Thought Leader
In memory (1931-2007)
Don Trafford O.B.E
Mr. Trafford was a pioneer in the development of B2B data interchange, initiating this work in 1971 as Director of Research & Development within a UK governmental body. His primary accomplishment in this area was to bring together European and parallel ANSI X12 developments into an international standard for the definition of trade information and its representation in a standard data structure and syntax. This effort resulted in the publication of Version I of the UN/ISO 9735 EDI standard in 1988. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed Mr. Trafford an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (O.B.E.) in 1987 in recognition of his accomplishment.
Mr. Trafford began his career in the telecommunications industry, working in the UK and overseas. He then joined the UK's National DP Service, working on the development and implementation of a real-time system at London's Heathrow Airport incorporating the requirements of Airlines, Brokers and Customs, the successor to which still operates. His later B2B work in the UK government was confirmed and realized by the development of supporting software for use, initially on incompatible mainframe platforms, and eventually on microcomputers. This led to implementations in the UK TRADACOMS development by major supermarket chains and their suppliers.
UK B2B leadership attracted international attention, opening the door for Mr. Trafford to head the UK delegation to the relevant UN Group of Experts dealing with the subject, where he was appointed Chair of the group created to develop the standard for global use. Through the participation of twenty countries and a range of international organizations, the work of this group culminated in the publication of the UNTDI standard in 1986.
Following on from this, he provided B2B systems development and syntax training courses: for the Singapore government staff starting the initial development of the networking system for Singapore government and commercial sectors; for the Israeli government for both B2B training and the development and implementation of a pathfinder B2B project; for the World Bank at the Port of Karachi and in Jordan for Trade, Customs & Transport interfaces; for the Reinsurance Network Group (RINET) for companies based in the UK, Germany, Spain, Sweden: France; Switzerland & Italy; for the Hong Kong Trade Facilitation Council. He also carried out research on behalf of the European Union in Peru and Bolivia, reviewing trade, transport and governmental trade & data flows for export movements from land-locked Bolivia via Peruvian ports, making recommendations for both improvements to governmental procedures, coupled with options for the gradual development of B2B practices.
Mr. Trafford continued to chair the Joint UN/ISO Joint Syntax Working Group (JSWG), which produced the ten-part ISO 9735 standard, the second and latest edition of which was published in July 2002. He was the Senior Partner of Interface International (based in London, England), providing Trade Facilitation and EDI Systems consultancy services.