What is iSHARE?
iSHARE is a uniform set of agreements about data-sharing in the transport and logistics sector. The Scheme includes functional, technical, operational and also legal aspects that have been agreed on by the sector itself.
iSHARE is based on the idea that the barriers to new data-sharing situations will be considerably reduced if all organizations in the sector decide to uphold the same agreements. If all industry partners not only agree to use the same technical standards for identification, authentication and authorization, but also agree to only use the shared data for the purposes permitted within the iSHARE Scheme, this will eliminate the time and money currently spent on software integration and learning to trust one another.
What does a scheme entail?
A scheme is a set of functional, technical, operational and legal agreements to help organizations work together to provide a service in a network situation.
The agreements stipulate that, in order to participate in the network, an organization must comply with certain rules relating to things like technical implementation and operational service levels. A Scheme Owner facilitates access to the Scheme for new participants and is responsible for the necessary (further) development of the Scheme in consultation with the participating organizations.
What is the difference between a scheme and a platform?
iSHARE is a set of agreements rather than a data platform. A data platform enables organizations to store their data and to determine who – within the platform – has access to which data. In contrast, iSHARE is focused on providing simple and controlled access to data, irrespective of whether that data is stored in the participating organization’s own systems or on a platform. iSHARE enables organizations to share data securely and easily in a pre-agreed manner for use by any of the organization’s existing or new business partners.
How can iSHARE help me?
The iSHARE Scheme enables you to share data with anyone else in the logistics, including with new and previously unknown partners, in a uniform, simple and controlled way.
Once your organization has decided to uphold the iSHARE agreements, you can share data with other participants in the iSHARE Scheme without first having to integrate software.
Moreover, you have full control over which organizations have access to which data and under which conditions – and also what those organizations may (and above all may not) do with your data after receiving it.
Isn’t the Scheme just another new standard?
No. Standards often describe the functional and technical aspects only. iSHARE goes further than that. It started by reaching clear agreements about how standards must be interpreted and used, and these have then been supplemented by operational and legal agreements.
How international is iSHARE?
iSHARE is a Dutch initiative, but it is not restricted to the Netherlands; the co-creation process also ensured alignment with international organizations. For example, the co-creation partners involved foreign community systems at ports and airports. As a result, the iSHARE Scheme can also be used and implemented outside of the Netherlands.
What are the benefits?
The benefits of iSHARE are:
Uniform
A single way of working that is suitable for all modalities, big and small organizations, public-sector and private-sector organizations, and data providers/data recipients and their software suppliers. As a result, iSHARE creates opportunities for efficiency improvements, time savings and cost reductions.
Simple
- Making it easy to share data sector-wide.
- Making it easy to do business, even with new partners.
- Providing certainty about the trustworthiness of partner organizations.
- An easy-to-implement ‘building block’.
- Supplements existing solutions.
Controlled
- Data owners retain full control at all times. They determine whether they wish to share data, and if so which data and with whom.
- High level of data reliability.