Methodology for the Development of a Sectoral Standard for EDI

摘要

The introduction of an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system in a particular sector is a complex problem involving different organisational, technological and human aspects. Formal systematic methodologies must be used to resolve these problems and facilitate the implementation of new EDI systems. However, the literature offers no examples of this type of methodology. Therefore, in this paper we present a methodology that describes the activities and techniques required to develop (1) a sectoral profile for EDI messages under internationally accepted standards and (2) a set of guidelines for implementation that helps EDI to be incorporated in a quick and simple manner. The methodology was developed from the experience acquired in the course of different EDI implementation projects carried out in different sectors. In order to illustrate how the process works, in this paper we have used a case study in which our methodology was put into practise to develop an EDI standard for enterprises in the tile sector.