Where To Start with RFID and Asset Management

I find myself repeating answers to common questions, one of which is 'Where To Start with RFID and Asset Management'.

For the purpose of simplicity, here's my 2 cents for your consideration.

When kicking off the process of evaluation of RFID technology and its application within Asset Management, there are three common approaches with RFID Asset Tracking:

1. Challenge - This is where you move about between rooms scanning for external or internal RFID tags, named so, because you are 'Challenging' the 'Object', 'Person' or 'Location' to identify itself at a time and location of your choosing - A Batch Processing Approach

2. Event Managed - This is where key locations act a gateways, and a server is monitoring these gateways for movements. These Movements are called events (Recording the Date and Time) and deriving the movement in or out of locations and confirmed when 'Objects' or 'Persons' moved between two 'Locations' and the server identifies and manages these movements via a voluntary (triggered by the 'Person' moving the 'Object') or in-voluntary (triggered by the movement of an 'Object' through a gateway which is being monitored) registration of the movement event. - A Real Time On-Line Approach

3. A strategic mix of both methods (1) and (2)

Notes:
Each of the above have there advantages and disadvantages i.e.

1. 'Challenge' allows you to amend 'Asset' details but requires you physical presents to record the presents or lack of, an 'Asset' - Normally associated with high value or mobile assets.

2. 'Event Managed' allows you to record 'Asset' movements without the physical presents, but would any amendments are only possible when they are notified to you or become part of an annualised 'Challenge' audit (which is where the mix of both methods, is often the most desirable) - Normally associated with low value or less than mobile assets.

3. A more frequent mix of both methods may be required, where the options to cover multiple areas using a mix of methods is most desirable, practical or cost effective. i.e. a 'Canteen' area may contain a number of 'Assets' which are not Prone to frequent movement or have a low value i.e. Mice, Keyboards, fridges, Halon Gas Tanks etc..., you may elect to 'Challenge' these locations on a annualised basis only, where as, other areas like buildings or room entrance and exist points may include a monitoring gateway which can also be used to trigger other events i.e. a 'Asset' change of custody assignment and validation or a visual security challenge.

I would first consider each of these methods and what (if any) method is the most desirable.

Also, if possible, seek out a CAD representation (Drawing/Diagram) of the area's of interest, proposed area's for consideration at some point in the future (New buildings or Remote Sites) together with a short list of your deployment priorities.

Finally, if you have any pre-existing restrictions for the project (Targets and Goals, Important Considerations, Financial Limitations, Deployment Requirements and Limitations, Comments and Concerns etc...) within which the requirements must be meet, make them plain and obvious by documenting them into a 'Draft Requirement Specification'.

If possible, make these restrictions available for review, so everyone is clear as to the pit falls and possible shared goals and targets of the project with both the share holders and service providers.

If you find these form of research is difficult to compile, seek 'Professional'! assistance in relation to areas such as 'Information Gathering', drafting a 'Problem Statement' and drafting of the a 'Requirement Specification' which you would normally be seeking to document each of these areas.

Be aware of the Pit Falls, they can be numerous, do your research, while the technology sounds sexy, RFID is one topic that in my view can 'Talks-The-Talk' but when implemented without a full understanding and full Account! of the limitations, it may not 'Walk-Your-Walk'.

Some of the big questions include worth pondering in detail are:
Where movements can be derived?
What that may mean in the event of a failed or false identification?
Consider 'What if the power driving your web of RFID readers should be lost - What is your backup Plan?'