Quo vadis Print Publications?

For many decades, people have been predicting that print media has no future. The reality is quite different: In fact, catalogs, data sheets, brochures, user manuals, operating instructions, and much more continue to be created and distributed. Although they are often now available only as PDFs or flipbooks and no longer in print, the process remains the same: Media designers use tools such as Adobe InDesign to lay out pages, organize them into chapters and books with pagination, tables of contents, and so on, refine them through rounds of proofreading, and finally save them as PDFs for on-screen viewing or printing.

When you look at the details, you can see positive changes - for example, in the way print and online media work together, as well as in the automation of the production process - which offer enormous opportunities.

One more quick note on the term “print”: I’m using it here even when documents remain purely digital - much like the Recycle Bin on your desktop.

The Origins

In the past, the catalog was the undisputed centerpiece. It was reprinted and published just in time for the trade show. With several hundred pages - sometimes over 1,000 - the beautifully bound catalog, the “tome,” served as a brand ambassador and was impossible to miss in the office. The annual price list was also considered the standard for formally communicating prices to customers. In addition, brochures, flyers, and data sheets showcased the product in the best light.

However, the effort required to produce the catalog was enormous:

• The product information had to be painstakingly compiled.
• The layout had to be space-efficient, and pages had to be paginated sensibly.
• To minimize printing costs, black plate changes were often used for language variations. In some cases, multiple languages were combined into a single document to increase the print run and thereby reduce the per-unit printing cost.
• Multiple rounds of proofreading were necessary to check both content and layout. Although in some cases less than 10% of the content changed, 100% of the text had to be proofread repeatedly.
• The final production of the book - including left and right pages, pagination, cross-references, the part number index, and tab strips - was very time-consuming.
• If prices were included, they were often inserted manually just before going to press. This alone took several days or even weeks for all country variants.
• Updates were performed annually or biennially and took several months. Often, the online catalog was not updated until after that.

Process Optimization to the Present Day

Starting in the mid-1990s, so-called database publishing solutions were implemented to reduce the manual effort. This was achieved through the integration of DTP (desktop publishing) software such as PageMaker, FrameMaker, or QuarkXPress - and, starting in 2000, Adobe InDesign - with a database. Since the database was often not connected to the ERP system, product data still had to be painstakingly compiled, but could then be automatically inserted into the page document using predefined templates.

Today, these systems are highly sophisticated, and full automation is possible:

• The database is now a fully developed PIM (Product Information Management) system with a direct connection to the ERP system and online systems, such as the e-commerce platform.
• The tools for automating print production are seamlessly integrated into the PIM system or connected via interfaces to applications such as InDesign.
• Adobe InDesign has become the market leader and offers comprehensive layout functions that are easy to control.

The software solutions themselves have different focuses in terms of layout characteristics, for example,

• industry catalogs with a highly structured layout, consisting mainly of tables - including, in some cases, complex matrix tables and relationship tables. Windows is the predominant platform here.
• Mail-order catalogs, which are creatively laid out to convey a shopping experience and are subject to significant seasonal changes in product assortments. Here, the use of Macintosh is predominant.

To determine how effective (and user-friendly) a software solution is, I recommend asking these questions in relation to your specific use case:
• How are layout rules defined - graphically or programmatically using scripts?
• How are tables created, and what features are available for table layout?
• How are marketing pages handled, such as chapter opening and introductory pages?
• How can subsequent changes to the data be detected in relation to page documents that have already been created?
• What book features are available for controlling the left and right pages, the navigation bar, pagination and resolution of page references, updating prices, creating tables of contents and item number indexes, and print preparation?
• What features are available for creating screen-friendly PDFs or page-turning catalogs? For example, setting bookmarks and links to cross-references.
• How easily can the software solution be updated to new versions of InDesign? Are there any dependencies?

Best Practice Examples for Using Print Media

Ideally, print and online media work together. For example, by including a reference to the online catalog or store in the printed catalog—either as a direct link or in the form of a QR code. In this case, the catalog can be produced in a “leaner” (and thus more cost-effective) format: Technical details, accessories, replacement parts, CAD drawings, etc., can be presented in full in the online catalog, for example. This combines the best of both worlds: a tactile experience with a streamlined printed catalog and comprehensive information online, complete with direct download and ordering options.

If the catalog is offered only as a screen-based PDF, typical layout details for print can be omitted anyway - such as distinguishing between left and right pages with different type areas, placing images at the left or right margins, or combining multiple languages, etc. Instead, other features are important for the on-screen PDF: full-text search by item number (instead of an item number index) or bookmarks and links for cross-references between pages.

One small detail keeps catching my eye: item numbers are often “embellished” with spaces in the catalog. While this improves readability in the printed catalog, it hinders full-text search functionality in the PDF and should therefore be avoided.

In some cases - though not very often - a PDF catalog is omitted entirely. In this case, brochures - which are often printed - and data sheets - which are offered as PDFs for download only - gain in importance.

Brochures and data sheets differ greatly in terms of layout:

• Brochures are creatively designed with a focus on emotional appeal through marketing copy, product photos, and application photos. For this, it’s important that the software solution provides access to product information in the PIM system and allows for flexible layout design. Ideally, this should be done using an InDesign plugin. Once the source-language document has been laid out, language changes and updates should, of course, be possible automatically.
• Data sheets have a uniform structure, with a focus on the concise presentation of technical data and dimensional drawings. This requires a high degree of automation, without any manual intervention.

We haven’t yet discussed price lists, which used to be common in addition to the catalog. The layout of a price list is often very simple, sometimes with illustrations. These types of price lists have essentially disappeared in printed form. If they’re distributed at all, they’re distributed as PDFs or in a digitally readable format, such as Excel or BMEcat files.

Finally, I’d like to address operating and user manuals. These are required by law. What’s unique here is that this technical documentation must be retained and versioned. In most cases, the legal requirement to include a printed copy with the product no longer applies (except for safety-related consumer products), so a PDF is sufficient. In any case, operating and user manuals continue to be created using tools such as InDesign, Word, or FrameMaker. Since these documents have a standardized structure, a software solution that enables automation is recommended, particularly with regard to the many necessary language changes and tables containing technical data.

Conclusion

Print isn’t dead - it’s gone digital. In a transformed form, print media still has a future:

• Catalogs are evolving in conjunction with their presentation on websites, online catalogs, or online stores. They are becoming more concise in terms of “hard facts,” but more sophisticated in their emotional or editorial appeal. The future of catalogs lies in hybrid use.
• Data sheets, operating and user manuals, declarations of performance and conformity, brochures, and flyers will continue to be produced in a printable format, even though they are often no longer distributed in printed form. The importance of data sheets, in particular, is on the rise.

This means that designing documents with InDesign or similar programs continues to play an important role. While demands on design and messaging are increasing, the total number of pages is decreasing. Automation will play an even more important role in the future to address resource constraints—shifting from time-consuming, labor-intensive work to a strategic, agile process.

On a personal note: I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts. What are your ideas, and how do you assess the future development of print media? Please feel free to reach out to me!