This was probably illegal, absolutely foolish, a little dangerous, but fun to do. Join me in my ride home from work.

I have a communication problem.

I have been at my job for 13 years.

13.

That is a long time.

In those 13 years I have accomplished many personal and professional goals and for the most part, consider my tenure a success.

One thing that has not been successful is moving the culture here into the modern age. Seriously, we still tape messages on doors around here to comunicate company functions. The problem with this is obvious to anyone born in the seventies. For instance, no one knew if we were open or not this week after our 14 inch snow storm even though we have email and phone systems and facebook and twitter! The problem was no one thought to actually use any of the technology and forced their employees to drive in unnecessarily to find out if they needed to show up to work.

In 2010.

I have failed.

With failure comes frustration and I have been getting more agitated and vocal in my dissatisfaction for the way we “think” here. I fear it is really starting to show in my emails to employees. Yes, some employees actually use email, and here is an example of a typical response from a manager to something new I asked them to review.

David,

Checked it out and looks user friendly. On the upload page, will you be able to customize the instructions/copy? One of the biggest issues is that some customer’s try an upload a folder and don’t know they should compress the files before uploading.

I see for the templates that everything is in RGB color space, so when it processes thru the Trueflow rip or the Indigo rip, the conversion color is what it is?

I’m sure that the “Print on Demand” will require a different workflow. Can it be automated and sent directly to the press? Will all this work go on the digital press or does some of it go to the offset press?   (No reviewing proofs thru proofreading, right?)

Ok, I’ll stop. That is my two-cents worth! I’m sure there will be more things I think of, but for now try it.

Here is my response.

All of the questions that are software specific will be answered next week at the demo, but the answer is yes, it can.

The site and all pages are completely customizable.

All digital cameras, scanners, and monitors are RGB, always have been, always will be. No one (other than designers and printers) keep images in CMYK, it is a compressed color space. CMYK is a printing and printer specific color space. The only limitation that needs to be communicated is color gamut but with FM screening, G7 calibration, and digital presses, it rarely becomes a real quality issue and certainly not to the average consumer. RGB color space and offset printing have been a non issue for over 10 years.

Internal workflow issues are not germane to the functionality of this software. Suffice it to say, how the jobs enter the shop is completely under our control. Who determines that workflow is a question for another day and another forum. ;)

Regards,
David

I actually used the word germane. I had to rewrite the response three times to hide my utter contempt for the stupidity the reigns here about new workflows and technology and our lack luster adoption of them as if we are in a position to dictate anything to the consumer! My printer friends back in Minnesota know all too well how unprofitable printing has become and how easy it is for the consumer to shop for printing. It is a race to the bottom.

Perhaps it is our proximity to DC. Perhaps it is something in the water. Perhaps it is the fact that I use perhaps and germane and suffice in normal conversation but whatever it is, it makes me nervous.

I wish I was able to communicate more effectively the precarious position we are in and the fact that the industry will pass us by if things don’t change dramatically this year. If I am unable to communicate that, we may all arrive to work one morning to a note scotch taped to the door that reads we are out of business.