A Critique of Variable Data Printing

Copyright © Nick D. Barzelay, 2008. All rights reserved.

A Critique of Variable Data Printing Models &

Workflows

Nick D. Barzelay

Rochester Institute of Technology

October, 2008


Study Approach

• Customary VDP “Levels”

• VDP Model Analysis

• Revised VDP “Levels”

• Customary Graphic Workflows

• Revised Digital Workflow

• Digital Workflow Subprocesses

• Comments or Questions


Customary VDP “Levels”

• Versioning

• Mail Merge

• Personalized Printing

• Transactional Printing

• Internet On Demand

• Fully Customized Communications

Content

CatalogNortheastVersion

CatalogSoutheast

Version

CatalogSouthwest

Version

Delivery

Delivery

Delivery

Offset or Digital

Printing


Versioning

ContentCampaign

Letter

First Pass

OffsetPrinting

Salutation and

AddressData

DigitalPrinting

Campaign

Letter

Individually

Addressed

Delivery


Mail Merge

Textual Content

Store

Advertisement

Template

DigitalPrinting

DigitalAssets Design

Elements

Account & Sales Activity

Data

Store

Advertisement

with

personalized

coupons

Personalization Rules

Delivery


Personalized Printing

Textual Content

Investment

Report

Template

Account & FundActivity

Data

DigitalPrinting


Elements

Personal

Investment

ReportDelivery


Transactional Printing

Textual Content

Corporate

Advertisement

Template


Elements

OEM CRM Data

DigitalPrinting

OEM/Customer

Personalized

Advertisement

Internet

OEM CRM Data

DigitalPrinting

OEM/Customer

Personalized

Advertisement

OEM CRM Data

DigitalPrinting

OEM/Customer

Personalized

Advertisement

Delivery

Delivery

Delivery

OEM AccountActivity

Data


Internet On Demand

Textual Content

Customized

Automobile

Advertisement

Template

DigitalPrinting


Elements

Customized

Automobile

Advertisement

Account & SalesActivity

Data

Personalization Rules

Delivery


Fully Customized Communications


VDP Model Analysis

• Document Variation

• Document Standardization

• Classification Analysis

Selective Content

Processing Logic

Variable Content Collection

(Images and Text)

Generated Document Versions for Print

Generated Document Version for

Web

Logic Selection


Document Variation

Standardized Document(Standard

Layout with Static Images

and Text)Variable Content Collection n

(Images and Text)

Variable Content Collection 1

(Images and Text)

Generated Documents

Using Collection 1

Generated Documents

Using Collection n


Document Standardization

VDP

Configuration Type

Content CharacteristicsContent Topicality

DataImages (photo & Art)Text (XML)Design Structures

Content Source

Digital CommunicationsPhysical Transport

Digital PrintingOffset PrintingAuxiliary PrintersAuxiliary Interfaces

Production Platform

Target AudienceSingle ProgramIntegrated CampaignPublished Document(s)

MarketingAccounting ReportingInformation Publishing

Application Purpose

Printed Item(s)Email Item(s)Web Presentation(s)Digital Package

Single DocumentMultiple DocumentsAssembled Document

End Product

Uses a

Uses a

Owns a

Has a

Incremental ProductionPersonalized CommunicationTransactional (Promotional)Publishing on Demand

Resolves to


VDP Classification Analysis

(An Object Oriented Approach)


Revised VDP “Levels”

• Incremental Production

• Personalized Communications

• Transactional/Promotional

• Publishing On Demand

Static Content

Generic or

Standard

Advertisement

OffsetProduction

Digital Transmission

DigitalProduction

Customized or

Personalized

AdvertisementDelivery

Address or

Target-Specific

Data


Data

DigitalProduction

Physical Transport

Initial Production Increment

Succeeding Production Increment(s)

