Book companion resource · Quick Start
30-Day Quick Start
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← Back to toolkit · Browse by chapterYou finished the book. Here is what to do Monday morning.
Companion to: Fix the System, Chapter 28. Who uses it: the maintenance manager or supervisor who just finished the book and wants a clear starting point. When to use: once, at the beginning. Then follow the playbook's 90-day roadmap.
Step 1 — Identify Your Level (Day 1)
Answer honestly. Pick the one that fits today, not the one you are working toward.
Level 1 — Reactive: Reactive work above 30%. PM compliance below 70%. Backlog unmeasured or unknown. The schedule is directional at best.
Level 2 — Preventive: PM compliance 70–85%. Reactive work 15–30%. Schedule exists and is mostly followed. Backlog measured but not controlled.
Level 3 — Condition-Based: PM compliance above 85%. Reactive work below 15%. Backlog under 4 weeks. Starting to ask questions about CBM and MTTR.
My level today: ☐ Level 1 ☐ Level 2 ☐ Level 3
Step 2 — Pull Your Triggering Metric (Days 1–3)
One number. The one that is furthest from the benchmark for your level.
| Metric | Where to Find It | Benchmark |
|---|---|---|
| PM compliance | CMMS WO completion report | ≥85% (Level 2 entry) |
| Reactive work % | Hours on unplanned WOs / total hours | <30% (Level 2 entry) |
| Backlog | Open WOs × avg completion time | <6 weeks (Level 2) |
| Schedule compliance | Scheduled WOs completed on day / total scheduled | ≥75% (Level 2) |
| Repeat failure rate | WOs with same asset + same failure mode within 90 days | <5/month (Level 2) |
My biggest gap: _______________________ Current number: _______________________ Benchmark: _______________________
Step 3 — Open the Right Playbook (Day 3–5)
Match your gap to the playbook. Start with one. Only one.
| If your gap is... | Start with... | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| PM compliance below 85% | Playbook 1: PM Compliance Recovery | Ch15 |
| Repeat failures above 5/month | Playbook 2: Repeat Failure Investigation | Ch16 |
| Backlog above 6 weeks | Playbook 3: Backlog Growth Control | Ch17 |
| Reactive work above 30% | Playbook 4: Reactive Work Reduction | Ch18 |
| Schedule compliance below 75% | Playbook 5: Schedule Compliance Improvement | Ch19 |
| Inspection completion below 80% | Playbook 6: Inspection Compliance Recovery | Ch20 |
| Parts delays on >10% of WOs | Playbook 7: Spare Parts Management | Ch21 |
| MTBF <500h on critical assets | Playbook 8: Condition-Based Monitoring | Ch22 |
| Availability below 95% | Playbook 9: Downtime Reduction | Ch23 |
| MTTR above 4h on critical assets | Playbook 10: MTTR Reduction | Ch24 |
My playbook: _______________________
Step 4 — Week 1 Actions
- Read the playbook chapter in full
- Pull the data the playbook's trigger metric requires
- Identify the top 3 contributors to the gap (the data will show you)
- Download the companion worksheet from getov.xyz/toolkit
- Tell one person — your manager, a shift supervisor, a planner — what you are starting and why
Step 5 — Weeks 2–4
- Complete Part 1 of the companion worksheet (the audit / data collection step)
- Start the 90-day roadmap at Days 1–30
- Schedule a weekly 15-minute review of the triggering metric — same time, same format, every week
- Do not open a second playbook yet
The One Rule
Finish a playbook before you open the next one.
A plant that runs three playbooks simultaneously at 40% completion each will show less improvement at month 6 than a plant that runs one playbook at 90% completion. The sequence matters less than the finish. Finish.
When You Are Ready for the Next Playbook
The current playbook is done when: the triggering metric has held at or above target for 60 consecutive days, the corrective actions are embedded in daily practice (not being monitored as a special project), and the crew no longer needs to think about it.
Then open the next one.
From Fix the System by Ivan Getov. getov.xyz/toolkit/fix-the-system/ch28/30-day-quick-start. Free. No email required.