Relying On Technologies To Transform Data Into Information

This is accomplished via two primary activities: generating information that provides supply chain visibility and using this information to automate supply chain activities.

Achieving supply chain visibility, involves several high-level activities. The first activity includes exchanging trading partner data.

We do this through the use of a commercial integration platform. Second, we require a way to store this data reliably and efficiently to facilitate its access.

This is accomplished through a data warehouse and related extraction, translation and loading (ETL) tools.

Third, the data must be translated into information. We rely on assorted reporting, business intelligence (BI), visualization and analytic tools to provide this transformation of data into information.

This generated information has two purposes: informing our clients of their supply chain status and serving as the “fuel” for our business rules engines to execute increasingly automated processes. To continue the mechanical metaphor, if the information is extremely viscous (i.e. it flows slowly), it acts as grit in a gear-driven mechanical device. The efficiency of that device is hampered due to poor lubrication– delays in information flow–required for the mechanism to achieve its potential.

Armada already possesses the infrastructure necessary to operate its supply chains in a low viscosity environment. What we require for significantly more supply chain fluidity, is a migration from the status quo of environments that batch data into a once or twice daily transmission to environments that can provide the updated data as it is generated.

This change will translate into real-time information that increases the agility of the supply chains. These agile supply chains then possess the ability to proactively respond to unpredicted influences in the supply chain, as well as the regular, predictable activities of our client’s supply chain engines.