Symptom Diagnostics is a Viable Ventures bespoke method of carrying out data collection, analysis and data manipulation to enable companies and organisations to perform knowledge-based decisions in order to maximise resources and minimise maintenance costs.

Compared to a traditional craft and 'assumption-based' knowledge systems where no feedback or 'learning loop' exists, the Symptom Diagnostics approach provides significant cost-effective benefits through the implementation of standardised and codified information that can be correlated to provide knowledge-based data that can be used dynamically in maintenance environments.

In a non-standardised system there is a significant and constant danger that Information Gaps will occur.  Information Gaps are at the root of inefficiencies in the operating of equipment, both for operators and maintainers alike.

For example, with the operating, maintenance and repair of the family car, if all three operations are carried out by the same person, then by definition, there are no Information Gaps.  Any symptoms that occur are registered by the driver, analysed, assessed and acted upon.  If the fault diagnosis and subsequent fix are not successful it would be unusual if the symptom re-appeared if the same fault was diagnosed and the same part/fix repeated; this is especially so if that person was the 'head of finances' too! However, as soon as one of the operations of operator, maintenance or repair is carried out by a 3rd person with less financial control to force a logical process, then an Information Gap occurs, and as a consequence so do the inefficiencies.  

Symptom Diagnostics seeks to eliminate Information Gaps and allow accurate correlation of gathered data through: 

• Symptom codification as seen by the operator or user and moving away from 'free text', word of mouth; in terms of standardised debriefs that speech the operator's language and not the engineer's, and thus produce a codification of the Symptom.

• Fault Diagnosis using the Symptom Diagnostics to drive the engineer/technician to make knowledge-based decisions.

• Fix of the system using the Fault Diagnosis.

Symptom - Fault - Fix

Significant Benefits of introducing Symptom Diagnostics: 

• Reduced downtime.

• Reduced operating costs.

• Reduced supply chain.

• Increased system capacity.

• Better use of knowledge across discipline.

• Better morale within the workforce, less frustration and better confidence in the systems and equipment. 

Learn more about benefits for: Managers, Operators, Employees, and Customers. 

For more information see Symptom Diagnostics & Functional Criticality Analysis.