Bringing strategic efficacy to facility management through CAFM tools

Most larger companies and corporations who own or lease multiple locations face challenges in designing, tracking and managing property. The following case study examines the work of the Facilities Design and Planning Group at Dow Jones & Co. The study follows the group’s efforts to improve the strategic efficacy of its operations by expanding its implementation of its computer‐aided facility management (CAFM) system and by developing some novel CAFM tools. These technologies are intended to reduce management costs by creating a central and comprehensive resource of facilities information. Both facilities professionals and those seeking facilities‐related information can then use this resource. These tools support day to day facilities operations, from master planning to project design and budgeting, from construction to lease management. Such technology increases accuracy through data validation, but remains flexible in reporting and inquiry. This paper documents both the evolution of these tools, and the decisions that guided their development. It aims to describe in detail the particular business circumstances that influenced Dow Jones’ efforts as well as expose the setbacks in using and expanding various aspects of the technology.