The Business Information Revolution: Making the Case for ACORD Standards

The Business Information Revolution describes the struggle industries are facing when it comes to moving information between different computer systems. And because information flows between businesses and their partners, suppliers and customers; the need for industry agreed upon data (i.e. information) standards becomes crucial. Although Mr. Maciag describes the turmoil from the insurance industry perspective, most of the book deals with the topic of standards that can be applied to any business. Getting standards developed and adopted for an industry is a challenge and he brings forward many ideas and suggestions on the topic of Information Technology and change management that would benefit any reader. He also talks about the origin of standards used by humans through the ages and how vital they are for holding the world together as we know it. Mr. Maciag works for a nonprofit organization (ACORD) that was organized in 1970 to provide the standards for the insurance industry. Other industries have similar organizations that do similar work and ACORD works closely with related industries that share information as well. Overall, this is a business book about a business problem written for business people and helping them better cope with computers and the people who are responsible for the care and feeding of them. The book is colorful, richly illustrated and intended to make you think about how you move information today and tomorrow.