Transmission

or Transport

And/Or

OrOr Or


Incremental Production

Textual Content

Store

Advertisement

Design

Template

DigitalProduction


Elements


Data

Store

Advertisement

with

personalized

coupons

Delivery

Personalization Rules/Logic

Target MediaJob Initiation

Input/Output Options


Personalized Communications

Personalization Rules/Logic

Delivery

Personal

Investment

Report (with

advertisements)


Elements

DigitalProduction

Account & FundActivity

Data

Investment

Report

Template

Textual Content

Account/Page Countfor Output Verification


Transactional/Promotional

Standard Production Rules/Logic

Digital Transmission

Delivery

Remote Content

Local Content

Standard

Design

Template(s)

DigitalProduction

Bound or

Finished

Document

Job Initiation or Job Request

Account InformationSource Content LocationJob SpecificationsDelivery Specifications

Initiation Options (Input)

StockGeometryColor/MonochromeBinding/FinishingElectronic MediaInitial Quantity

Output Instructions

If Applicable

If Applicable

Is a Part of


Publishing On Demand


Customary Graphic Workflows

• Customer/Printer Workflow (RIT)

• IPA Graphic Workflow

• IDEF0 Modeled Workflow (H.H.Christensen)

• Hierarchical Graphic Workflow (N.D.Barzelay)

Project Planning

Design

Art Text

Vector Raster

Scanner

Digital Camera

Page Layout

Customer Service

Preflighting

Job Planning

Web Page

Web Workflow

Trapping

Imposition

RIP

Finishing

Shipping

Film Plate Press

Tasks typically performedby the customer

Tasks typically performedby the printer

Handoff from Customer Contact to Printer's Customer Service Representative


Customer/Printer Workflow

Creative Premedia

Client IdeaDesign

Concept

Internet Data

Capture

Database Mgmt

Imagery Defined or

Created

Text Copy

Created

Variable Data

Pre-

flight

Image

Assembly &

Layout

Pre-

flight

Proof (content & layout)

Asset Management

Color Correction

Retouching

Scanning

Raw Color Proofing

Photo-graphy

Artwork

Typography

Media to Digital Press

digital photo

negative


IPA Graphic Workflow (part 1)

Prepress Output

PressFulfill-ment

Internet Published

Postpress or

Converting

Kiting

Trapping & Color Breaks

Color Manage

for Output

Contract Hard Proof

Final RIP

Final RIP

Final RIP

Computer to Plate

Stepping

Stepping

Contract Soft

Proof

Computer to Plate

Stepping

Contract Proof

(analog)Plating

from Variable

Data

Digital Press

Large Format Printing

digital

film


IPA Graphic Workflow (part 2)

Prepare Data Records

(1.1)

Lay Out Document

(1.2)

Compose VDP Markup File

(1.3)

Print VDP (1.4)

Lateral Flows = ContentTop Flows = SkillsBottom Flows = Tools

KEY:

Acquired Data

Text

Images

Graphics

VDP

Data Records

VDPMarkup

FileLayout

File

Digital Press

Operator Skills

Digital Press

VDPDesignSkills

VDPDesign

Software

VD

P D

esig

n S

kill

s

VD

P M

ark

up

Skill

s

Scrip

tin

g L

an

gu

ag

e S

kill

sS

crip

t E

dito

r

Ma

rku

p S

oft

wa

re

Acro

ba

t

DB

MS

Skill

s

SQ

L S

kill

s

Scrip

tin

g S

kill

s

OS

Skill

sO

S

DB

MS

SQ

L E

dito

r

Scrip

t E

dito

r


IDEF0 Modeled Workflow (level 0)


KEY:

Retrieve Data (1.1.2)

Define Business

Logic (1.1.3)

Clean & Format Data

(1.1.4)

Access Data Storage (1.1.1)

Export Data Records (1.1.5)

