This week we gathered in Portsmouth for the Maximo UK & Ireland User Group event on May 7th-8th — to mark a new chapter for our team. Not only was it a timely nod to the city’s naval heritage being VE Day, but it was also our first event under our new name: Naviam (navigating asset management).

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Richard Barber kicked things off with a special networking session aboard the Wightlink ferry, which made two round trips to the Isle of Wight. This unique setting provided a hands-on look at how Wightlink integrates Maximo into their day-to-day operations.

We even had the chance to visit the ship’s bridge and see how the fleet navigates while Maximo helps manage their assets — a perfect example of how theory and practice collide in the real world and a pleasure to see the captain sharing his passion for Maximo first-hand.

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In the morning, Daniel Del Piccolo led a group of us for a run along Southsea front – what a cracking way to start the day! The first work order of the day done.

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Scottish Water's ORBIT Program

The first presentation of the day came from Scottish Water with John Wigham sharing the details of their ongoing ORBIT program — which stands for Our Really Big Information Transformation. Scottish Water, tasked with managing the water and wastewater services across Scotland, faces multiple strategic challenges, including pollution in rivers, ageing assets, and the pressure of climate change.

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ORBIT, is Scottish Water’s largest ever digital transformation program, built around Maximo, ESRI and Copperleaf as the core technology pillars to drive modernization of its operations while extending the lifecycle of its assets.

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The program is wide-reaching aiming to rationalize the digital estate and replace legacy systems with Maximo. Launched in June 2023, over 15 people from across the business have been seconded to the project full-time, with another 100 subject matter experts (SMEs) involved. Naviam and Capgemini are working alongside Scottish Water as their MAS digital partners. Go-live is planned for September 2025.

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A core message throughout the presentation was that “Big journeys begin with small steps”. John shared that he felt Scottish Water may have been too ambitious with trying to do too much too soon at the outset. A valuable lesson that resonated with the audience was the importance of a waved delivery approach. In Scottish Water this is:

• Wave 1: A small group of engaged users trialed Maximo on a new asset group — focusing on “top-up and pop-up taps” to reduce single-use plastics. This MAS pilot has proven to be incredibly successful, with user feedback driving future iterations.
• Wave 2: Transitioning from Ellipse to MAS 9, which includes the full data migration, integration build and testing.
• Wave 3: Looking to secure more funding to maintain momentum and deliver the MAS roadmap with extended capabilities.

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Wightlink: Maximizing Efficiency on the Water

Next up, Stuart James from Wightlink took the stage to talk about their use of Maximo to manage their critical ferry fleet. Wightlink operates three routes with eight ships, making 122 sailings a day during peak season. With this level of service, unplanned maintenance can significantly affect not just revenue and reputation but also the transport network in Portsmouth.

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Maximo was introduced in 2014 following an NCA audit to provide better visibility of maintenance records. The journey has been choppy though. Initial challenges included the complexity of the asset structure and database design, which led to significant redesign efforts in 2019. Wightlink’s teams faced additional challenges due to poor connectivity, especially on the ships, which led them to implement Starlink in 2024 for better satellite connectivity to remove replicated servers.

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Looking ahead, Wightlink is moving towards proactive maintenance for their ageing fleet using condition-based and reliability-centered maintenance. They are also experimenting with IoT sensors to predict long-term defects and ensure ships remain in service, thus avoiding costly and time-consuming repairs. One particularly exciting development is their pilot project using 3D scanning technology with VisualiseInfo, which is geo-locating all assets and providing engineers with a more flexible and accurate way to assess the condition of ships.

Mitie: The Future of AI in Maximo

After a quick introduction to the day’s sponsors, we heard from Helio Reis and Dave Bone from Mitie about their ongoing MAS upgrade. Mitie is in the process of consolidating their mobile and scheduling systems into Maximo, creating a streamlined and efficient approach to field service management. One of the major benefits has been the removal of middleware errors, as MAS now keeps everything on the same page, ensuring the front line is never left behind.

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The big focus for Mitie going forward is the new features in MAS 9.1, which include Work Order Intelligence. During their presentation, they demonstrated Maximo Assistant, a live demo of the AI capabilities that will significantly improve decision-making and efficiency. Mitie is especially excited about the possibilities AI offers in terms of work patterns and predictive maintenance.

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IBM: MAS 9.1 and the Future of Maximo

The day wrapped up with a presentation from Andy Foster of IBM, who shared insights on the upcoming MAS 9.1 release, scheduled for June 24th, 2025. Andy encouraged all attendees to submit ideas and feedback via the IBM Ideas Portal, stressing the importance of user-driven innovation. IBM continues to invest in three key pillars — Plan, Operate, and Invest — focusing on delivering value across all personas in the Maximo suite.

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The 9.1 release will include several exciting features, such as improved navigation, a new Security Group app, and updates to Asset Investment Planning, Maximo Inventory Optimization, and Real Estate and Facilities management. IBM is also enhancing its AI capabilities, which will solve real-world challenges in the context of users’ roles, such as document search, workflow actions, and FMEA builders.

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After observing a two-minute silence for VE Day, we dove deeper into the possibilities AI opens up, from improving work order intelligence to enhancing maintenance workflows.

You Don't Talk About MUG Club

To close out the formal agenda, the Maximo User Group committee shared an exciting new initiative aimed at surfacing challenges from the user community. The idea is simple: someone shares a specific challenge they’ve faced and peers offer insight, inspiration, and lessons learned from their own experiences.

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To give the initiative a fitting identity, a naming competition was held, and the votes are in! The winning name? “MUG Club” — a nod to both the Maximo User Group and the informal, community-led spirit of the sessions. We’re looking forward to seeing this idea come to life at future events — and hearing from the community about what really works, what doesn't, and how we're all navigating the MAS journey.

Table Topics & What's Next

After lunch, the event took a more interactive turn with Table Topics. Each presenter moved around the room to answer attendees' specific questions, creating an incredibly valuable and engaging conversation. This format continues to be a highlight of the day, as it allows for tailored, real-time insights on the most pressing issues.

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The event wrapped up with a big announcement: the next Maximo User Group event will be held on November 25th-26th at IBM’s York Road office in London, with the addition of a Technology and Demonstration Day. This promises to be another exciting opportunity to explore the latest in Maximo innovation.

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Conclusion

The Maximo UK & Ireland User Group event in Portsmouth was a perfect blend of learning, networking, and real-world application. From Scottish Water’s ORBIT project to Wightlink’s AI-driven maintenance and Mitie’s MAS 9.1 upgrade, the event highlighted how Maximo is transforming asset management across a wide range of industries. We’re already looking forward to the next gathering in November, and we can’t wait to continue collaborating with you all on this exciting journey.

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