A Method for Evaluating Maintenance Capabilities in a Developing Community Using a Multiple DSM Framework

Introducing new technology to an inexpert society can be challenging. Rural communities are often deprived of technology that promotes a higher standard of living. Today there are sustainable energy solutions that, if correctly implemented, could close this gap. The literature indicates that a large number of humanitarian and relief projects failed because the communities were not able to perform the equipment maintenance. This work proposes a method for identifying the capability of a region to perform the necessary maintenance of a new technology. The method works by measuring both the system requirements and region abilities and resources. The proposed technique is devised with a design structure matrix in which each subsystem maintainability is analyzed. The resulting framework generates a comparative analysis that contributes to the decision making process. A case study is performed to evaluate the model on selecting an energy solution for a given community. The results provide designers a better understanding on the dependence of each component maintainability. Furthermore, it provides insights on the effect of region abilities and resources in the maintainability of a system.