Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions readers and decision-makers ask most often about OCM, Frank U. Hess, the novel Eagle Ridge Firefighters, and Vysr.
- What is OCM (Operations-Centered Maintenance)?
- OCM (Operations-Centered Maintenance) is a framework for turning a failing maintenance organization into a high-reliability operation. Instead of treating maintenance as a cost to minimize, OCM treats it as a capability to build — aligning the decisions made around physical assets with the outcomes the operation actually needs. It is the method Frank U. Hess developed and teaches across his books, courses, and consulting.
- Who is Frank U. Hess?
- Frank U. Hess is the author of the business novel Eagle Ridge Firefighters and the originator of OCM (Operations-Centered Maintenance). He is the founder of Vysr and works with maintenance and operations teams to replace dead-end performance with reliable, repeatable results. He writes and consults under the banner of The EZ Asset Company.
- What is the book Eagle Ridge Firefighters about?
- Eagle Ridge Firefighters is a business novel that tells the story of how maintenance people build the capabilities needed to break recurring performance problems. It is written as a story rather than a textbook so the ideas land emotionally first — and it serves as the on-ramp to the OCM framework. A free first chapter is available in exchange for an email address.
- How is OCM different from Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM)?
- Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) focuses on selecting the right maintenance tasks for each failure mode of an asset. OCM (Operations-Centered Maintenance) starts a level up: it looks at the decisions an organization makes around its assets and aligns its whole capability — people, strategy, and routines — to the performance the operation needs. In Frank's words, most problems are not caused by the assets themselves, but by the wrong decisions made around those assets.
- What is Vysr?
- Vysr is a performance-mining tool that helps operations teams find where reliability and cost are leaking and decide what to do about it. It is the applied, software side of the OCM methodology — the place where the thinking in the book and the courses becomes a working strategy.
- Who is OCM for?
- OCM is for maintenance leaders, reliability engineers, plant and operations managers, and the technicians who keep physical assets running. If your organization is stuck in firefighting mode — repeating the same failures and unable to break out — OCM is built for exactly that situation.
- How do I get started with OCM?
- The easiest starting point is to read the free first chapter of Eagle Ridge Firefighters and join Frank's newsletter. From there you can take a short EZ Asset improvement course, work through OCM School, or set up your own SAMP (Strategic Asset Management Plan). Businesses that want hands-on help can book a workshop or a call.
- What is a SAMP (Strategic Asset Management Plan)?
- A SAMP (Strategic Asset Management Plan) is the document that connects an organization's objectives to how it manages its physical assets. It states what the assets are for, what level of performance is required, and how the maintenance capability will deliver it. Setting up a SAMP is one of the first practical steps in adopting OCM, and the site includes a guided path for building one.
- Can I book Frank U. Hess to speak at my event?
- Yes. Frank delivers keynotes and runs workshops for operations and maintenance audiences, drawing on the OCM framework and the stories behind Eagle Ridge Firefighters. You can request a keynote or a custom program through the For Business section of this site.
- Is there a free sample of the book?
- Yes — the first chapter of Eagle Ridge Firefighters is free. Enter your email on the homepage and the chapter is sent to you, along with Frank's occasional letter on OCM, reliability, and the ideas behind the work.