How can you identify the top EDI skills and competencies for your team?

1 Understand your EDI goals and needs

Before you can assess your team's EDI skills and competencies, you need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve with EDI and what challenges you face. Do you want to expand your EDI network, integrate EDI with other systems, automate EDI processes, or comply with industry standards? What are the specific requirements and expectations of your trading partners, customers, and regulators? How do you measure your EDI performance and quality? By defining your EDI goals and needs, you can identify the gaps and opportunities in your team's capabilities.

2 Evaluate your team's technical skills

EDI involves a range of technical skills, such as data mapping, data validation, data translation, data transmission, data security, and data analysis. You need to evaluate your team's proficiency in these skills and the tools and software they use. You can use various methods to assess your team's technical skills, such as tests, surveys, interviews, observations, or feedback. You can also compare your team's skills with industry benchmarks or best practices to see how they stack up.

3 Consider your team's soft skills

Technical skills are not enough to succeed in EDI. You also need soft skills, such as communication, collaboration, problem-solving, critical thinking, and adaptability. These skills can help your team work effectively with internal and external stakeholders, resolve issues, implement changes, and learn new things. You can assess your team's soft skills by looking at their behaviors, attitudes, and outcomes. You can also ask for input from their peers, managers, or customers to get a holistic view of their soft skills.

4 Identify your team's training and development needs

Once you have a clear picture of your team's EDI skills and competencies, you can identify their strengths and weaknesses. You can then prioritize the areas that need improvement and create a training and development plan for your team. You can use various resources to enhance your team's EDI skills and competencies, such as online courses, webinars, podcasts, blogs, books, or mentors. You can also set specific goals and milestones for your team's learning and track their progress and results.

5 Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement

EDI is not a static or one-time project. It is a dynamic and ongoing process that requires constant learning and improvement. You can foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement in your team by encouraging them to seek feedback, share knowledge, explore new ideas, embrace challenges, and celebrate achievements. You can also provide them with the support, recognition, and incentives they need to grow and excel in EDI.

EDI is a valuable and powerful tool for your business, but it also requires a skilled and competent team to leverage it. By following these tips, you can identify the top EDI skills and competencies for your team and help them reach their full potential in EDI.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?