Matt Smith is the director, asset management services, at the University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia. He can be reached at m.a.smith@utas.edu.au. This article is adapted from a presentation to the Australasian annual conference in 2001 and was selected to receive the AAPPA Best Paper Award. This is his first article for Facilities Manager.

The implementation of total asset management (TAM) at the University of Tasmania grew from the vision of the deputy principal (equivalent to the vice president or vice chancellor) to transition the then-office of physical resources, and primarily its maintenance area, from a "doing" role to more of a "managing" role.

The university has recognized that the three major cost drivers are staff, students, and space. With the ever-increasing pressure on resources, the university saw that managing the physical assets would allow resources (financial and physical) to be apportioned in a more focused and informed manner, cognizant of the university's strategic plan. Better cross-functional liaison between sections within the deputy principal's division was also necessary to ensure improvement in the management of all organizational assets from a portfolio-basis perspective.

The functions of the physical resources department at the university were largely outsourced (maintenance, capital works, cleaning, grounds, security, parking, audio/visual). Operations were regionalized in Hobart and Launceston and operational systems were "home grown."

Maintenance and capital works were mainly reactive and had little reflection to the broader strategic direction of the university. This is now changing. There was little policy or procedure to support maintenance activity, and a documented register of fixed plant and equipment was lacking. The university drawing documentation was in relatively good shape.

Why Total Asset Management?
The decision to implement TAM principles grew from the need for a computerized maintenance management system, primarily to track maintenance requests. Adopting TAM was attractive to the university as it represented a strategic approach to managing all assets, offered a reduction in duplication of effort between functional areas within the university, could be linked to the strategic plan, was deemed a contemporary approach, and provided senior management with data for informed decision making when allocating resources. Asset management specialists were engaged to partner with the university in the implementation of total asset management at the University of Tasmania.

The principles of TAM adopted by the university are:

• Service delivery guides/asset practices and decisions;
• Asset planning and management are integrated with business planning, budgeting, and reporting processes;
• Asset management decisions are based on assessment of alternatives, life cycle costs, benefits, and risks;
• Ownership, control, accountability, and reporting requirements are implemented; and
• Asset management activities are undertaken within an integrated policy framework.

The objectives of implementing TAM at the university include:

• Provide an asset base that matches business needs;
• Consolidate existing assets and improve space utilization;
• Meet statutory and regulatory compliance requirements (e.g., fume cupboards, pressure vessels, confined spaces);
• Align asset ownership costs with business planning and service delivery requirements; o Apply best practice asset management policies and procedures; and
• Implement systems to support aims.

The management structure for the project included a steering committee and a project team. The importance of having adequate resources with the appropriate stakeholders involved in the process cannot be overstated. At the University of Tasmania, the deputy principal saw the value in the project and communicated this to senior management and the administration. The project team are the "doers" and need to be supported, encouraged, and given appropriate resources to ensure project success.

The implementation of TAM saw a restructure within the physical resources department. Asset and facilities management activities and capital works were split into separate sections. The importance and need for communication between all staff during the restructure cannot be overstated. In addition, a close liaison with the human resources department was required to ensure a successful transition. Rationalizing the maintenance services has also required a shift from doing to managing, and this has had an impact on the maintenance staff.

Where to From Here?
The year 2001 was a transitional period for Asset Management Services, Design, and Acquisitions. Implementing structural and procedural changes on this magnitude will cause a rethink on how we look at assets from an organizational perspective. The challenges for 2002-03 include:

• Policy and procedure development;
• Continued communication of the new direction;
• Review existing maintenance procedures and update in light of maintenance delivery strategy;
• Implementation of the systems and data integrity;
• Development of the strategic master plan; and
• Management reporting/benchmarking.

Conclusion
The years 2002-03 will be consolidation years for Asset Management Services to make the above challenges a part of the daily activities. Communicating the objectives of TAM will be a continuous process and seen as a critical step in beginning the cultural change required to adopt the principles and objectives of program.