Industry Analysis: Welcome to the New World of Print Production
I was recently inspired by a talk given by a colleague for whom I have the highest respect: Frank Romano of RIT. Frank gave a, well, “frank” presentation regarding upcoming trends in the industry and I was very happy to see that his philosophies and mine were in sync.
One very important message that I came away with was this: Our industry is in flux. The digital revolution is still happening, and technology is ever changing on a seemingly daily basis. New software, new RIPs, new processes; it all come down to one simple thought — we are expected to do more, in less time, with less.
In the past, print production was very operationally aligned. We knew where we stood — we were Production Mangers, Traffic Managers, Estimators, etc. Today we tend to be more “Butchers, Bakers, and Candlestick Makers.”
To do more with less in less time, we have had to adapt to new processes and new concepts. Since our industry is always evolving, we as the industry workers need to evolve with it. If knowledge is power then many who do not, or cannot, evolve and become more knowledgeable will be powerless. Not good for them or their organizations! Old processes and workflows, like paste-up, are going by the wayside. And, unless people and companies adapt, they will be relegated to that same end.
Process vs. Product
The concept that I term “Process vs. Product” is a key element of our evolution, affecting the areas of creative, production, prepress, press, and postpress. We don’t produce products, but work with — and sell — a series of processes whose byproduct is a printed piece. This might be a new concept to some, but it has always been a fundamental truth in our industry, whether we knew it or not.
Our industry today is less a true craft than it is a technology-driven group of artistic manufacturing processes. That’s a mouthful! Agencies do not “sell” creative. They, indeed, sell a creative process that results in an electronic file that is used in one production process or another. Printers do not sell brochures. They sell a series of processes that, in turn, produce a brochure. This concept can be applied to any aspect of the Graphic Enterprise.
Why Emphasize Process?
Why should we emphasize process over product? The answer is simple. Let’s look at a brochure. There is little we can do to positively impact the production of a brochure with the exception of its engineering, paper selection, etc. Where we can have a great deal of positive influence is on the total Graphic Enterprise that results in that brochure. We can assess and optimize processes that transcend the placing of ink on paper.
When we look at our industry in its totality, we are empowered to evaluate not only the strategic elements, but also the tactical processes that must take place in order to produce and distribute a printed piece. The three “Ws” of production are “workflow, workflow, workflow; and the three “Ps” of workflow are “process, process, process.”
Our goal — no, our responsibility — as professionals is to produce and distribute a quality printed piece using as little of our company’s capital as possible. It’s all about hard Yankee greenbacks, folks. If you doubt this, just make an appointment with your CFO and ask.
Life as a Cost Center
Those of us on the client end in the production world are primarily viewed by our companies as Cost Centers. We can, however, through creative and sound business practices, demonstrate cost avoidance and therefore add to our company’s bottom line. This can be achieved through continuous assessment of our workflow from genesis though final delivery in order to identify areas where efficiency can be improved. Those improvements must be mandated at a high level in the organization and then supervised to ensure follow-through.
We’re lucky to work in an industry where there is little gray area; we should never “kind of” produce a project correctly. Sometimes we do, however, and that affects those downstream — just ask any printer or prepress operator. The bottom line is just that — keeping the bottom line in mind at all times; where we can save, without sacrificing quality, we should. Your company and everyone downstream will thank you for being efficient. By doing so you will not only save money, but will also avoid affecting those who are normally relegated to clean up other peoples’ messes. Your cost center can deliver cost savings and thereby be viewed as a true asset, not simply a necessary evil.
The Continuing Evolution
Next time we will look at the digital world of today and best business practices that can, if implemented, save everyone a great deal of gray hair!
Until then…
John C. Dunn, CRM Production Director for Microsoft via xpedx, began his career in Printing 17 years ago. John’s greatest achievement to date was in November 2001 when, after 8 months of planning, he implemented the world’s 1st PDF/X1a workflow. In 2002, John was instrumental in the start-up venture Paizo Publishing, LLC where he directed all aspects of production, including prepress, of 5 magazines, their collateral aspects, and their digital advertising. In October 2003 John joined the Microsoft SSI group where he set about assessing program compliance and making recommendations for enhancement. In March John was asked to join the team developing the standards for Microsoft’s CRM initiative. As the group Production Director for Microsoft’s CRM initiative, John assesses and advises with regard to all aspects of print production, working with agencies, printers and lettershops.
This article was last modified on January 6, 2023
This article was first published on January 27, 2005
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