Palmer's Planning Corner

Palmer’s Planning Corner is a monthly column exploring the productivity piece of maintenance. Planning and scheduling allows a plant to complete extra proactive work even when it has its hands full with reactive work. Plant Services Contributing Editor Doc Palmer explains different principles and issues each month to make successful what should be a rewarding endeavor for maintenance.

Featured Article

Time estimates in work orders: To show or not to show? Examining the impact on productivity and quality
Planning and Scheduling

Time estimates in work orders: To show or not to show? Examining the impact on productivity and quality

Doc Palmer says don’t compromise your craftspersons by withholding trust regarding time estimates.
What is the right ratio of planners to craftspersons for my manufacturing plant?
Planning and Scheduling

What is the right ratio of planners to craftspersons for my manufacturing plant?

Doc Palmer says the answer depends on factors such as additional duties, multiple crafts, geography, and planner personalities.
How to plan and schedule reactive work at your plant
Planning and Scheduling

How to plan and schedule reactive work at your plant

Doc Palmer argues that even emergency work can benefit from the support of planners and schedulers.
Proper planning and scheduling requires an adult mindset
Planning and Scheduling

Proper planning and scheduling requires an adult mindset

Doc Palmer argues that it can even root out childish behaviors among both work teams and managers.
Why proactive work dies in the backlog and how to fix it
Planning and Scheduling

Why proactive work dies in the backlog and how to fix it

Doc Palmer wonders whether your maintenance staff is sized for firefighting or for profitability.
2023 industry wrap-up: The best of Palmer’s Planning Corner
Palmer's Planning Corner

2023 industry wrap-up: The best of Palmer’s Planning Corner

In this year-end wrap-up, we shine a light on Doc Palmer's best articles of the past 12 months.
Build A Workflow Process That Helps You Better Manage Your Maintenance Teams
Planning and Scheduling

Build a workflow process that helps you better manage your maintenance team

Doc Palmer says individual work orders are key so managers can help keep things on track, especially emergency work.
Why The Most Common Maintenance Planning Kpi Is Hurting Your Department
Planning and Scheduling

Why the most common maintenance planning KPI is hurting your department

Doc Palmer says hyper-accurate labor estimating gets in the way of both completed work and higher quality work.
Kp Is That Count How And Why To Measure Planned Coverage
Planning and Scheduling

KPIs that count: How and why to measure planned coverage

Doc Palmer says it’s a useful metric but is a lagging indicator that depends on how “planned jobs” are defined and managed.
Is It Okay To Break The Weekly Maintenance Schedule
Planning and Scheduling

Is it okay to break the weekly maintenance schedule?

Doc Palmer says schedule compliance is really a window into opportunities for improvement, and not just a reason to blame the supervisor.
How To Take Control Of Maintenance Planning And Scheduling
Planning and Scheduling

How to take control of maintenance planning and scheduling

Doc Palmer says the keys to controlling planning and scheduling are people-related.
Make Maintenance Your Competitive Advantage To Take Your Company From Good To Great
Planning and Scheduling

Make maintenance your competitive advantage to take your company from good to great

Doc Palmer says maintenance is not a necessary evil. It is an investment in production.
How Proper Planning And Scheduling Complement (not Replace) Craft Skills
Planning and Scheduling

How proper planning and scheduling complement (not replace) craft skills

Doc Palmer says the unusual principles of planning and scheduling can take some culture adjustment, but will quickly increase job execution.
Reactive And Proactive
Planning and Scheduling

How to do planning and scheduling with reactive work

Doc Palmer says Reactive maintenance that isn’t an emergency will benefit from a quick plan and a day or weeks head start.
Productivity Schedule
Planning and Scheduling

Improve plant productivity with schedule success

Doc Palmer says maintenance workers will get more work done when loaded with a full schedule and the flexibility to break it.
maintenance-management
Planning and Scheduling

Why micromanaging your plant's daily scheduling doesn’t work

Doc Palmer says a daily schedule will focus that day’s work, but supervisors need the flexibility to react to unplanned work.
filled-schedule
Planning and Scheduling

Why a filled schedule frightens plant supervisors

Doc Palmer says frontline supervisors are the key to accepting that it's okay to break a fully loaded schedule.