Everyone wants reliable equipment that works when it needs to and gets the job done.
However, too many asset and maintenance teams settle for putting out fires instead of building a system that prevents them.
That’s why you need to create and implement a reliability strategy that becomes the foundation for how your team operates.
“An effective reliability strategy focuses on more than reducing downtime,” says Dr. John Ross, SMRP, co-founder of the American Reliability & Maintenance Institute (ARMI) and veteran reliability educator. “It’s the glue that connects your business goals to your maintenance schedule, guides your team, and gives you the tools to lead with confidence, instead of chaos.”
So what should your reliability strategy include?
Here are six essential steps pulled from the proven, practical framework based on the Certified Professional Reliability Engineer (CPRE) program from ARMI.
Step 1: Start with Vision, Mission, and Goal
Your reliability strategy should start by defining your intentions and making sure they align with your organization’s broader business initiatives. That means crafting a vision, mission, and measurable goals specific to reliability.
“You have to map out where you’re going before you can start building out the other elements of your reliability strategy and tactical plans,” Ross says.
Ross breaks down your vision, mission, and goals like this:
- Vision is your North Star — a brief, inspiring statement of your future success.
Example: “A plant with zero unplanned downtime and 100% equipment confidence.” - Mission explains who you are, what you do, how you do it, and who you do it for.
Example: “We improve equipment uptime through proactive maintenance that supports safe, efficient, and cost-effective operations.” - Goals translate dreams into targets.
Example: “Reduce emergency work by 30% in the next 12 months.”
Try This:
- Choose 10 words that describe what you want reliability to look like in three years.
- Use 2–3 of those words to write a vision statement in 10 words or less.
Step 2: Build a Business Case That Gets Buy-In
Even the smartest strategy goes nowhere without support from your leadership and team members. That’s why you need a business case that shows what reliability is worth.
“While data may get attention, you need to quantify the impact of your reliability efforts,” says Justin Smith, ARMI co-founder.
Smith recommends outlining the cost of doing nothing: How much are failures, rework, downtime, and inefficiencies currently costing you?
Then translate your improvements into financial terms:
- How much could you save by increasing Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)?
- What would it cost to continue operating at current failure rates?
A compelling case shows how reliability is a win for the entire organization’s bottom line.
Step 3: Define Your Reliability Strategy Metrics and KPIs
How will you know if your reliability strategy is working?
“What you measure should reveal whether you’re moving closer to your goals,” Ross says.
First, let’s define some terms:
- Metrics are data points (like % of PMs completed on time).
- KPIs are strategic indicators (like MTBF, MTTR, or OEE) tied to your goals.
Avoid overwhelming your team with a dozen dashboards. Instead, focus on 3–5 KPIs that answer:
- Are we becoming more reliable?
- Are we improving uptime?
- Are we reducing costs?
Core KPIs to Consider:
- MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures) – Measures reliability.
- MTTR (Mean Time to Repair) – Measures maintainability.
- Availability (Ai, Aa, Ao) – Measures system readiness.
- OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) – Measures performance.
- Emergency Work Hours as Percent of Total Maintenance Hours– Measures unplanned repairs.
Step 4: Choose Tactical Tools That Drive Results
Once your goals are clear, define the tactics that will help you achieve them.
Here are a few ARMI-certified favorites:
- Preventive Maintenance Optimization (PMO) – Identify what’s failed in the past and how you can avoid history repeating itself.
- Root Cause Analysis (RCA) – Uncover the true cause behind equipment failures.
- Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) – Proactively identify and rank potential failures before they happen.
- Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) – Build a structured maintenance plan based on function, failure, and consequence.
“Implementing these tactics are what separates reactive plants from world-class operations,” Smith says.
Step 5: Assign Roles and Build Accountability
A strategy without ownership is just wishful thinking.
“Reliability is a team sport with defined positions,” Ross says. “Each has an important role to play.”
Ross says you need to assign owners for each major KPI and make expectations clear. Then, regularly review and adjust responsibilities.
Typical Roles Include:
- Reliability Engineer – Strategy and analysis.
- Planner/Scheduler – Job plans, work prioritization, scheduling.
- Storeroom Manager – Inventory, availability, cost control.
- Operations Lead – Daily performance alignment.
Step 6: Lead the Change (and Communicate It Well)
Even the best strategies stall if people don’t believe in the change.
“In my experience, if they don’t understand the ‘why,’ they’ll fight the ‘how,’” Ross says.
Here’s what he recommends to create buy-in for your reliability strategy to succeed:
- Communicate early and often using dashboards, stand-ups, 1:1s, and visual boards.
- Tailor your message for different stakeholders (production, finance, safety).
- Celebrate wins and give credit publicly.
Need Help Building Your Reliability Strategy?
The steps above are just the beginning. Ready to go deeper and get the tools and guidance you need to create your organization’s reliability strategy?
The Certified Professional Reliability Engineer (CPRE) program gives you the full blueprint.
“We’ve seen teams go from chaos to control in just months by starting with this framework,” Smith says.
Enroll in the next CPRE session today → View upcoming courses here
