Allen Mapstone, one of IPWEA’s specialist trainers, has urged asset management practitioners to attend the upcoming IPWEA NAMS workshops so they can gain an insight into the new improved NAMS.PLUS2 tools and templates and modelling.
While many asset management professionals are already using the current NAMS.PLUS and Asset Management for Small, Rural or Remote Communities Practice Note resources, IPWEA and JRA have been working together to develop the updated version NAMS.PLUS2. Mapstone, who is one of the developers and trainers, says it is close to a full release.
“NAMS.PLUS2 has some additional features and major improvements,” he said. “We’ve actually been using the new version in training courses this year, so anyone who’s gone to course has had a chance to familiarise themselves with the modifications.
“A lot of people might not come to training because they think they’ve already done it. NAMS.PLUS2 is a major upgrade offering alternate data entry methods and complete reporting to better assist people write asset management plans and link to long term financial plans.”
Mapstone said the workshops will run through the best practice methods to create asset management plans that can be applying across the whole scope of the sector, regardless of the type of infrastructure.
“We’ll run through the best practice asset management plan based on IPWEA’s International Infrastructure Management Manual 2011 and then get attendees to enter their own data into the NAMS.PLUS2 tools,” he added.
“The course will explain the improved tools and templates and the graphs and reports they produce. It’s a very hands-on course and participants will leave with a rough plan for their council that can further develop.”
The first day of the 2012 NAMS workshops will be held in September, while days two and three will occur in October. The courses will be held in Brisbane and Melbourne.
Participants should bring a laptop and their asset management data in an Excel spreadsheet.
For more information, please visit www.ipwea.org.au/NAMS2012