NU Online News Service, Dec.2, 12:36 p.m.EST

ACORD announced it has received another contribution from IBM tohelp the insurance industry's standards organization develop theACORD Framework Information Model.

The recent donation from IBM consists of the InsuranceApplication Architecture Business Object/Data Model and the IAAProduct Specification Diagram (PSD) notation. Both were developedby IBM in collaboration with insurance companies around the world.The IAA model has been licensed by more than 200 insurersworldwide.

The donations have allowed ACORD to create an industry-ownedinformation model, according to John Kellington, senior vicepresident of ACORD.

"Both IBM's IAA model and ACORD's Information Model areexcellent representations of the insurance industry information,"said Mr. Kellington. "However, having one model which is availablefor all industry participants will provide a single focus for theindustry participants."

IBM's donation will bring 20 years of industry expertise inmodel development to the project and will allow ACORD, PrimaSolutions, IBM and other industry members the opportunity toconsolidate the two models.

Initial analysis of the two models has shown they are more alikethan different, according to Frank Neugebauer, chief technologyofficer for ACORD.

The focus for industry participants will go from deciding whichmodel to use to how best to implement the ACORD Information Model,said Mr. Neugebauer. ACORD will document all changes and providethat information to members.

Mark Lewis, global insurance industry general manager at IBM,said he believes the ACORD Framework models will give insurers aflexible set of industry-developed assets to help accelerate theglobal adoption of key industry concepts.

Collaboratively aligning these products will increase the valueIAA can deliver to the industry and is consistent with IBM'sstrategy of fostering open standards organizations to create growthand innovation, added Mr. Lewis.

The ACORD Information Model's development began with thedonation of Prima Solutions' information model.
Hugues Delannoy, president and chief executive officer of Prima,said he believes both technology and industry-specific standardsare essential if companies are to solve collaboration andintegration problems.

"The development of new and enhanced assets by ACORD providesgame-changing opportunities for the insurance industry," heremarked. "This is why we support ACORD's activities and were proudto contribute our model. We have also been happy to assist ACORDwith training and education so people can fully understand and takeadvantage of the model."

The Information Model plays a central role in the ACORDFramework--five interrelated models that can be used to developconsistent standards regardless of type, geography or line ofbusiness. The facets are: a Business Dictionary, a Capability Modelwith Process Maps, a Component Model with Service Maps, and a DataModel. The Information Model provides the relationships amonginsurance concepts.

ACORD said it accepts intellectual property contributions frommember companies on behalf of the industry to further enhance andexpand ACORD standards.

Robert Regis Hyle is associateeditor at Tech Decisions for Insurance, part of Summit BusinessMedia's P&C Magazine Group, which includes NationalUnderwriter.)