The Skill Being Assessed
Gap analysis is a fundamental skill in physical and infrastructure asset management. It involves comparing the current performance of a system against its desired or required future performance. For public works like a municipal water system, this process is essential for strategic planning, resource allocation, and risk mitigation.
This assessment challenges you to apply the principles of gap analysis in a realistic professional context. You will demonstrate your ability to move from raw data to strategic recommendations, a core competency for any asset management professional responsible for maintaining critical public infrastructure.
Your Task
You are an Asset Management Consultant hired by the City of Northwood. The city has set an ambitious new strategic objective to reduce water loss across its municipal system by 15% over the next 5 years. Your task is to conduct a thorough gap analysis to determine what prevents the city from meeting this goal today.
Using the provided resources—a memo from the City Manager and the current asset inventory data—you will produce a Gap Analysis Report. Your report must: 1. Provide a concise analysis of the current state of the water system's assets. 2. Clearly identify the specific gaps (e.g., in asset condition, data practices, maintenance schedules) between the current state and the new strategic objective. 3. Propose a structured action plan with specific, feasible recommendations to close these gaps.
Resources and Data
To complete your task, you will be provided with two key documents that reflect a real-world scenario. Use the information within to form the basis of your analysis and recommendations.
1. Strategic Objective Memo: This document from the City Manager officially outlines the new strategic goal and the request for your analysis.
Key Document: Memo: New Strategic Objective for Water Management
2. Asset Inventory Data: This data set contains a snapshot of the current state of Northwood's water system assets.
Northwood Water System - Current Asset Inventory & Performance
| Asset ID | Asset Type | Material | Installation Year | Last Inspection Date | Condition Score (1-5) | Reported Leaks (Last 12 Months) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PIP-CI-7201 | Pipe | Cast Iron | 1972 | 2023-08-15 | 5 | 7 |
| PIP-CI-8104 | Pipe | Cast Iron | 1981 | 2017-05-20 | 4 | 4 |
| PMP-SS-0501 | Pump | Stainless Steel | 2005 | 2024-01-10 | 3 | 1 |
| PIP-DI-0215 | Pipe | Ductile Iron | 2002 | 2022-11-01 | 2 | 1 |
| PIP-PVC-1901 | Pipe | PVC | 2019 | 2023-09-22 | 1 | 0 |
| VLV-CI-8433 | Valve | Cast Iron | 1984 | 2023-07-14 | 4 | 2 |
| MTR-CU-1899 | Meter | Copper | 2018 | 2023-04-18 | 1 | 0 |
| PIP-CI-6809 | Pipe | Cast Iron | 1968 | 2016-02-11 | 5 | 8 |
| PIP-DI-1520 | Pipe | Ductile Iron | 2015 | 2022-10-30 | 2 | 0 |
| VLV-DI-2105 | Valve | Ductile Iron | 2021 | 2024-03-05 | 1 | 0 |
| PIP-PVC-2208 | Pipe | PVC | 2022 | 2024-05-01 | 1 | 0 |
| PMP-SS-1802 | Pump | Stainless Steel | 2018 | 2023-11-20 | 2 | 0 |
| PIP-CI-8311 | Pipe | Cast Iron | 1983 | 2023-01-09 | 3 | 2 |
| PIP-DI-9940 | Pipe | Ductile Iron | 1999 | 2018-06-19 | 3 | 1 |
| MTR-BR-9501 | Meter | Brass | 1995 | 2015-10-01 | 3 | 1 |
Submit Your Work
Insert DropBox here
Next Steps
Excellent work applying your analytical skills to this real-world challenge. You have successfully completed the gap analysis assessment.
Please navigate back to the main course page to continue your learning journey.