As supply chain leaders assess ecosystem risks, they may prioritize certain partners, organizations and individuals. Or maybe they’re mostly concerned with product parts, inputs and raw materials. These approaches fit two common categories of illumination — entity- and item-level — which have unique elements and step-by-step processes.

Entity-Level Illumination

An entity-level illumination begins with a client-identified target, ranging from something as granular as a branded diode (a microchip component) to as broad as the global industry for gallium production (a critical mineral). It can also focus on specific or generic products or componentry, government acquisition programs (e.g., weapon systems and other advanced technology), companies or organizations of interest, and even research networks of individuals and entities involved in cutting-edge science and intellectual property development. Whatever the target, the first step is for the client to meet with Exiger analysts to understand the issue or risk that is driving the request, and then for Exiger to formulate an agreed-upon methodology to answer the client’s questions.

Once an entity-level illumination is kicked off, structured “big data” sources are mined for information to map nodes across upstream and downstream entity networks, providing a clear picture of the targeted supply chain. With mapping complete, Exiger uses its machine learning-driven technology solution, DDIQ, to gather open-source information at scale on discovered entities and then to perform an automated risk assessment. The output of both the mapping and risk assessment are visualized in DDIQ Analytics, Exiger’s analytics environment, which can highlight especially risky nodes in the discovered supply chain. This in turn guides further open-source information gathering, analysis and assessment.

Exiger provides the client with a detailed report and supporting data dashboard in DDIQ Analytics that analyze the targeted supply chain and its associated risks. This information is the first step toward intelligently and responsibly managing supply chain risks such as potential disruptions and vulnerabilities — whether that step involves taking action to mitigate newly discovered risks or knowingly accepting them.

Item-Level Illumination

Obtaining an item-level illumination generally begins with an “Opportunity Assessment” with Exiger subject matter experts. The objective is to outline a course of action to achieve or exceed specific customer illumination objectives and establish realistic timelines and ROI expectations. As part of that exercise, organizations determine appropriate naming conventions, data taxonomies, and part-family classifications to standardize data across their supply chain. Exiger provides customers with four ways to capture item-level data:

1. Providing the data in .csv or Excel format if it already exists
2. Extracting the data quickly, accurately and inexpensively from customer-provided technical data packages (usually blueprints in .pdf format)
3. Using Exiger’s Supply Chain Explorer tool to map high-level shipments and associated shipment descriptions using commerce records and other public and private data sources
4. Inviting n-tier suppliers to self-report item-level data in an easy-to-use online portal in SDX

Determining the right approach to data capture and normalization, whether through a tool like Exiger’s Part Attribute Characterization (PAC) or one of the other approaches described above, is crucial for data accuracy and the success of a customer’s SCRM efforts.

A final step to an item-level illumination is integration of a customer’s demand signal(s) — ideally without requiring changes to your existing IT systems — to ensure accurate forecasting of parts and materials as well as calculation of risk and n-tier supplier dependency at each node of the extended supply chain. Documenting item-level Bills of Materials (BOMs) for products or equipment helps create a comprehensive inventory of components. Risks at the item level are then characterized and analytics employed to reduce costs, improve supply continuity and ensure compliance with legal, regulatory and trade requirements.

By pursuing item-level and entity-level supply chain illuminations, organizations can gain multi-tier visibility, mitigate risks and make informed decisions to optimize their supply chain operations.