NEXT month, as the mercury surges past 40°C and the ground is so hot your feet would burn without sandals, the Arizona desert will welcome a large influx of business professionals.
Around 900 individuals from across the asset management and asset reliability community will check-in at the Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge resort for MaximoWorld.
It’s a user group – but on a whole new scale. Its size is testament to the stand-out status that IBM Maximo, which turned 40 this year, has acquired amongst asset-intensive organizations in all sectors and every geography.
I’m a regular MaximoWorld participant. For those new to the event, my team and I have pulled together some tips to help you survive – and thrive – at the conference which is taking place on August 4 – 7:
Suitcase essentials
Sunscreen: Phoenix is a place where sunscreen is worn inside as well as out, so bring plenty of it. Even inside you are always getting exposed to the sun – sitting next to a big window, for example. Cool but long-sleeved tops are a packing essential.
Vitamin C: At MaximoWorld you’ll be on the go from dawn to dusk. Your conference day will be sandwiched by breakfast in the morning and after-event socials. It’s literally a 7-11 kind of a day, everyday. You’ll find people you want to catch-up with at breakfast and there is always something going on in the evening and opportunities to meet and network, that you won’t want to miss. When exhaustion sets-in and caffeine is a must, there is a Starbucks on the resort site.
Clothing: It’s a big facility and, getting from ‘a’ to ‘b’ means comfy footwear is a must. Another must is a band t-shirt for the ‘totally rad welcome reception’ taking place 4:00 pm – 6.00 pm on Monday 4 August. 80’s vibes all the way…
Need to know
Time: Arizona does not observe daylight saving time and is instead on mountain standard time (MST). This has, of course, been the cause of many missed engagements and late dinner arrivals.
To keep on top of your schedule, I recommend establishing your own calendar for the week.
Delegates can also download the MaximoWorld CVENT app onto their phone.
Badges and tabs: MaximoWorld deploys a very useful identification system in which your relevant ‘tabs’ are added to your name badge. So, for example, you might have a tab that says ‘speaker’ or ‘author’ attached to your lanyard. These are a great route to striking up conversations with people and immediately finding things in common to chat about. If they are a speaker, for example, then you can ask them what they are speaking about.
Networking: People and relationships are everything at MaximoWorld. The more effort you put into talking with people, the more you will get out of it. Show up at breakfast and look for people, plan some lunches, and go to the social events in the evening.
Another great way to strike up conversation is by dining with the MaximoWorld award winners (the annual award ceremony will take place on August 5th at 8am). If you look for people to eat with that have a reason to celebrate, you will learn more.
Finding your way: If you think you are tired, spare a thought for the event organisers, ReliabilityWeb. They’ve been there for many days prior to the event starting, setting it up. They are a great group of people, who will all be going to the nth degree to help you maximise the value you get from the conference. Look out for them as, if you are lost, trying to find a specific room, or not sure where to go, they will be your best friend and have all the info you need.
Don’t miss….
Presentations: It is hard to choose between talks at MaximoWorld as there are genuinely so many good and useful sessions that you will be spoilt for choice. This year’s hot topics will include the Maximo Application Suite and its functionalities and the role of AI in taking asset management to the next level. The theme for 2025 is: “Managing assets for maximum value.”
The Cohesive team will be taking to the stage multiple times – along with our clients. They will be talking about their experiences of upgrading to MAS, the challenges they overcame, and how, and the benefits they have unlocked.
August 5th 11.15 am – 12.00 pm: ‘Implementing MAS with advanced OpenShift skills’ Presenters: Ernie Steagall, ONEOK, Inc. and Myles Vivian, Cohesive
August 6th 4.00 pm – 4.45 pm: ‘Reducing risk: How to deploy MAS in disconnected environments using the CDU’ Presenters: Martin Eklund, Stena Drilling and Andrew Carrie, Cohesive.
August 7th 10.00 am – 10.45 am: ‘MAS upgrade with Cooperative Energy’. Presenters: Melissa George, Cooperative Energy and Bennet Tan, Cohesive.
Our experts will also be on hand at booth #201 to share how we have helped customers accelerate their journey across three horizons – from work order management to enterprise asset management, onto asset performance management and then to asset lifecycle management. You can learn more and schedule in a private meeting, here: MaximoWorld 2025
Looking forward to an action-packed few days..