Objectives

• To facilitate the implementation of TEX-WEAVE compliant solutions in the TCD chain
• To help TEX-WEAVE XML/EDI messaging become a reference in the TCD and related IT industry
• To demonstrate that already existing communities of users, supported by the Technological Pilot Users, can find a common background to interact with the rest of the world
• To monitor the adoption of the TEX-WEAVE paradigm, and receive feedback concerning any obstacles
• To endorse the adoption of the results though cross-country pilot experiences in the EU.
  

Description of work

General objective of task 4 is to attract pilot companies in the TCD chain to adopt TEX-WEAVE solutions by providing a clear understanding of the associated costs and benefits (return on investment).

In a first phase only TEX-SPIN results are available for this task, but as soon as results from TEX-WEAVE tasks 1 and 2 are available, they will become part of these trials. To allow this, task 4 will start later than the other four tasks.The task will also aim to extend support for the implementation of TEX-WEAVE standards in the TCD industry.
This will be achieved with the following activities:

• Defining a certification method to validate that a solution is compliant with TEX-WEAVE XML/EDI messaging; in this way will be possible to provide software companies that implement TEX-SPIN solutions for TCD companies with corresponding accreditation criteria and certification. The certification method will be based on a self-assessment tool which will be available for free on the TEX-WEAVE web-site.
• Assisting Technological Pilot Users in the adaptation of their systems to support the TEX-WEAVE approach.
• Identifying Industry Pilot Users that are willing to use the TEX-WEAVE framework in their business and supplying them training and assistance to set-up the framework.
• Monitoring of the experiences to write case histories based on cost/benefit analysis.

Pilot companies in the TCD chain that have already decided to implement TEX-WEAVE solutions or intend to commit in this way will share their experiences in order to help others benefit, and develop a concrete base of TEX-WEAVE expertise.

The following tasks are identified:

Task 4.1 TEX-WEAVE Deployment Methodology and Cost-Benefit Analysis
The Project Team will identify and analyse the costs associated with the deployment of a TEX-WEAVE compliant messaging solution. In parallel, operational costs of current messaging practices in the TCD chain will be gathered and compared with findings in the first step, in order to provide measurable return on investment. The TCD chain segments that can benefit most from the implementation of TEX-SPIN compliant solutions will also be identified, in order to focus the dissemination and exploitation efforts in a second phase.
Results of this activity will be summarised in a report which will be disseminated.

Task 4.2 TEX-WEAVE Compliance Certification method
The requirements coming from various other sectors will be analysed and integrated into the TCSIPs’ concepts in the form of semantic reference models (ontologies). Such ontologies will include the logic inherent to the considered application scenarios. Also organisational constraints for a later implementation (task 5.4) will be examined.

Task 4.3 Fostering TEX-WEAVE applications
Technological Pilot Users will adapt their existing systems to support the TEX-SPIN framework in their products already available for TCD companies. A few companies have already indicated an interest in testing the framework.

Pilot development will include at least the following steps:

• Development of a prototype based on the previous TEXSPIN project, i.e. it will manage TEX-WEAVE XML documents
• Feedback towards the other technical activities of WP1 and WP4
• Enhancement of integration capabilities with further TEX-WEAVE project results
• Deployment of pilot with the Industrial Pilot Users

Technological Pilot Users will be assisted by TEX-WEAVE experts dedicated to Task 4.

Technological Pilot Users will be asked to try the TEX-WEAVE document exchanges, monitor them and send a feed-back that could be used for dissemination purposes.

Task 4.4 Identification of the Industrial Pilot User
As soon as the adapted systems become available, Technological Pilot Users will participate in the identification of industries willing to test on the field the TEX-WEAVE framework. They will also help to identify potential TEX-WEAVE users willing to begin to exchange transaction by means of the TEX-WEAVE results. Technological Pilot Users will support these firms with their solutions in order to realise trials.

The activities will be monitored and reported as case studies.

The list of TEX-WEAVE Pilot Users will be disseminated through the TEX-WEAVE web site and newsletters.

Due to administrative problems caused by changes in the European Commission contractual rules for standardization the task 4 was not completely accomplished.