Da

ta R

eco

rds

DB

MS

Skill

s

SQ

L S

kill

s

DB

MS

SQ

L E

dito

r

Da

ta R

eco

rds

Da

ta R

eco

rds

Da

ta R

eco

rds

DB

MS

Skill

s

SQ

L S

kill

s

DB

MS

SQ

L E

dito

r

OS

OS

Skill

s

Scrip

t E

dito

rS

crip

tin

g S

kill

sScrip

tin

g S

kill

s

Scrip

t E

dito

r

VD

P C

on

ce

ptu

aliz

atio

n S

kill

s

Da

ta R

eco

rds


IDEF0 1.1: Prepare Data Records


KEY:

Lay Out Document

(1.2.1)

Text

Images

Graphics

Layout File

VDPDesignSkills

VDPDesign

Software


IDEF0 1.2: layout Document


KEY:

Define Variable Objects(1.3.2) Build Data

Logic (1.3.3)

Preview & Adjust

Variable Layout (1.3.4)

Define Data Source (1.3.1)

Compose VDP Markup File

(1.3.5)

Data Records

LayoutFile

LayoutFile

LayoutFile

LayoutFileD

ata

Record

s

Data

Record

s

Data

Record

s

Data

Record

s

VD

P M

ark

up S

kill

s

VD

P M

ark

up S

kill

s

VD

P M

ark

up S

kill

s

VD

P M

ark

up S

kill

s

Scripting L

anguage S

kill

s

VD

P M

ark

up S

kill

s

VD

P M

ark

up F

ile

LayoutFile

Acro

bat

Mark

up S

oftw

are

Mark

up S

oftw

are

Mark

up S

oftw

are

Mark

up S

oftw

are

Mark

up S

oftw

are

Script E

ditor


IDEF0 1.3: Compose VDP Markup File

Lateral Flows = Content & ControlsTop Flows = SkillsBottom Flows = Tools

KEY:

Substrate Selection

(1.4.2) Page Imposition

(1.4.3)Color

Management(1.4.4)

Job Ticket Setup(1.4.1)

VDP Printing (1.4.5)

LayoutFile

LayoutFile

LayoutFile

LayoutFile

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Op

era

tor

Skill

s

VD

P J

ob

LayoutFile

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Op

era

tor

Skill

s

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Op

era

tor

Skill

s

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Op

era

tor

Skill

s

Dig

ita

l P

ress

Op

era

tor

Skill

s

PressSettings

PressSettings

PressSettings

PressSettings


IDEF0 1.4: Print VDP Documents

Pre-

ProductionProductionInception Design

Business Analysis

Planning

Preliminary Design

Content Preparation

Development

Press Run

Finishing

Fulfillment & Distribution

Production Planning

Packaging

Quality Assurance


VDP Hierarchical Workflow

Business Analysis

Inception

PlanningPreliminary

Design

Market Analysis

Customer Transaction

Analysis

Business Objectives

Project Definition

Evaluation Criteria

Thematic Design

Digital Content

Identification

Design Architecture

Planning

CPM

BOM

Staff

Images

Text

DataScope

AllotedTime

Alloted Funds

Demo-graphic

Econ-omic

Demo-graphic

Econ-omic

Theme

Mess-age

RulesGeo-

graphicGeo-

graphicResults

Time

BudgetDesired Results

Project Charter

Success Criteria


Inception

Design

Content Preparation

Development

Project Setup

Folders

Content Cleanup

Content Enhance-

ments

Component Framework

Design

Individual Component

Design

Component Integration

Design Proof

File Stubs

Content Loads

Color Profiles

Data Prep

Image Prep

Text Prep

Data Structure

Data Extensions

Image Refinement

Text Refinement

Page Master

Image Frames

Text Frames

Data Tags

Art

images

Text

Pages

Pages & Pagination

Images Placement

Text Placement

Data Placement

Layout Proof

Color Soft Proof

Adjust-ments


Design

Pre-

Production

Production Planning

PackagingQuality

Assurance

Stock Staging

Press FinishingFulfillment

& Distribution

Proof Packaging

Production Packaging

Press FinishingFulfillment & Distribution

Expend-ables

Press Setup

Sched-uling

Device Setup

Staging

Expend-ables

Pack-aging

Trans-port

Staging

Ship-ping

Prod Prep

Run File GenRun File

Extract

Extract Proof

Prod Adjust

Run File Gen

JDF

Instruc-tions

Stock Staging

Expend-ables

Press Setup

Sched-uling

Device Setup

Staging

Expend-ables

Pack-aging

Trans-port

Staging

Ship-ping


Preproduction (prepress)

