Effectiveness and Cost Benefits of Computer-Based Decision Aids for Equipment Maintenance

摘要

Data are summarized from assessments of three computer-based aids- Computer-Based Maintenance Aids System (CMAS), Portable Electronic Aid for Maintenance (PEAM), and Integrated Maintenance Information System (IMIS)- intended to support problem solving in maintenance operations. All three were shown to increase accuracy and to reduce errors and time required for maintenance operations. Cost benefits were reported for IMIS, which produced net savings of about $20 M per year in maintaining three F-16 avionics subsystems. The findings suggest that (a) a strong cost-effectiveness case can be made for the computer-based aids, (b) their development and implementation should consider the full range of options available for ensuring competent human performance, (c) both descriptive and prescriptive approaches should be employed in their design, (d) they should incorporate capabilities developed for intelligent tutoring systems, and (e) their absence from routine use despite their demonstrated value suggests that more effort is needed to ensure that the state-of-practice advances in maintenance operations along with the state of the art.