Using a template in RCM content has been a contentious issue in the past due to concerns that the content will be applied without the requisite consideration given to operating context.

However, with the appropriate guidelines in place, practitioners can save valuable time in the analysis phase by reusing existing RCM2™ or RCM3™ analysis content.

Reusable content includes:

• Operating Context, Functions
• Functional Failures
• Failure Modes
• Failure Effects
• Recommended Actions

Re-using content does in no way absolve the RCM facilitator from still following the RCM2 or RCM3 process as diligently as if the new analysis was being conducted from scratch. However, the steps are slightly different. The following steps assume the analyses have been created in EXP Enterprise or EXP Professional and that RCM2 or RCM3 analysis content will be copied into a new RCM2 or RCM3 analysis.

At a high level the process of reusing content is as follows:

1. Develop the Operating Context – The Operating Context from the source analysis will form the basis of the Operating Context for the new analysis, with the differences of the new system, if any, added to the new Operating Context.

2. Copy the re-useable content – RCM2 or RCM3 analyses will for the most part be copied to RCM2 or RCM3 analyses. This allows the leveraging of all the information including Functions, Functional Failures, Failure Modes, Failure Effects and Recommended Actions.

3. Review the copied analysis with the area SMEs – The analysis meetings will consist of a review of the Operating Context with the SMEs (same team members as a regular analysis), a review of the Functions and Functional Failures (adding or changing any due to system differences), and then a review of the FMs and FEs as though a technical audit were being conducted (and again modifying any information as required due to system differences). If the team deems that the new asset is too different from the old one, then the review must be moved to a full fledge RCM2 analysis.

4. Present the findings to Management – The management report and presentation will be based on that from the source analysis with the differences of the new system being accounted for. The management presentation will be a review of the differences, unless the copied analysis originated from an area that had a different management team, in which case the entire analysis will be reviewed with the management team.

By following these steps, experience has shown that SME involvement can be significantly reduced (up to 70%), while maintaining a high quality analysis.