Enriching Asset Management: An Interdisciplinary Approach

Asset management maximizes the value of physical assets while balancing cost, quality (levels of service), and risk. It is a complex and interdisciplinary task that requires strong leadership, multidisciplinary knowledge, and effective use of technology and resources. Asset management is especially challenging for public organizations that own a wide range of assets, such as roads, water, sanitary, stormwater infrastructure, facilities, parks, public art, information technology, and fleet. Furthermore, asset management is not merely a technical or a leadership role but a marrying of the whole organization. Hence, asset managers must have a holistic understanding of how their assets support the organization’s long-term goals and how to engage with various stakeholders. The presentation will explore skills, techniques and methodologies to help asset managers achieve better outcomes and meet their objectives. The approaches range from traditional methods to the latest techniques in industry and elsewhere. These include engineering, finance, project management, maintenance management, supply chain, process improvement, public engagement, design thinking, and journalism.