I was asked recently if there were different performance metrics for different print markets and print applications. The answer is yes. This is an interesting conversation because the metrics used to measure catalog page production is different than those used for baseball cards, large format or photo books. I remember vividly creating metrics for a catalog assignment because it was very different from a printer assignment. Part of the goal was to benchmark performance, which meant that the various stages in catalog production had to be measured. The idea of measuring is simple, but creating a good measurement, making it easy to track and comparing to others is often much more complex.

I typically find that big picture measures and ratios are easier to capture than specific production measures. For example, for this catalog assignment I measured photographs/photographer/day, catalog pages/prepress person, page cost/catalog, catalog revenue/photograph, and catalog cost per square inch.

But measurement of different products in different companies creates unique complications. For example, a commercial printer may wonder if they have too many or not enough CSRs. Therefore, they may want to benchmark ratios of salesperson/CSR. I have data for different size companies that range from very small companies with a ratio of less than 1 to larger companies that exceed 1.5. But that too is oversimplified because the size of the company is not enough; you also have to consider the average cost/job or typical run length.

Some of the more complicating factors in measuring catalog production involved the level of difficultly for both page production and photography. For example, with photography you could say there are 3 levels of difficulty ranging from simple to complex. Professional catalog product shots that are simple may take 1 hour each, moderate 2 hours each and difficult 4 hours each. Then you have to define each level of difficulty. For example, difficult shots would include location shots, covers, and large multiple shots.

Measuring this kind of performance helps to quantify staff performance, identify leaders and trailers, and set expectations for different levels of experience such as junior and senior level staff. In addition, this can help manage peaks and valleys in demand. For example, with this cataloger, they had seasonal peaks in the fall and lags in the summer. As a result, they contracted independent photographers when demand increased and encouraged vacations when demand fell.

What about you? Have you specified or created any good production measurements?

Howard Fenton is a Senior Consultant at NAPL. Howie advises commercial printers, in-plants, and manufacturers on workflow management, operations, digital services, and customer research.