A methodological approach to the development of RFID supply chain projects

The interest in, and adoption of, radio frequency identification (RFID) in the supply chain continues to grow. In the past few years, major initiatives from companies such as Wal-Mart, Metro, and Marks & Spencer have provided much-needed insight into the potential uses of RFID, thus providing the impetus for other companies to investigate RFID. Consequently, reports of 'pilot' projects by many different companies are on the increase. However, the development of an RFID project is a complex task, requiring the involvement of many different parties with a variety of skill sets. Successfully managing such complex projects requires a clear definition of steps and activities. Unfortunately, this issue is only partially embraced in literature. Thus the purpose of this paper is to provide a methodology to help companies in developing and managing an RFID project. The framework provided in this paper is grounded on available literature and from the authors' personal experiences in managing several projects through their RFID laboratories.