Informed Visibility Takes a Breath
September 22, 2016   Karen Bartram

“Agile” development yields a bit to common sense

Apparently migrating gigantic data platforms is a little harder than it looks.  In deploying the new Informed Visibility data platform, the Postal Service is doing just that – migrating some very large data platforms to a brand new one:  IV.  USPS established a very aggressive schedule for the migration, with IV originally scheduled to be deployed in early summer.  The program is currently in pilot testing – the pilot is scheduled to be done on October 7, and national deployment sometime after that.  No definitive date is set for the rollout, just our favorite date:  “TBD.”  We would much rather see a good functional system on a somewhat delayed schedule, than a troubled system rushed out to meet an arbitrary date. As we have discussed in earlier editions, from a user perspective Informed Visibility is more of an evolutionary change than revolutionary.  Yes, there will be enhanced access to more scanning “events,” such as tray, container, and bundle scans.  We consider this a pretty Big Deal and are even now developing new reporting features to take advantage of this data.   Other IV features will require more of a wait and see perspective.  Logical Delivery Events and Assumed Handling Events and other enhancements based on data interpretation may take time to shake out. IV is scheduled to be deployed in three releases.  The first release will handle porting data over from Intelligent Mail Tracing and PostalOne! to the new IV platform, as well as all of the existing data delegation relationships, along with the implementation of LDE’s (Logical Delivery Events.) Releases two and three are more about managing “roles and permissions” and bundle visibility enhancements.  Some of this is incredibly complex and will likely evolve through 2017.  As dates firm up, we will keep you up to the minute on the latest in the world of Informed Visibility. As the Postal Service continues to tout the capabilities of Informed Visibility, it is important to remember that all of this really just generates more raw data that needs more interpretation.  Count on SnailWorks to be your postal into the world of Invormed Visibility.

Home