New Standards Initiatives Launched To Help Insurance Industry Work Smarter

Smart is a word showing up more than ever these days. From smart cars to smart phones--even "Get Smart" came back as a movie. We're all looking for smart ways to do more, be more productive, and do it all cost effectively.

At ACORD, an important focus for us is finding ways to work smarter and increase efficiency. We're building on our successful foundation and using innovation and ingenuity to make standards development and implementation more streamlined.

By improving our process, we can help you improve your businesses and be more competitive and agile today and into the future through standards implementation.

You've probably heard us talking a lot about some of the initiatives that are designed to help ACORD and its members work smarter--including the ACORD Framework, eForms, the ACE designation, and the Testing and Certification Facility.

The result of all of this will be enhancements across the entire standards process--from the initial development of ACORD standards through implementation.

o The ACORD Framework:

This is a perfect example of how we're working to improve the way we develop and distribute ACORD standards. In a relatively short period of time, the Framework has gone from concept to reality, with several facets already available to members.

This new approach to standards development consists of five facets--a Business Dictionary, a Capability Model, an Information Model, a Component Model and a Data Model.

This model-driven method allows ACORD Working Groups to start from the top (insurance) and work their way down to the bottom (implementations such as messages) when creating standards, resulting in a more consistent and consumable output. This makes your implementation easier and more cost effective as well.

In just one year, we've:

o Established a clear vision of what the ACORD Framework is, and what it includes.

o Created strategic relationships with several solution providers who are supporting the effort and making the Framework a reality.

o Received generous donations from a wide array of solution providers.

o Constructed and validated most of the elements of the Framework, thanks to the work of ACORD's membership through ACORD working groups.

Credit for this rapid success goes to the members of ACORD who have participated in working groups, and to those companies that have generously donated intellectual property to ACORD to propel the initiative forward.

In the not-so-distant future, we'll have a new, smarter way to develop standards that will begin with a common insurance model (an Information Model) and better harmonize information and results throughout the process.

For ACORD members attending the ACORD LOMA Insurance Systems Forum in Florida, complimentary copies of the new ACORD Information Model are available at our booth.

o eForms:

For nearly four decades, ACORD forms have been an essential standard for the industry. Long before the personal computer and smart phones, ACORD forms were improving efficiency. Then electronic downloads gave you ACORD forms on your desktop anytime, anywhere.

Now, the next generation of ACORD forms is here--eForms. They are electronically fillable ACORD forms that are capable of collecting data, which can then be extracted for reuse, including populating other forms.

On the surface, eForms appear identical to current ACORD forms. On the inside, eForms' capabilities take ACORD forms the next step into the future. Many have already been released to members, with more on the way.

Implementation of eForms provides insurers with more accurate data and shorter update cycles, and eliminates the possibility of errors due to manual data re-entry. eForms are yet another way you can work smarter to save time and money.

For end users, you'll have the same forms you know and love, but now with integrated Forms Instruction Guides, more precise data capture and field parsing, easier generation of prepopulated forms, and overflow capabilities.

For systems developers, eLabels make form updates simpler and easier, as they now contain a consistent XML format and unique XML tags for each form field applied consistently across all ACORD forms.

o ACORD Certified Expert (ACE) Designation:

Once you have the standards, it's essential that you implement them and do so smartly. But many ACORD members find it hard to identify people with the knowledge of ACORD implementations they need.

That's why we launched the ACORD Certified Expert (ACE) designation program earlier this year. This program will create a pool of experts who know, understand and can implement ACORD standards to support you and the industry.

The program's objective is to meet a specific industry need for ACORD Standards implementation experts who are not only knowledgeable but tested and certified.

An ACE designation shows that an individual has received consistent training, passed the required exams, and is up to date on the latest ACORD standards and versions.

The certification requires three exams focusing on specific topic areas:

o Participation in the standards process.

o Business-line specific standards.

o Insurance product knowledge.

Staying current through continuing education will be mandatory for maintaining an ACE designation.

If you're an organization seeking experts to help with your implementations, hiring someone with an ACE as a staff member or consultant will give you a level of confidence in that individual's abilities.

If you currently work with ACORD Standards, an ACE designation after your name will show the industry that you have the tested skills to properly implement ACORD standards and improve your employer's or client's efficiency.

o ACORD Testing and Certification Facility:

So you've got the latest standards, and you've found certified implementers or become certified as an ACE to put standards into action. Now it's time to get those implementations certified.

In the past, getting messages certified was a manual, labor-intensive process. That's why ACORD first developed the Testing and Certification Facility (TCF)--a live application with which developers interact to test and certify implementations of ACORD messages.

The ACORD TCF is designed to test two things--the message delivery mechanism, and the content of the message itself.

With TCF, messages can be tested via file upload, or by cutting and pasting the message into a Web page. The TCF validates the message and sends an instant response indicating whether the message can be received according to ACORD's delivery protocols.

Messages that receive validation can be submitted immediately for ACORD certification from the same Web page where they were tested.

Each of the three domains ACORD serves (Life, Annuity & Health; Property and Casualty/Surety; Reinsurance and Large Commercial) will have a unique testing site. TCF is a faster, smarter, easier way to have your messages ACORD Certified.

At ACORD, we're developing the tools and techniques that will help us and the industry be more agile and prepare for the future. No one knows what tomorrow may bring, but by planning and taking advantage of emerging technologies, we can all position ourselves to be stronger and smarter.

John Kellington is senior vice president at ACORD. He may be reached at jkellington@acord.org.