Global Commerce Initiative EPC Roadmap - GlobalScorecard.net

Global Commerce Initiative EPC Roadmap
minimum that is necessary to comply with requests
from only their most important trading partners.
The final extreme is that the individual believes
more is possible than actually is at that time and
does not attach a firm basis of reality to grandiose
ideas of implementation.
The turning point at this decision juncture is that the
person responsible for EPC realises that, in order to
move forward, he or she will need to transform
theoretical knowledge into practical knowledge and
action. This realisation is reached by recognising that
Companies that are further down this EPC adoption
roadmap contend, without exception, that this step
is all about business process and simply being
comfortable with the technology. The experiment
phase is an iterative combination of understanding
business process possibilities coupled with limited
trials of the RFID technology.
Many companies currently in this phase report that
the practical experiments give them far better
insights than a substantive paper-based business
case exercise.
Working Towards the Business Case 21 Barriers to Execution 22
the technology is evolving, others are getting a head
start, and perhaps the time has come to move to the
next stage — experimentation — if the company is to
grasp the true potential for the EPC vision.
4.3.2 Experiment
The first key activities include developing a highlevel
business case and a small technology proofof-concept
pilot specifically focused within the four
walls of a company. This is a critical step in order to
drive realism and pragmatism into the leadership,
allowing the company to continue strategically on
the journey. However, it is important the business
case and technology proof-of-concept is not overengineered
at this stage. If successful, some initial
funding is usually provided.
The development of the core elements of RFID —
tags and readers — is fast changing as technology
and manufacturing innovation improves the
reliability, functionality, and cost of the equipment.
This experiment phase allows companies to
understand more clearly how well suited this
current technology is to the company’s products
and environments. The key knowledge gained has
been that it is very difficult to understand process
possibilities and technology capabilities without a
degree of experimentation in the company’s internal
environment.
Another turning point in the EPC journey is reached
when the experiments are successful, the process
opportunities are evident, and a critical mass of
people in the organisation are excited about the
34 © Copyright November 2003, Global Commerce Initiative/IBM