Why is MRO Software so complicated? What does the future hold? Here's my presentation I did at the Miami Aircraft Commerce Aviation IT Conference March 2011

1. why is MRO software so complicated
…and what does the future hold?

3. questions, comments & arguments
@conduce
paul.saunders@conduce.net

4. why isn’t MRO software simpler?
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

5. the concorde cockpit
comments @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

6. the airbus 380 cockpit
arguments @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

7. don’t agree? @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

8. debate? @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

9. what?? @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

10. wtf?? @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

11. when did you last hear
this software
isn’t complex
enough
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

12. when did you last hear
we should get the most
complex software
money can buy
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

13. when did you last hear we’re happy
because our
software is so
complex
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

14. when did you last hear
i just want to
get aircraft out
of the door
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

15. when did you last hear
i just want to
get aircraft out
of the door
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

16. when did you last hear
i just want to
get aircraft out
of the door
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

17. when did you last hear
i just want to
get aircraft out
of the door
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

18. what do i mean by “simpler”?
your 2 cents @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

19. what do i mean by “simpler”?
its about providing the
right tool for the job….
and nothing else
your 2 cents @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

20. what do i mean by “simpler”?
“perfection is achieved not
when there is nothing more
to add, but when there is
nothing left to take away.“
Antoine de Sainte-Expury the author of “The Little Prince”
your 2 cents @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

21. why MRO software isn’t simpler
the excuses
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

22. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…MRO processes are really complex
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

23. People who say “MRO processes
are really complex” have never been:
• Rocket scientists
• Brain surgeons
• Any other kind of surgeon
• Infant school teachers
• Enigma code crackers
• Inventors of the internet
• Astronauts
• Mathematicians
• Particle physicists
• Inventors of automatic anti-sniper systems
• Able to programme a VCR
• Involved in Middle East peace talks
• A UN weapons inspector
• Google algorithm designers
• Etc Etc… a very long list
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

24. People who say “MRO processes
are really complex” have never been:
• Rocket scientists
• Brain surgeons
• Any other kind of surgeons
• Infant school teachers
• Enigma code crackers
• Inventors of the internet
• Astronauts
• Mathematicians
• Particle physicists
• Inventors of automatic anti-sniper systems
• Able to programme a VCR
• Involved in Middle East peace talks
• A UN weapons inspector
• Google algorithm designers
• Etc Etc… a very long list
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

25. People who say “MRO processes
are really complex” have never been:
• Rocket scientists
• Brain surgeons
• Any other kind of surgeons
• Infant school teachers
• Enigma code crackers
• Inventors of the internet
• Astronauts
• Mathematicians
• Particle physicists
• Inventors of automatic anti-sniper systems
• Able to programme a VCR
• Involved in Middle East peace talks
• A UN weapons inspector
• Google algorithm designers
• Etc Etc… a very long list
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

26. People who say “MRO processes
are really complex” have never been:
• Rocket scientists
• Brain surgeons
• Any other kind of surgeons
• Infant school teachers
• Enigma code crackers
• Inventors of the internet
• Astronauts
• Mathematicians
• Particle physicists
• Inventors of automatic anti-sniper systems
• Able to programme a VCR
• Involved in Middle East peace talks
• A UN weapons inspector
• Google algorithm designers
• Etc Etc… a very long list
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

27. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the regulations won’t allow change
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

28. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the regulations won’t allow change
where does it say that mro
software must be really complex
and cannot be made simpler??
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

29. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the mro companies are to blame
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

30. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the mro companies are to blame
…maybe they don’t know any better
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

31. the hard facts for mro companies
paradigm shift #1
people starting work now don’t know
a world without the internet
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

32. the hard facts for mro companies
paradigm shift #2
technology is no longer a barrier
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

33. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the sales process is to blame
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

34. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the sales process is to blame
…maybe they don’t know any better
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

35. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the software vendors are to blame
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

36. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the software vendors are to blame
…maybe they don’t know any better
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

37. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…the software vendors are to blame
…maybe they don’t know any better
……“well they should!!”
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

38. why MRO software isn’t simpler
…its too difficult to change
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

39. how to make MRO software simpler
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

40. how to make MRO software simpler
its all about the user experience
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

41. how to make MRO software simpler
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

42. how to make MRO software simpler
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

43. how to make MRO software simpler
You are not designing for you, but
designing for your users
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

44. how to make MRO software simpler
don’t design for experts
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

45. how to make MRO software simpler
don’t design by committee
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

46. how to make MRO software simpler
hide stuff
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

47. how to make MRO software simpler
shrink stuff
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

48. how to make MRO software simpler
get rid of stuff
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

49. MRO software in the future
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

50. MRO software in the future
work vs play
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

51. MRO software in the future
work vs play
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

52. MRO software in the future
work vs play
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

53. MRO software in the future
work vs play
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

54. MRO software in the future
work vs play
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

55. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

56. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
screen real estate
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

57. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
screen real estate
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

58. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
battery life
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

59. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
network latency
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

60. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
device specific context
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

61. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

62. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
native apps vs web apps
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

63. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
iOS vs Android 3
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

64. MRO software in the future
mobilisation not miniaturisation
everything on tablets
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

65. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

66. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

67. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

68. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

69. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

70. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

71. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

72. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

73. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

74. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

75. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

76. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

77. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

78. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

79. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

80. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

81. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

82. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

83. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

84. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

85. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

86. MRO software in the future
a shift towards openness
1. open data
2. open architecture
3. open source
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

87. barriers to mass collaboration
laughable belief #1:
mass collaboration benefits
OEMs not operators
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

88. barriers to mass collaboration
laughable belief #2:
an operator’s data is valuable
& shouldn’t be shared
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

89. MRO software in the future
what else is coming?
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

90. MRO software in the future
augmented reality
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

91. word lens
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

92. plane finder AR
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

93. line engineer AR
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

94. line engineer AR
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

95. line engineer AR
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

96. line engineer AR
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

97. line engineer AR
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

98. MRO software in the future
augmented reality
metadata tagging
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

99. MRO software in the future
augmented reality
metadata tagging
socialisation of data
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

100. MRO software in the future
augmented reality
metadata tagging
socialisation of data
more cloud based software
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

101. MRO software in the future
augmented reality
the semantic web
metadata tagging
socialisation of data
more cloud based software
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

102. MRO software in the future
lighter weight software
augmented reality XaaS function specific software
less bloated software
the semantic web
less features
metadata tagging
more mobility
shorter development life cycles
socialisation of data
device specific applications integration
easier
more cloud based software
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

103. MRO software in the future
hardware no longer matters lighter weight software
augmented reality XaaS function specific software
web 3.0
less bloated software
the semantic web
service oriented architecture less features
metadata tagging
more mobility
enterprise 2.0
shorter development life cycles
tablets socialisation of data open source
device specific applications integration 3
easier
android
social media generation become users geo-location everything
more cloud based software html5 & css3
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

104. MRO software in the future
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

105. MRO software in the future
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

106. MRO software in the future
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

107. if somebody says to you
‘that is impossible’
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

108. you should understand their statement to mean….
‘according to my very
limited experience and
narrow understanding of
reality, that’s very unlikely’
questions @conduce paul.saunders@conduce.net

109. your questions

110. more information…
http://blog.conduce.net
http://uxmag.com
http://thinkvitamin.com
REWORK by Jason Fried & David Heinemeir Hansson
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information by Edward Tufte
thanks to http://lostandtaken.com/ for all the background images