Understanding how you might implement RFID and EPCglobal in your organisation may appear daunting at first. However, as with all projects it is a case of breaking down the process into manageable tasks. Below is a five step approach which will take from investigation to implementation.

1. Investigation - gain general EPCglobal and RFID knowledge

• Utilise the assistance and help available from GS1 UK
• Research and learn about the EPCglobal Network and RFID technology and processes
• Learn about the EPC and its  use, standards and structure
• Attend RFID and EPCglobal conferences, and collect examples of existing and future business benefits
• Join the RFID community by subscribing to EPCglobal

2. Experiment – gain hands-on experience

• Develop a high-level business case
• Perform small-scale RFID proof-of-concept process tests using EPCglobal technology within your working environment
• Evaluate offerings and investigate working implementations from solution providers

3. Field trials – gain practical knowledge of targeted business processes and applications

• Identify, prioritise and test high priority business problems for which RFID and EPCglobal technology potentially provide solutions
• Select trading and solution partners
• Test various product, component and environmental configurations
• Check process-related and technical impacts

4. Pilots – build towards long-term deployment

• Evaluate results from field trials
• Undertake deployment, transition and education planning, including budgeting and funding
• Plan for process and systems integration
• Prepare partner collaboration
• Focus on ROI analysis and measurement

5. Deployment – ongoing, permanent deployments

• Collaborate with trading partners on process, technical and information/data flow
• Undertake ongoing system integration
• Build on and improve process and information flows

For more information on how to get started with RFID and EPCglobal please contact us.