Successful deployment of RFID systems through education, training and certification

• From the stock-room to the board-room, how can an organisation best prepare for the inevitable transformation to an RFID-empowered enterprise?
•  If you’re an end user, learn what high performance organisations already know: comprehensive education policies and actions mitigate implementation risk, align human and technology resources with future business processes and drive the predictability of an ROI
•  If you’re a technology or integration services vendor, learn why an educated end-user is your best customer
  

Wal-Mart is not just the world’s largest retailer; it is the world’s
largest company – bigger than ExxonMobil, General Motors
and General Electric. Wal-Mart sold US$288 billion worth of
goods last year. It is also the global leader in driving forward
the adoption of RFID in retailing. In June 2004, Wal-Mart
mandated its top 100 suppliers use EPC-based RFID tagging by
the start of 2005, with the next 200 to be ready by January 2006.

Intel is the world’s largest chipmaker and is also the leading
manufacturer of computers, networking and communication
products. Intel, along with SAP and IBM, are the primary
technology leaders in METRO Group’s Future Store Initiative,
which has piloted the use of RFID-based inventory
management. Intel is also a sponsor of the Auto-ID Centre at
the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a member
of EPCglobal, which is driving RFID standards.

• Understanding the technical challenges of RFID tagging
• Developing a global strategy while operating under regional
  standards
• Using RFID for improved supply chain efficiency
• Resolving data integration and process integration
  interoperability issues

• Understanding the need for greater data accuracy and how
  RFID can address this problem?
• What were the design and implementation issues that
  Kimberly-Clark faced?

• Examining the key criteria when scoping, analysing,
  designing and implementing an RFID system
• What were the timescales for configuration, deployment and
  testing?
• How has RFID enabled the monitoring of purchase, theft and
  stock maintenance of items?

• Lessons learnt in Gillette’s live warehouse trials in the USA
• Improving inventory visibility
• Achieve real-time inventory management

• Examining where and how RFID could be used by companies
• What are the biggest challenges that companies face when
  rolling out RFID?
• Reviewing the results of RFID trials

• Will RFID replace barcode systems? Coexistence or
  competition?
• Learning what RFID technology can do and more importantly
  what it cannot do
• Reviewing developments in the following areas:
  authentication, serialisation schemes, look-up directories,
  mark-up languages, IT systems, security, tag availability

• Is item level tagging the next stage in the RFID revolution?
• Regulation driven item-level tracking in the aerospace industry
• Boeing and Airbus working together to face the monumental
  task
• Challenges and opportunities facing mass tagging programmes

• Ensuring long-term value delivery and lowest total ownership cost
• Driving business benefits towards RFID utilisation
• Better for the customer, simpler for the staff, cheaper for Tesco
• The 3 main pillars: product design that ensure long useful life, low-cost, quick and flexible deployment systems, and ensuring the lowest possible life-cycle cost

• What is the Government looking to do to protect our borders?
• How can RFID technology seek to address security issues?
• How could RFID help to track assets and provide counter terrorism measures to meet security regimes being put in place globally?
• What are the costs benefits and ROI of RFID versus other security solutions?
  
  

• Approach to getting started in RFID
• What should you consider when planning to implement RFID?
• Microsoft’s experience with RFID projects across Europe,
  North America and the Asia Pacific
• Lessons learned through successful implementations

• Identifying the security challenges associated with ports
• Comparing the costs-benefits of RFID solutions with
  alternative security solutions
• Quantifying the impact of RFID on improving security

• Instantly and accurately verifying patient identification
• Developing an application of technology which causes less
  disruption to infants
• Enhancing the quality of care by instantly having the most
  current information about the infant

• The importance of frequency and standards interoperability
• How do companies realise value from the EPC network?
• RFID tags – unlawful or just an unwanted invasion of privacy
• Getting the timing right – should safeguards be put in place
  before the worldwide deployment of RFID?

• RFID enabling new functionality and process improvements
• How ‘new data’ may make the business case and ROI for an
  enterprise wide RFID system difficult to justify
• Understanding the need for greater data accuracy and how
  RFID resolved this problem

• Project VisyChip: the implementation of the EPC global
  building blocks
• Turning the vision to reality: the learning curve
• Insights from Visy’s experience and the way forward

Each delegate will be asked to join a table of their choice to
discuss and network with like-minded individuals facing similar
challenges. An industry expert will lead each roundtable.

Roundtable discussion 1:
Overcoming the practical challenges of retailers
implementing RFID
Led by: Neco Can, CIO, J.Crew USA

Roundtable discussion 2:
Developing an effective strategy to implement RFID in the
supply chain
Led by: Peter Hood, General Manager, IT and Business Solutions,
Visy Industries

Roundtable discussion 3:
Standards and regulation issues
Led by: Alfio Grasso, Deputy Director, AutoID Lab, School of Electrical
and Electronic Engineering, The University of Adelaide

Roundtable discussion 4:
Re-energising logistics with RFID
Led by: Gerry Wind, Senior Sales Consultant, Sunshine Technologies

Roundtable discussion 5:
RFID and inventory management
Led by: Bruce Grant, EPC/RFID Project Manager, Gillette Australia

Roundtable discussion 6:
Recent developments in RFID research and technology
Led by: Dr John Mo, Team Leader, Manufacturing Systems,
CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology

• Managing the technology to best effect
• Learning and modifying
• What are the biggest hurdles that RFID still has to overcome?
• Which vertical sectors will see the strongest growth?
• What lessons can we take from this conference?