May - Library

35
Equipment Readiness and Visibility Using Honeycomb Maps
104.00%
98.12%
92.25%
86.38%
80.50%
74.62%
68.75%
62.87%
57.00%
Jun 03 Jul 03 Jul 03 Aug 03 Aug 03 Sep 03 Sep 03
Last 12 Weekly Observations
MR Ratings for Light Tactical Vehicle
Data
The S-rating measures the number of equipment items on-hand
(both available and in maintenance) against the planned
authorizations. While the S-rating provides information on the number
of units on hand relative to that which is authorized, the R-rating, or
maintenance rating, evaluates the amount of equipment that is combat
ready relative to the amount available. The MR-rating is summary
rating that is the product of the S and R ratings. Thus, if a Marine
Corps unit has 125 units, but only 100 are authorized, then the S-rating
would be 125%, indicating that there are pieces of equipment in
excess to that which was authorized. These excess units can be
located by Marine organizational units through MERIT view changes.
However, if 50 units were under repair, then the R-rating would only
be 60% (75/125). The MR-rating would be the product of these
measures, or 75%. The MR is the percent of combat ready pieces to
authorization. These measures are very consistent with the broader
class of equipment availability measures suggested in the To t a l
Productive Maintenance literature.
These measures can now be incorporated into the size and
color characteristics of the honeycomb map. The Exhibit 2 view
shows the honeycomb cell size to be the current S-rating and the color
to be the current MR-rating. The S, R, or MR ratings for diff e rent time
periods can be selected from the drop-down list to prepare different
honeycomb views. Functional Area (FA) cells are one level higher in
the hierarc h y. Each of these cells are positioned on the map
according to equipment density. To illustrate, FA-10 Radios has the
highest density of equipment in the Marine Corps, and thus is
displayed upper-left on the view. The colors designate the curre n t
MR-rating. Green colors indicate MR-ratings above 92%, yellow
colors indicate MR-ratings from 85-92% while red colors are MRratings
below 85%. Among the radios the A1955 (radio terminal set)
has an MR rating below 85%, which would indicate the need for
additional management oversight.
In this example, because the S Rating sets sizing, the individual
pieces of equipment are arrayed within their functional groups so that
the highest S-rated equipment is positioned in the upper left-hand
Exhibit 3. Performance Control Chart
A(+/-) line indicating three standard deviations from the historical mean MR rating.
B(+/-) line indicating two standard deviations from the historical mean MR rating.
C(+/-) line indicating one standard deviation from the historical mean MR rating.
The historical mean MR rating.
c o rner (green corner) and the lowest rated weapon systems are
positioned in the lower right-had corner of the group box (red corn e r ) .
Thus, among the radios, the A2171 radio has the largest cell are a ,
which represents the highest S-Rating among the radios. A click on
the box will show the actual S, R, and MR perf o rmance attributes over
designated time periods. Thus, users have a quick visual display of
the multiple dimensions of equipment availability. Naturally, the
honeycomb can be filtered along any of the equipment or perf o rm a n c e
metric dimensions to focus on a particular class of equipment or
readiness issue. While viewing the maps from an equipment
perspective is important, MERIT also arrays the data from an
organizational perspective which allows analysts to quickly focus on
organizations that are experiencing problems.
In addition, the system archives historical S, R, and MR ratings by
equipment type for control charting. Thus, an analyst can click on an
equipment cell and request the system to prepare a control chart of
the maintenance perf o rmance for variable timeframes such as the
last 24 months. Exhibit 3 provides an example for a Light Ta c t i c a l
Vehicle using assumed data. Over the last 12 weeks it has been
experiencing declining MR performance.
The resulting honeycomb maps have allowed Corps personnel to
move energy and time away from data gathering, accumulation, and
re p o rting; towards solving and preventing critical readiness pro b l e m s .
F o rce Commanders are given clear visibility of readiness tre n d s ,
revealing potential problems and associated causes.
System Structure and Development
Methodology
The honeycomb map by itself provides a multi-dimensional view
of perf o rmance, but does not provide the management inform a t i o n
needed to influence the causes of the perf o rmance. In order to
accomplish this objective, supply chain variables must be connected
to the honeycomb items (equipment). In this way, perf o rm a n c e ,
underlying causes, and associated responses can be linked. MERIT
accomplishes this linkage.