Production

Press Run FinishingFulfillment & Distribution

Stage Stock

Check Expend-

ables

Set up Press

Load Files &

SchedulePress Run

Set up Device(s)

Cutting & Drilling

Scoring & Folding

Kiting

Stuffing

Packaging

StagingInsertion &

Binding

Execute Press Run

ShippingOther

Finishing


Production


Revised Digital Workflow

• Physical Model

• Conceptual Model

XML Prepar-

ation

Concept & Objectives

Document Design

Data Source

Working Dataset

Image Preparation

Content Management

& QA

VDP Document

Stream

Design Sketch

Document Assembly

PDF Generation

Proofing

Prepress & Imposition

Production


Physical Model

An XML/Data-centric VDP Processing Workflow

Requirements,QA, & Exit?

Image Preparation

Design Preparation

Data Preparation

Initial Design

Data Acquisition

XML Preparation

Document Assembly

To Production

Objectives &

Inception

Content Management


Conceptual Model

IterativeRecursive

Retrogressive


Digital Workflow Subprocesses

• Preparation Objectives

• Text Preparation

• Color Management

• Digital Asset Preparation

• Data Preparation

Digital Asset

Source

Digital Asset

Preparation

Digital Content

Common File

Directory

Data Source

Data Preparation

Prepared Data

Container

VDP Staging Area

Standardize Asset Location

Move Assets to Staging

Record Asset &

Text Location

Text Creation or Acquisition

Text Editing &

Preparation

Move Text to Staging

Standardize Text Location

Asset & TextSynchronization


Preparation Objectives

Working Storage for

Text

Digital Content Common File

Directory

Transform as Needed

Keyboard

OCR

Other

Select & Acquire

Text

(Convert to XML

& Develop DTD or Schema

as Needed)

Stage Text for

Production

TextSource

Text Destination

Archive

Edit & Revise as Needed or Authorized

New & Revised Text Returned to

Archive (OPTIONAL)


Text Preparation

Mixed Color Space

Page Layout Files

Mixed Color Space

Raster Image Files

Mixed Color Space

Vector Image Files

Mixed Color Space

PDF & Other Files

Normalized RGB Workspace

Conversion to Normalized Workspace

Conversion to Output Color SpaceConversion to Press Color Space

Proof to Press CMYK

Press to Web

CMYK

Press to Web

CMYK

Press to Web

CMYKWeb RGB


Color Management

Digital Asset Source

(Normalized Work Space for

Image Preparation Correction &

Enhancement)

Digital Content Common File

Directory

Correct & Enhance Imagery

Prepare & Integrate Assets

Stage Assets

Display

Scanner

Camera

Select & Acquire Assets

(Convert to

Common Input Work

Space)

Convert to

Output Work Space

(Web, Display,

and Press)

Convert for Proof

(Press or Web Work

Space)

ImageSource

Image Destination

Color Management Workflow

ArchiveCorrect & Enhance Geometry

Apply Artistic Effects

Working Storage

Revised Assets Returned to

Archive (OPTIONAL)


Image Preparation

Data Source

(Database Direct or Provided

File)

Extract or load Data

Prepared Data

Container

Perform a Quality

Analysis

Cleanse Data

Content

Measure Presentation

Data

Record Digital Asset

Pointers

Working Data

Storage

Restructure Data for

Presentation

Stage Data Container

Cleansed Data: Use to Update Data Source (OPTIONAL)

Marketing Results: Update Data for Ongoing

Campaign (OPTIONAL)


Data Preparation


Comments or Questions

A Critique of Variable Data Printing

Technology

Transcript of A Critique of Variable Data Printing