Welcome to Asset Narrative

Thank you for taking the time to engage with AssetNarrative.co.uk.

I wanted the first note in this series to be one of explanation: Why the name Asset Narrative? Simply put, I felt it was a perfect representation of what I believe Asset Management is truly about: The story of an asset’s life.

Anyone working in Infrastructure Asset Management, or its close relatives, construction and facilities management, has faced the same recurring questions:

• “What condition is the asset in?”
• “When was this component installed?” 
• “Who is responsible for fixing this issue?”

All too often, we struggle to answer these with either ease or confidence. This challenge only intensifies as the size and diversity of the portfolio you are responsible for grows.

I believe that if we had a solid narrative for every asset, we could answer these questions effortlessly. From that belief, Asset Narrative was born.

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The Intent

The goal of this site is to offer insights into the management of diverse estates, portfolios, and datasets that can assist you in maturing your own understanding of your assets. It is important to me that this site is accessible to everyone, regardless of experience level. We have all been confronted with “guidance” that is inaccessible, assumes too much prior knowledge, or is loaded with vague “suggestions” rather than actual direction.

To be clear: Asset Narrative is not here to discredit or contradict the standards that underpin our built environment. It is here to support those starting their journey and to offer seasoned professionals a different perspective on the challenges faced in real-world estate management.

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Our Three Narratives

To provide clarity, the materials on this site are organised into three distinct categories:

• A Day in the Life: Blog-style articles referencing real-world challenges I’ve faced leading a diverse portfolio. These are intended to be thought-provoking: How would you deal with that situation? They aim to show that we all must operate within the constraints of our organisations, and solutions aren’t always “perfect.” – affectionately known as the ‘art of the possible’.
• Deep Dives: Detailed explorations of key concepts in Asset and Estate Management. I’ll cover ISO 19650, Asset Management frameworks, and the differences between CAFM and Estate Management platforms. I’ll also offer practical steps on creating information requirements that are compliant but don’t overwhelm your stakeholders.
• Asset Management 101: A repository for those starting their journey. These entries assume no prior knowledge and use analogies everyone can relate to. Even seasoned professionals may find these helpful for explaining complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.

So, without further delay, on to the fun stuff.

If you would like to stay updated as new articles are released, please sign up for our mailing list below and follow the journey on LinkedIn.

With thanks,

Bryn