United Nations TMWG Incorporates Edifecs Framework
for Defining Open, Universal B2B Standards
BELLEVUE, WA (October 06, 2000) --
Edifecs today announced that its Business
Collaboration Metamodel and Design
Patterns have been incorporated by
the Technologies and Methodologies
Working Group (TMWG) of the United
Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation
and Electronic Business as an extension
of the "UN/CEFACT Unified Modeling
Methodology" (CEFACT/TMWG/N090),
which is the basis for defining new
global EDI (electronic database interchange)
standards. The TMWG will make the
Edifecs Metamodel and Design Patterns
available worldwide as an explicit
methodology for specifying legally
binding online transactions according
to international trade rules and laws.
Design Patterns are reusable, generalized
business collaboration protocol abstractions
that can be applied to any domain.
The Edifecs Business Collaboration
Design Patterns use the Unified Modeling
Language (UML) to detail the requirements
for six fundamental building blocks
of e-commerce interaction:
- Business transaction
- Query and response
- Request for confirmation
- Formal notification
- Information distribution
- Request and response
Edifecs developed these patterns
as part of its Business Collaboration
Framework, which they also use to
construct Partner Interface Processes
(PIPs) for the RosettaNet Consortium.
The TMWG has accepted the Edifecs
Metamodel and Design Patterns as the
building blocks for subsequent global
standards and solutions. This common
methodology will ensure that future
solutions can be shared both within
and across industries worldwide. Using
the Edifecs Metamodel and Design Pattern
templates, companies can now integrate
their business processes to form more
productive Value-Nets.
"We are honored to be working
with Edifecs," said Klaus-Dieter
Naujok, chair of TMWG and member of
the UN/CEFACT Steering Committee.
"Their expertise in the essential
building blocks of electronic commerce
allowed us to reach this significant
milestone rapidly and confidently."
"We're proud to be contributing
to the mission of such an important
group as TMWG," said Sunny Singh,
CEO of Edifecs, Inc. "We are
especially excited to help UN/CEFACT
advance global, cross-industry electronic
commerce."
About Edifecs
Edifecs Commerce, Inc. (www.edifecs.com)
is dedicated to expediting business-to-business
e-commerce through two primary product
lines: its CommerceDesk partner enablement
system, designed to automate and accelerate
the deployment of trading networks,
and its Business Collaboration Services,
which optimize value-net business
models by providing collaboration
modeling services to supply chain
partnerships. Founded in 1996, Edifecs
serves an installed base of more than
1000 customers including Boeing, Microsoft,
IBM, Gillette, Eastman Kodak, Sony,
Barnes & Noble, and Dura Automotive.
The company partners with numerous
B2B providers such as Sterling Commerce,
NEON Software, and GE Global eXchange
Services, and is a technology solution
partner for 30+ industry consortia
including RosettaNet, CompTIA, and
the Supply Chain Council. Based in
Bellevue, Washington, Edifecs Commerce
is privately held, with investment
from General Electric.
About UN/CEFACT TMWG
UN/CEFACT is the United Nations Centre
for Trade Facilitation and Electronic
Business. Its mission is to improve
the ability of business, trade, and
administrative organizations from
developed, developing and transitional
economies to exchange products and
relevant services effectively and
so contribute to the growth of global
commerce. CEFACT focuses on the worldwide
facilitation of international transactions
through the simplification and harmonization
of procedures and information flows.
The purpose of the Techniques &
Methodologies Working Group (TMWG)
is to research and identify techniques
and methodologies that could be utilized
by CEFACT and its working groups to
enhance the process by which its deliverables
are produced and integrated.
