Whenever I’m in the mood for an adult beverage, I drink Bud Light (shout out to Bud Light). I know what to expect – the flavor, the effect – and I can get it anywhere I go. To Bud Light’s credit, this is intentional. In fact, they work very hard to enforce the standard of their brand to ensure this experience for their consumers.
The Time Has Come for Data Standards
Standards are all around us, whether we recognize them or not. The benefits of consistency make life easier. As a consumer, I know what I’m getting every time. It makes adoption easier, too. Knowing I can get the same thing from multiple places makes it more likely for me to order over and over again.
Data standards don’t seem to have gotten the message, though.
“In absence of a standard, those who go first become the standard.” - Tim Johnson
We see a wide variety of data formats, all of them different from the others. This causes a problem for the supply chain and logistics industry. The lack of data format consistency results in many different problems. These include overhead to convert, switching costs, data format incompatibility, errors in data translation, and slowdowns, among others. All of this manifests itself as friction in the system, and ultimately an inefficient industry.
Emerging Data Standards Aren't Enough
Data standards alone aren’t a magic bullet, however. There are efforts underway by industry consortiums like the Digital Container System Association (DCSA) to produce data standards. While this is a necessary step, the industry cannot rely on the “build it and they will come” mentality. We see the same expectation from the White House’s FLOW initiative. Agreeing on a need for standards is a good first step. Developing standards that are open and satisfy the needs of ALL stakeholders is a must.
Data Translation, the Missing Piece for Standardization
Enter Splice!
This is exactly why we built the Splice platform. Businesses are making their digital transformation at different speeds, and the movement of data is only complimented by the translation of data between formats. Splice is the universal translator for the industry with the ability to speak all the unique data formats of industry stakeholders. We speed the ability for businesses to rapidly integrate with their trading partners, bridging the gap for data to flow.
For businesses looking to adapt their current systems to a standard or the opposite (from a standard to a one-off format) – Splice is the answer.
Standards and their consistency are the future of an interconnected, highly-efficient supply chain. Splice makes that vision a reality today. So when I’m choosing a frosty beverage, I choose Bud Light. And when I need to rapidly connect a variety of standard and proprietary data formats, I choose Splice.
Cheers to that!