Engrain | Seeing is Believing

Maintenance teams are vital for the successful operations of any building, but within the multifamily space, they are also essential to delivering quality living experiences and protecting the value of assets. Yet, despite their importance, many technicians are functioning with limited visibility, inefficient workflows and minimal support from outdated tools.

With data visualization emerging as a transformative solution, operators are turning to visual tools like interactive maps, dashboards and trend analyses to transform how they manage, measure and optimize maintenance teams.

The Visibility Gap in Multifamily Maintenance

Data visualization simplifies complex information and turns it into actionable insight. Tools like heat maps, performance dashboards and interactive maps are helping operators to move beyond static reports and scattered data. Instead of combing through spreadsheets, teams can now visually scan a portfolio to identify challenges, monitor technician performance and detect recurring maintenance issues in real time.

By layering maintenance data over the property layout, interactive maps enable maintenance teams to see which work orders are still open, identify any hidden maintenance issues and understand how technicians move throughout a community. This level of visibility supports faster, more informed decision-making, better coordination between techs and improved long-term planning.

In addition to significantly boosting visualization and bringing clarity to an extremely intricate job, interactive maps also address an array of problems experienced by maintenance professionals.

Solving Persistent Pain Points

Increased data visualization allows operators to tackle some of the most stubborn challenges in maintenance management. Perhaps most important, technician performance has traditionally been difficult to track. By providing real-time dashboards, supervisors can monitor productivity, recognize top performers and identify individuals who may need additional support or training.

“Seeing the real-time data doesn’t just expose problems; it highlights areas for improvement,” said Marlee Murdock, Vice President of Performance at Western Wealth Communities. “When visualized accurately, data becomes a powerful tool for motivation, helping teams see their impact, celebrate wins and drive continuous improvement across the board.”

Moreover, by including features such as leaderboards, digital badges and score cards, maintenance visualization helps teams create a sense of achievement through healthy competition among technicians. This not only encourages better performance but also builds a culture of pride and accountability within maintenance teams.

Another longstanding issue, workflow inefficiencies, is easier to pinpoint and resolve with the aid of visual tools like interactive maps. This leads to streamlined workflows and reduced technician turnover by alleviating frustration that accompanies convoluted processes or overwhelming workloads.

“When teams can see the bigger picture, technicians are better equipped to fix smaller problems before they get out of control,” Murdock said. “Visual tools make it easier to spot inefficiencies, expedite workflows and minimize the everyday friction that can lead to burnout and high turnover rates. This creates a more empowered and productive maintenance team.”

For leadership teams, one of the most common pain points is lack of actionable data. Operators need to understand where resources are being allocated, how efficiently teams are working and where more investments are needed. Data visualization empowers operators to make decisions based on accurate trends and patterns that were once unknown.

Real-World Implementation

Many operators are already utilizing tools like interactive maps for maintenance data visualization in meaningful ways. One organization, Atlantic Pacific, uses performance dashboards to identify a technician whose speed and quality of work were consistently high. By analyzing and replicating that technician’s approach across the team, the company experienced noticeable improvements in overall efficiency among other technicians.

“The true power of data visualization lies in its ability to turn individual insights into collective progress,” said Michelle Fording, Vice President of Learning and Engagement at Atlantic Pacific Companies. “By highlighting standout performance, uncovering hidden patterns and revealing opportunities for improvement, these tools help teams move from reactive fixes to proactive strategies.”

At another property, heat maps revealed a cluster of plumbing-related service requests in one section of a community. This visualization pattern prompted a deeper inspection that uncovered a failing infrastructure. Rather than piecemealing repairs, teams were able to initiate a targeted re-piping project, saving valuable time, money and reducing resident frustration.

Additionally, by integrating service reviews and feedback into the dashboard, operators are able to quickly spot patterns of resident complaints or fluctuations in satisfaction—allowing them to intervene before negative experiences impact reputation and revenue.

The Future of Maintenance Operations

The use of data visualization is the future of maintenance operations. As interactive maps, trend analysis and AI-powered dashboards become more widely used, they will continue to raise the bar for maintenance management.

“For organizations looking to embrace data visualization, start small,” Fording said. “Use internal tools to build simple dashboards or track key performance indicators, map work orders and service trends across properties. These incremental steps build upon one another and lead to significant operational gains.”

Looking ahead, automation will expand its role in data visualization—reducing manual tasks, streamlining reporting and enabling predictive maintenance strategies. The ultimate goal is to pinpoint building issues before they escalate into more costly problems. With the right tools, maintenance teams can shift from reactive fixes to proactive planning.

“Data visualization is more than just another technology upgrade—it’s a complete shift in mindset,” Murdock said. “By making maintenance data easier to understand, share and act on, operators are not just improving day-to-day operations, they’re building stronger teams, smarter workflows and more resilient properties that can sustain for years to come.”

Read the full article on National Apartment Association.

Written by

Andrew Ruhland

Published on

May

2025