## 3 The M\({}^{3}\)AIN4 SME Model
### STEP 3: Improvement Programme Definition  
Very few studies attempting to develop a maturity model have proposed an improvement programme to reach the highest level. For this reason, contrary to the maturity model, the methods for defining an improvement programme are not yet present in the literature. Therefore, we propose in this paper the preliminary idea for how to build an improvement programme that will be detailed in future research works. The improvement programme (Step 3) will be designed based on the assessment model developed. It will be based on setting targets and related to the specific weakness measured during the assessment; a roadmap with the selection of which actions to follow for reaching the highest ML will be suggested. The roadmap could be considered as a beginning step for improving or for introducing maintenance management information practices with maintenance processes. It can be used for different purposes: for an organisation pursuing the transfer of information management best practices to its maintenance department or for other organisations beginning the adoption of a maintenance management information infrastructure for the maintenance department. The roadmap will be flexible in order to allow adjustments according to any maintenance strategy. The improvements can be pursued along horizontal (by increasing the information contents/systems to the actual information infrastructure) or vertical (by improving the method for handling information infrastructure) dimensions. This enables the company to achieve a high maintenance effectiveness standard more than once; as a result, a continuous improvement process will be activated, always maintaining the goal of a higher maturity level. The aim is to define a growing path of sequential steps for improving the management of each DB by the definition of best practices for each one. The improvement programme will be based on the principle of the total productive maintenance, identifying the best practices, techniques and methodologies that can be introduced to improve the maintenance management information practices. Nonetheless, when talking about information, a connection with currently available technologies is advisable. Therefore, an identification of the available technologies supporting maintenance management practices will be performed. Figure 7: Mathematical formulation and results. Starting from the maturity level of the WHAT criteria (the most important, since it defines the information infrastructure of each database) for each level, different actions for reaching progressive maturity levels will be defined. The completeness of each level is gained only if all other evaluation criteria (HOW, WHEN, WHICH and WHO) have reached the highest level. As illustrated in the model, there are four levels, but there is also a starting level, called 'Level 0', that cannot be measured; it identifies a preliminary situation for those companies that would like to start an initial improvement process but are completely unaware of the status of their maintenance information infrastructure:  
* Lev 0: Chaos/Improvision: The first level is characterised by a chaotic condition in which the question of what information to be collected is evident. The stakeholders are not aware of the importance and relevance of the information. No consistent understanding of the maintenance information needed to improve maintenance management practices exists in the company. Call for action: There is much to do. First, a clear definition of the maintenance process, especially in terms of the information and data needed for effective maintenance management, must be provided to instil in the company the importance of collecting the data and information. * Lev 1: Orientation: The second level is characterised by an awareness of the importance of the maintenance data as an improvement source for the company's operational performance. The company recognises the added value of the information, but the data are collected in a fragmented and irregular way.