ASSET MANAGEMENT


system-enabled survey upload with management reports and dashboard reporting. This is now emerging further, with a fully digitised collection system that can provide ‘live’ data to end-users on their PC, laptop, or mobile device, via Power Bi software. We have all welcomed the obsolescence of lengthy word- processed summary reports that have, in many cases, moved towards intelligent, interactive, and dynamic dashboards, providing not only graphical representation of the data with the insights and commentary, but also a simpler way to communicate with all stakeholders. This, in turn, brings dynamic functionality, and allows data to be drilled into without the need to locate an associated report.


The data contained within the property appraisal hasn’t changed, but the way in which it is collected, presented, and engaged has evolved – due to our need for this, and a new understanding that data collected in a Six Facet Survey or asset register can provide much more than an annual ERIC Return.


Contextualising Big data We now live in a data-driven world – with the belief that data = information = knowledge = wisdom, and indeed accessing ‘Big data’ across various forms of media is in all areas of our lives. In contrast to a few decades ago, understanding the power of data is no longer something restricted to expert mathematicians, but rather is something that has become part of our everyday decision-making process, with data displayed to us in simplistic ways. Whether it is a comparison website when looking for the best insurance deal, or selecting a hotel or holiday destination, we rely on recognised data to support our decision-making process. Yet however au fait we are with using data to guide us in our personal lives, many Estates professionals are still relying on anecdotal reactive feedback in the absence of suitable data processes or simplistic data visualisations or reports.


The term ‘Big data’ refers to the data science field that provides an understanding of how large data sets can be modelled and analysed. As a result, this analysis can create insights that promote decisions being made, effectively enabling them to ‘see the wood through the trees’, and leading to more targeted conversations and intelligence.


Five ‘V’s of Big data


There are widely considered to be five ‘Vs’ of Big data: n Volume: The size of the data set gathered.


n Velocity: The speed in which data is gathered. How often will the data be analysed and interrogated?


n Variety: The diversity of the datasets – 54 Health Estate Journal January 2022


RLB says that ‘room-by-room survey and reporting provides high levels of granularity of information, but if not understood can often cause data overload or data pollution’.


from structured, to semi-structured, and unstructured.


n Veracity: Measuring the trust in the data quality, accuracy, and integrity.


n Value: How useful is the data collected in allowing intelligent decisions to be made?


The above considerations are all vital elements when undertaking any data collection exercise — including the undertaking of any property appraisal or asset register production, and all five ‘Vs’ play a significant role in capturing the right data. It is crucial to the success of any data collection exercise that questions are answered on the above elements to make sure that the right data is collected, yet it is often best to start with ‘Value’ and work backwards. However tempting it is to start the process immediately, it is imperative to define the methodology in the first place, to ensure that the right data is being captured, remembering that the outcomes will only be as good as the inputs.


The challenges faced without good data


In a data-driven world, and with the changing shape of the NHS funding landscape, never has an accurate Six Facet Survey dataset – combined with typical best practice asset management data such as a fixed mechanical and electrical equipment asset register, critical infrastructure reports, and accurate record drawings – been more important. Challenges for healthcare estate managers of not having clean, accurate, and manageable data, include: n No data, or out-of-date data, that no longer reflects the estate’s current condition will more likely result in difficulty in providing independent evidence-based reporting. Consequently, this can lead to capital programmes being designed in isolation, with no baseline dataset – going against


best practice as outlined in the Estate Code risk-based methodology.


n Trusts have access to data, but it exists in multiple locations, and is often difficult to interpret and analyse, and requires further work to connect the various pieces of information. Such Trusts are often described as being ‘data-rich but information-poor’.


n Calculating backlog maintenance profiles and figures becomes a qualitative and subjective task for Estates managers, and results in a large body of work that is being undertaken by the organisation, rather than relying on the analysis of a trusted, robust, and accurate dataset that defines the current position.


n A lack of internal governance around the strategy for asset management and maintenance of data held by the Trust, which often means that the data doesn’t interface as well as it could with the capital programme or the estate strategy.


n Difficulty in ascertaining the relationship between calculating the erosion of backlog when undertaking capital projects. This erosion of backlog is a key metric in obtaining funding for any capital works in the business case requirements, and should be treated as being a critical consideration in any estate strategy.


Even when these challenges are recognised, it is often common that internal governance fails to record any changes on the asset register, and that asset data is not maintained, impacting asset and equipment registers that indicate when equipment needs replacing or new equipment needs to be installed. Without a systematic way to start and keep data clean, there is no doubt that bad data will happen. However, like any task, often the biggest challenge lies in getting started, particularly without a blank cheque to be able to complete


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