Michigan State University (MSU) sought to enhance its facilities management through the implementation of Planon, a leading IWMS. Planon was selected to replace FAMIS and MySoft for which support was ending. MSU required a tailored solution to address its specific operational needs and streamline various processes.
ROI Consulting Group was chosen for this project due to its expertise in delivering Planon and was engaged by MSU to augment the internal implementation team in order to enable MSU to meet the project timeline.
“Michigan State University is a large and diverse enterprise featuring one of the largest, single-campus residence hall systems in the country and a growing research footprint. We service over 560 buildings at more than 24 million square feet on our East Lansing campus,” said Dan Bollman, AVP for Infrastructure Planning and Facilities (IPF) at MSU. “Our goal and our vision is to provide best-in-class services in support of the University’s mission of teaching, research and outreach. It is vital that we provide a comprehensive and integrated facilities management system in order to be successful.”
Outside of providing a modern solution, Planon was also implemented to:
- Standardize processes
- Reduce redundancy
- Improve efficiency
- Increase transparency, consistency and reporting
- Enhance customer experience
Project Phases
1. Configuration
Michigan State University engaged ROI several years into the implementation. MSU was looking for a consulting partner that could help augment the existing internal project team to meet the planned go live date. With discovery, design and planning for the project having been completed, ROI began assisting the MSU team during configuration phase. Specific deliverables in this phase included the following:
- Workflows were designed to automate tasks such as work order approvals, notifications, and escalations, significantly reducing administrative overhead and increasing response times.
- The maintenance module was tailored to incorporate MSU’s specific maintenance routines, enabling more effective scheduling and tracking of maintenance activities, thus extending the life of campus assets.
- MSU-specific interfaces were developed to ensure ease of use, with role-specific dashboards providing relevant information and actions for different user groups, from facility managers to administrative staff.
2. Testing and Validation
Before the full rollout, MSU developed testing scenarios and validation material. ROI assisted with rigorous testing, including:
- Unit and integration testing to ensure all customizations functioned correctly
- User acceptance testing (UAT) involving key MSU personnel
- Refinements based on feedback from UAT
3. Training and Deployment
Partnering on training and deployment, ROI provided system process guides as a framework for MSU to develop and deliver a comprehensive training program that was implemented to ensure smooth adoption. Additionally, ROI developed support tools deployed with Planon. Deliverables included:
- Role-based training sessions
- Creation of detailed user manuals and quick reference guides
- Ongoing support during the initial deployment phase
Conclusion
When Planon went live, the following benefits were realized by MSU:
- Access and data available to stakeholders
- Standardized business processes
- Consolidation of systems
- Increased efficiency
The collaboration between ROI Consulting Group and Michigan State University on the Planon project exemplifies how tailored enterprise solutions can address specific institutional needs. Through a meticulous implementation, ROI Consulting successfully enhanced MSU’s facilities management capabilities, setting a benchmark for future projects.