This 32+ hour self-paced course equips professionals with the tools and strategies to elevate maintenance and reliability performance across industrial operations. Through video tutorials, interactive assessments, and a detailed participant workbook, learners will explore topics ranging from CMMS and planning to reliability-centered maintenance, workforce development, and sustainability. Designed for more than just maintenance teams, this course empowers leaders across operations, engineering, and continuous improvement to drive measurable results.

• Engineering, operations, production, and maintenance leaders seeking to implement or enhance reliability programs.
• Technical professionals involved in asset management, production, or continuous improvement.
• Plant managers, TPM coordinators, and reliability engineers aiming to align teams around best practices.

• Apply structured maintenance and reliability strategies to reduce downtime and improve asset performance.
• Leverage tools like CMMS, RCM, and OEE to optimize planning, scheduling, and workforce effectiveness.
• Build a culture of reliability through leadership, standardization, and continuous improvement practices.

This self-paced course is approximately 32+ hours in duration, 13 modules in a self-paced format complete with video tutorials, instruction with questions-correct answers, and a participant workbook.

The course is 1 of 2 options to complete the required course towards the Maintenance and Reliability Management Certificate (MRM).  The options to complete the required course towards the MRM Certificate are:

1. Self-paced Maintenance and Reliability Best Practices, with instructors Ramesh Gulati and George Williams

2. Attend the 4-day course entitled Best Practices in Maintenance and Reliability, with instructor John L Ross, in Madison or live online

Once enrolled, you must complete the course within 8 weeks of enrollment. Course access ends 8 weeks after enrollment.

Module 1: INTRODUCING BEST PRACTICES

• Introduction
• Understanding Best Practices
• Using Performance Benchmarks
• Assessment

Module 2: CULTURE AND LEADERSHIP

• Introduction
• Defining Leadership and Management
• Characteristics of a Leader
• Building a Reliability Culture
• Assessment

Module 3: UNDERSTANDING MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT

• Introduction
• Structured Maintenance Management
• CMMS (Maintenance Management System)
• Maintenance Quality
• Assessment

Module 4: WORK MANAGEMENT / PLANNING AND SCHEDULING

• Introduction
• Work Management and Flow
• Asset Data Management
• Review of Maintenance Work Classification
• Work Classification and Prioritization
• Planning Process
• Scheduling Process
• Assessment

Module 5: STOREROOM AND INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

• Introduction
• Materials, Parts and Inventory Management
• Storage Considerations
• Storage Optimization
• Assessment

Module 6: MEASURING AND DESIGNING FOR MAINTENANCE AND RELIABILITY

• Introduction
• What are Reliability, Maintainability, and Availability
• Reliability Analysis
• Designing and Building for Reliability
• Assessment

Module 7: OPERATOR DRIVEN RELIABILITY

• Introduction
• Operations Role
• OEE and TEEP
• Assessment

Module 8: MAINTENANCE OPTIMIZATION

• Introduction
• Understanding Failure
• RCM Analysis
• Maintenance Strategy – CMB
• Other Strategies
• Assessment

Module 9: MANAGING PERFORMANCE

• Introduction
• Identifying Performance Measures
• Assessment

Module 10: WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT

• Introduction
• Workforce Demographics
• Communication and Time Management
• Developing People
• Assessment

Module 11: PROBLEM-SOLVING AND IMPROVEMENT TOOLS

• Introduction
• Maintenance and Reliability Toolbox
• Assessment

Module 12: STANDARDS AND STANDARDIZATION

• Introduction
• Codes, Standards and Standardization
• ISO Management System Standards
• Assessment

Module 13: CURRENT TRENDS AND PRACTICES

• Introduction
• Sustainability and Energy Management
• Safety and Risk Management
• Other Trends and Practices
• Assessment

Ramesh Gulati

Ramesh Gulati has over 55 years of diversified experience in people, product, process development and improvement as it relates to consumer goods, process/service and the heavy metal industry. Mr. Gulati has a broad background in operations analysis and process improvements, including kaizen, reengineering, performance measurement/metrics, plant reliability and maintenance process improvement tools/techniques (e.g., CMMS, CBM/PdM, TPM, RCM), implementation of ISO-certified asset management systems, energy management and people development.

George Williams

George is the founder and CEO of ReliabilityX and a recognized leader in the field of maintenance and reliability. He holds a master’s degree in reliability engineering from Monash University and began his career in maintenance while still in high school, working alongside his father. George spent 16 years with a major pharmaceutical company, advancing from technician to global asset management leader. His team earned the prestigious Uptime Award for Best Maintenance and Reliability Program in 2015. A Certified Maintenance and Reliability Professional (CMRP) and Certified Reliability Leader, George was named CMRP of the Year by the Society for Maintenance and Reliability Professionals in 2016. He also holds certifications in vibration analysis, infrared thermography, ultrasound, motion amplification, and plant maintenance management. A published author and experienced educator, George has been teaching maintenance and reliability courses for UW–Madison Interdisciplinary Professional Programs since 2010.