliverable guidelines part of the RFP and selection process.

FM:BIM is Simple.

It utilizes an easy to use web front-end that anyone on the project team can navigate with ease to view floor plans and run reports on room information and building equipment information. The tool can be accessed from mobile web browsers as well, allowing the owner to pull up information about the building on the job site. FM:BIM also has user level security which allows the owner to determine who has access to the data, and to what degree.

FM:BIM is Scalable.

Once the owner has created their first FM:BIM project, the tool can be reused over and over again. This allows FM:BIM to become a living BIM Deliverable Guideline. Successful guidelines place as much emphasis on modeling standards as information standards and FM:BIM provides a framework for that information. The project team can create room and asset template standards that can be used from project to project, vendor to vendor, without having to recreate the wheel on each project.  In addition, FM:BIM can be used after the project is complete as a repository for room and equipment information.

FM:BIM is Integrated.

FM:BIM allows the editing of model data via Revit or the web. For instance, an owner may want to adjust the room name for their auditorium. They don’t need to add that to a meeting action item list, they can simply modify it, and viola, the model now reflects that name.  FM:BIM also understands multiple disciplines, so the MEP model data automatically updates the website, without the MEP contractor sending changes to the project manager or coordinator. In addition, the project team can upload all of the Revit families and templates developed as part of the BIM Deliverable Guidelines to be used again on the next project. If at the end of the project…and this is a big IF…the owner wants to shut off the web site and go about their merry way, FM Strategies can export their information to a COBie compliant format so they can integrate it into their internal facilities management system.

It is my belief that owners want to leverage BIM but they don’t know where to start. There is so much speculation out there about what it is and what it can do that owners aren’t sure what to believe. FM:BIM makes starting simple, by focusing on two important basics in managing a building: rooms and equipment. 

So next time your client says “I want to do BIM” ;-) let’s sit down and start simple.

Join us for a tour of the latest release from FM:Systems, a cloud-based system that helps AEC firms and building owners partner to bring down lifecycle costs.  Join us as Marty Chobot, vice president of BIM initiatives for FM:Systems, discusses and demos this new product and its benefits for AEC firms and owners.

We have one more scheduled for August – sign up now: 

August 29th | 2:00pm EST

Register

In the meantime, find out more about FM:BIM at www.fmbim.com

An FM:Systems client since 1987, we recently caught up with our longest-standing customer, a major not-for-profit organization chartered to work in the public interest, applying expertise in systems engineering, information technology, operational concepts, and enterprise modernization to address sponsors’ critical needs.

Q1. Tell me about your facilities?

With two principal locations in Massachusetts and Virginia, our company has more than 7,500 employees in sites across the country and around the world. Currently the corporate real estate (CRE) group manages approximately 1.2 million square feet in Virginia, approximately 800,000 square feet in Massachusetts, and approximately 500,000-square feet at additional domestic sites.

The corporate real estate department is responsible for all strategic/space planning, facilities operations, food services, mail and reprographics, and all other architecture, engineering and construction activities.

Q2. What was the initial need for a CAFM/IWMS solution? 

A customer since 1984, when we first signed on to work with FM:Systems, the main two sites in Massachusetts and Virginia were running like two separate companies, with two separate databases. Prior to FM:Systems, the MA location  used a home-grown system where the space planner would run a report once a month.  Because the report was run by the corporate mainframe computer, the space planner made a monthly pilgrimage to the Computer Center each time the report was generated. Needless to say, the ability to run queries and/or ad-hoc reports was limited. 

Due to a change in the CRE management structure, a strategic decision was made to unify and streamline the two operations.  Then began the long journey to standardize and manage one system serving many operators.

Q3. How are you using FM:Systems today? What benefits have you realized?

With FM:Systems, we have been able to integrate and consolidate the previously two separate databases into one, streamlined repository for corporate data and information that is now accessible to all sites and locations throughout the country.

FM:Systems has enabled us to have a true database of accurate floor plans, where people sit, and how much space is allocated to each department. We are the source for all primary room locations for over 7,500 employees. FM:Interact also seamlessly integrates with our other corporate systems, allowing us to easily feed data in and out, which provides for more robust reporting. 

The Web-based platform of FM:Interact allows us to post stakeholder specific move reports, enabling the move team to focus on more value add activities.

We recently completed a very in-depth, detailed 600 people move, while moving labs at the same time. We were only able to work on the move during evening and weekend hours, but with FM:Systems, we were still able to complete the project within four months. The configurable workflow made for a consistent, efficient move processes, and automated e-mail communication for service provider work status and centralized scheduling streamlined the entire operation.

Whether it’s pulling reports for a government audit once every quarter, or supporting a move, FM:Systems provides an outstanding level of customer service you’d expect from a smaller, dedicated organization, but is large enough to deliver the functionality and customization needed to run a big corporation.

With FM:Systems, the CRE department is afforded an opportunity to collaborate successfully across the organization.

We sat down with a new FM:Systems customer, one of the world’s largest communications providers, to discuss how the ROI Calculator helped them in choosing FM:Systems among 12 different IWMS software providers.

Q1. What was the initial need for a IWMS solution?

We began to see a need for a IWMS solution as we were manually controlling 10 different databases. Nothing was automated, and we didn’t have the manpower to handle it anymore. Whenever there was a move, floor plans would have to be redrawn and spread sheets manually updated. It was becoming increasingly clear that we needed a centralized database.  Because of our small team, finding this solution would be a major investment for us and we needed to be assured that this decision was the right one.

Q2. How did the ROI Calculator help you in making this decision?

We began with a pool of 12 vendors and then narrowed those down to three. We then interviewed those three vendors to see which would benefit us the most. FM:Systems was able to take our data, put it in their ROI Calculator, and show us what our estimated savings would be by implementing the FM:Systems software. The ROI Calculator estimated that we would have a total savings of $177,000 in the first year.  Looking at the cost-savings breakdown shown by the ROI Calculator led us to give more consideration to how much a move actually costs.  The ROI Calculator also showed that the majority of our savings would be from space management, affirming our need for a solution. Overall, this tool helped to convince management that we did need an IWMS solution and that cost-savings was possible. 

Use the free ROI Calculator here.