Key Considerations for an RFID Implementation. Mark Roberti Founder & Editor, RFID Journal

Transcription

1 Key Considerations for an RFID Implementation Mark Roberti Founder & Editor, RFID Journal June 22, 2006

2 1. Are you deploying RFID infrastructure or a point solution? RFID can be used to solve a single problem Tracking high-value assets Improving security Boosting manufacturing throughput Reducing manufacturing errors Speeding up payments June 22,

3 1. Are you deploying RFID infrastructure or a point solution? RFID can also as be used as infrastructure to solve many problems Tracking inventory across facilities Securing assets Reducing counterfeiting Improving on-shelf availability June 22,

4 2. Choose your tag and reader providers carefully There are a lot of hardware and software vendors, but not all are alike Performance of tags and readers varies greatly Quality of tags and readers varies greatly Tech support varies greatly Some vendors provide consulting and/or integration services June 22,

5 3. Choose a system integrator carefully Systems integrators have vastly different levels of RFID experience Some SIs specialize in RFID, many don t Questions to ask? What RFID installations have you done? Who are your customers? How much do you know about my industry? How experienced is your team? June 22,

6 4. Are you facing an RFID mandate? If yes, look for internal benefits Pushing RFID back in your operations can save you money Look for ways to reduce inventory, labor costs Collaborate with supply chain partners to achieve benefits June 22,

7 4. Are you facing an RFID mandate? If no, consider your pain points Where can RFID solve specific problems? Consider the state of adoption within your industry Launch pilots that could lead to deployments that deliver internal benefits Prepare for the future June 22,

8 5. Consider all the possible benefits RFID can deliver Create a cross functional team that includes senior level executives from: Operations/engineering Manufacturing or retail Supply chain Security Marketing IT June 22,

9 6. Create an RFID strategy RFID can be a disruptive or sustaining technology Wal-Mart is using RFID to sustain its business RFID could be disruptive to high-end retailers, such as department stores June 22,

10 7. Your RFID strategy must be implemented globally Policies must be set for what equipment to buy, what applications to deploy and so on One person should manage the policy A method for sharing what you learn should be established June 22,

11 8. Focus on the data, not where it comes from RFID needs to be part of an ecosystem of data collection devices You want to integrate data from: Bar code systems Sensors Handheld computers PLCs and other existing devices June 22,

12 9. Consider your IT systems and existing infrastructure Companies are moving toward real-time data systems Your current IT infrastructure and business processes are not real time You need to invest in middleware, enterprise applications and decision support systems that work in real time June 22,

13 10. Success requires cultural change People must be trained on the new technology People must embrace change Innovation must be encouraged Real-time thinking must be engendered June 22,

14 A word of warning RFID alone won t solve your supply chain problems If you have problems in your supply chain, RFID alone won t fix them You need to fix execution, infrastructure, data synchronization and other problems before or in tandem with an RFID roll out RFID can provide data to identify problems and can be the catalyst to address problems June 22,

15 Another word of warning Reassess the deployment periodically RFID is an emerging technology and various factors affecting an implementation might change quickly What should you do if the price of tags drops more quickly or more slowly than expected? What happens if China creates its own standard? June 22,

16 RFID events where you can learn more RFID Journal Apparel & Footwear Summit In partnership with the Apparel & Footwear Association of America Aug , 2006 New York RFID Journal Industry Summits For Retail/CPG, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing, Aerospace Sep , 2006 Chicago June 22,

17 Questions? Mark Roberti Founder & Editor RFID Journal June 22,