Inventor Ron Popeil was a master of the infomercial, and was able to create compelling, memorable messages to highlight his many products. Of particular note was his “Showtime Rotisserie and BBQ,” a device that was rather hyperbolically sold with the tagline, “Set it and forget it.” If only print production was that easy .
Despite our hopes that Popeil’s tagline will extend into our printing processes, reality generally differs. While the goal of process workflow is a smooth, frictionless path from inception through delivery, bottlenecks in digital print production are a moving target, the locations of which are dependent on factors including technology, staffing, software, and training. When one element of a process either speeds up or slows down, it can directly affect other process steps and complicate that smooth-flowing ideal.