The Association for Retail Technology Standards (ARTS), a subsidiary of the NRF, is holding its first user conference in a few weeks. I have been an active member for about four years, and the quarterly meetings have always been about constructing new standards. The user conference, however, is an opportunity for retailers to learn and discuss how to apply those standards. This event marks a new chapter in the organization's maturity.
In the past ARTS was very focused on providing integration standards in an effort to lower a retailer's implementation costs. While that goal still exists, ARTS has also been addressing leading technology topics with whitepapers and best practice recommendations. Examples are Mobile Retailing, Cloud Computing, and SOA. Its important to educate retailers on emerging technologies and how best to apply it to the retail industry.
What makes ARTS successful is the participation of retailers. They guide the organization by prioritizing which problems to address; they steer the individual committees, ensuring standards are practical; and they provide feedback so that standards can be improved. Having retailers and vendors work together, with no sale on the line, leads to honest and cooperative teams that benefit the industry.
If you can't attend the user conference, you might want to join the conversation at their LinkedIn group.
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