From Paper to Digital: Public Works Department of the Cayman Islands Boosts Efficiency with MaintainX

The Public Works Department of the Cayman Islands government is responsible for maintaining and managing a wide range of public facilities across three islands. With a diverse workforce, including MEP (Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing) managers, facilities maintenance teams, and inventory managers, the department handles hundreds of work orders every week.

As MEP Manager Adam McLaren explains, “A few ministries and at least a couple hundred departments and other entities rely on the Public Works Department to handle maintenance requests.” He continues, “Any delays can ripple out, affecting departments and members of the islands’ 70,000-person population who depend on our services.”

Historically, the Public Works Department managed work orders using a combination of paper-based processes, emails, and a legacy software system. However, the convoluted workflows, decentralized data, and limited visibility into performance metrics made it challenging to 

With so many depending on the Public Works Department, efficiency is essential, and they knew they had to modernize.

Challenges

Buried in paper

The Public Works Department's paper-based work order system had transformed routine maintenance requests into administrative obstacles. 

“On average, we were processing over a hundred paper work orders each week. And each request required multiple touch points and manual data entry,” says Adam. “What should have been a simple request became a physical paper chase across multiple teams and departments."

A work request often started with an email from a client—a ministry or a department— which the team then turned into a work order. “And then we would print those off and give that to our staff,” says Adam. 

This manual workflow didn’t just slow response times—it undermined the department’s ability to serve its clients effectively and efficiently.

Delayed maintenance work due to limited visibility

The department’s legacy system severely hampered its maintenance operations, limiting visibility into critical maintenance work and creating dangerous blind spots.

“Our system was essentially a digital light switch—work orders were either on or off, open or closed,” says Davanni James, Acting Facilities Manager for the Department. “We couldn't see if a repair was waiting for parts, delayed by other issues, or stuck in procurement. Critical maintenance tasks could be stalled for weeks, and we'd have no idea why.”

This lack of visibility hindered the team’s ability to prioritize work orders, respond quickly to critical issues, and effectively allocate resources to solve the issues on hand. 

Missed opportunities for growth

Beyond tracking work orders, the team also struggled to monitor their overall productivity and performance. Lacking real-time tracking, managers struggled to pinpoint when workers began tasks or how long they took to complete them. This forced the team to rely on time-consuming data exports to generate reports.

“We would have to download all the information in an Excel sheet,” says Adam, adding that further sorting and analysis was still required. "It would take a long time to produce the report.”

As a result, the team frequently missed out on opportunities to highlight their accomplishments and identify areas of improvement.

The solution: Choosing MaintainX

Data migration with zero hassles

While migrating systems can be a nightmare, with teams running the risk of data corruption, data loss, and extended downtime, MaintainX made the switch a breeze for the Cayman Islands Public Works team. 

"What I loved was the transition,” says Davanni. “The MaintainX implementation team was supportive all the way, answering any questions we had, incorporating our feedback, and making adjustments to fit our specific needs.” The MaintainX team’s hands-on approach helped ensure the Public Works team could focus on its day-to-day operations without worrying about disruptions.

“We had no downtime and could continue our work without interruptions. We provided our data, and the MaintainX team created templates to help organize it," Davanni adds. “As a result, we were able to migrate fifteen years' worth of data in just four weeks.”

Easy to use, right out of the box

Given its prior struggles, the team prioritized simplicity and ease of use when selecting a new platform to replace its legacy system. From day one, it was clear that MaintainX had built a platform designed with the frontline workers in mind. 

"MaintainX was so much easier than what we were using before," recalls Acting IT Manager Derome McLaughlin. The user-friendly design allowed the department to hit the ground running, moving all assets onto MaintainX in three months.

Effective training for quick results

Davanni knew that even with an easy-to-use platform, comprehensive and accessible training was crucial to drive adoption. MaintainX provided a wide range of resources to help everyone master the platform’s functionality.

“We had videos and step-by-step PDFs,” recalls Acting Facilities Manager Davanni James. “These materials guided the team through everything from creating work orders to indexing their locations in MaintainX, ensuring that our team could confidently manage tasks right away.”

Results: Cayman Islands Public Works Department digitized 75% of processes

Slashing paperwork and unlocking new channels of productivity

MaintainX helped the Public Works Department reduce paperwork and associated manual labor that once bogged their operations down.

“MaintainX has helped us get rid of a lot of paperwork,” Adam notes. While not 100% paperless yet, MaintainX has enabled the team to digitize the vast majority of their processes. “We’ve moved about 75% of our processes to digital, and we aren’t planning on stopping here,” says Adam. This shift has freed up time and resources, allowing the team to focus more on critical tasks and less on administrative burdens.

MaintainX has also opened new channels for public engagement. QR codes at public facilities like beaches allow citizens to contact the Public Works Department directly.

“If something happens, the public can send in requests by scanning the QR code,” says Adam. For example, a citizen once noticed an issue with a restroom at a public beach. They scanned the code, and once the department was notified, someone was sent over to fix the situation. Overall, this has led to a more responsive and efficient service for the community.

Centralized data for seamless access

One reason the Public Works Department clung to paper for so long was accessibility. The team had over fifteen years of accumulated data and wanted to make sure they had access to it. However, accessing the old digital system was a struggle as the team had to dig through hundreds if not thousands of paper work orders to find the information that they were looking for.  

MaintainX changed that by providing a centralized platform everyone could easily access, from office staff to field workers. “MaintainX opened that door for us,” says Adam. “Through the mobile app, workers in the field can access real-time data and updates, bringing the department closer to their goal of being fully paperless.”

Real-time visibility and transparency

One of the biggest wins with MaintainX has been enhanced visibility. The people who rely on the Public Works Department can track their work requests from approval to completion, with live updates along the way. “They can see who’s been assigned to their work order and what updates have been made,” Adam explains. “ And the live chat feature also allows for instant communication between staff and clients, ensuring everyone is on the same page and no details are missed.”

Streamlined reporting for greater efficiency

Reporting, once a tedious task, is now a breeze with MaintainX. “It’s a quick two clicks, and the information is there,” says Adam, remembering how monthly reports that used to take hours to create now take minutes.

This centralized system has also made it easier to track high-cost items. The team can create custom filters for budgeting, adding a layer of precision to their financial oversight.

Cayman Islands Public Works: Driving forward with MaintainX

The Cayman Islands Public Works Department is excited about the potential for even more efficiency gains with MaintainX. While they've already streamlined much of their operations with MaintainX, a few processes have yet to be integrated into the platform. For example, the team currently uses MaintainX to track inventory and issue items for work orders, but “procurement is still handled outside the system,” says Adam.

However, he expresses optimism for the future. "The hope is that eventually, we have everything in the system,” Adam says. This transition would allow the team to move away from their current situation, where they rely on both MaintainX and their legacy platform for inventory-related tasks.

By consolidating these processes within MaintainX, the team anticipates smoother operations, more accurate stock management, and easier auditing procedures. As they continue to expand their use of MaintainX, the Public Works Department looks forward to unlocking even more benefits and further enhancing their service delivery to the Cayman Islands community.