drupa Essentials of Print: Pat McGrew
With our recurring drupa Essentials of Print series, we deliver a series of articles, from designers, brand owners, printers, converters, journalists and influencers, providing them with a platform to share their opinions on the latest developments of the print industry.
“How can you tell if your work is no longer flowing, but moving through a series of hoops and hurdles? Start by taking a quick look at what you have, and then begin looking at the emerging solutions that can help you become more efficient.
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Before you write that check for a new workflow solution, do a self-assessment that starts with a walk through your workflow. This is a best practice recommended by most workflow experts as the starting point for the move to operational excellence.
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From the data-centric solutions that are informed by Industry 4.0 to the platform and framework orientations of an emerging set of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) workflow Pat McGrew: Assessments, Platforms and Making Money with Workflow drupa articles – Pat McGrew – Assessments, Plattforms and drupa Essentials of Print July 2020 Making Money with Workflow options, the opportunity to remake your production workflow is in your grasp. Since drupa 2016 the industry has seen established workflow solutions retool to take advantage of cloud-based computing, subscription models for both delivery and payment, and compatibility with an emerging set of platforms designed to allow a workflow architect to create a bespoke flow by plugging tools into platforms and frameworks.
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The promise of a well-designed workflow is that it includes only the needed software tools, captures and provides usable data to production and business dashboards. It can be scaled up or down over time to accommodate new product lines and new printing and finishing technologies is operational excellence. It provides the infrastructure that eliminates unnecessary costs, unnecessary touchpoints, and unnecessary handling.”
Pat McGrew has written the text “Assessments, Platforms and Making Money with Workflow” for anyone who has rely on workflow tools to aid the process, in most companies there are also spreadsheets, whiteboards, and sticky notes used to gather and communicate information about the jobs-in-progress. It’s only natural! However, the more you talk and touch, the less money you make on the job.
About the Author:
“Before you write that check for a new workflow solution, do a self-assessment that starts
with a walk through your workflow.”
“The need for workflow platforms will only intensify as the industry converges and
analogue-heavy segments like packaging undergo further digital transformation. Now, you
need to know how to combine print with other communication channels.”
“In the modern print shop, it is essential to be able to identify every cost associated with
every job to ensure that margins are met.”
