How to Implement JDF - Adobe Technologies Job Definition Format (JDF)

If you want to implement JDF in your operation how do you get from where you are now to where you want to be? A lot has been written about the potential that JDF has for improving the efficiency of print workflows but Global Graphics is one of the few companies to identify the practical steps that can be taken along the road to implementing JDF! For more detail download our White Paper by following the link on the right.

Your first step is to analyse your existing workflows. What exactly does every piece of equipment, and every staff member do during the production of a job?

Be sure you record what actually happens, rather than what your standard operating practices say should happen. Start with the route taken by a job of a typical format, assuming that no errors occur and that no late changes are requested by the customer. Then add in the error handling and rework processing routes.

What happens if you don't get customer approval on time?
Where are the bottlenecks in the process?
Where do quality control checks find errors most often?
Are you receiving a number of poorly constructed files from your customers?
Where do the errors come from?

What do you hope to achieve using JDF? JDF is an enabling technology for efficient workflow and for flexible selection of components from one or more vendors. You have to decide what will benefit you the most, in terms of your business model, from these efficiencies.

It's often a good idea to select one of two key benefits and to concentrate on achieving these rather than trying to do everything at the same time. Here are a few other tips from our guide. For more detail download our White Paper by following the link on the right.

make one person within your organisation responsible for a migration towards JDF
pick a part of your workflow where the impact will be greatest
talk to your preferred vendors about their JDF-based solutions
if your systems include MIS, talk to the supplier about what they can do to assist with customer-facing web-sites, to inventory control and to your accounts department

If you can assess your current processes and requirements and understand what you need to do to move your business forward, you're already well on your way to a successful implementation!