The Ghent Workgroup (GWG) Cross Media Subcommittee is calling on publishing, production and creative professionals to participate in the second phase of its milestone Cross Media Standards and Best Practices Survey, available immediately at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GWG_Cross_Media_Survey. Findings will be used to identify needs and develop new standards and best practices for publishing, creation, processing, workflow, exchange and output in cross media environments.

 
The Cross Media Standards and Best Practices Survey averages 10 minutes to complete. Sections include:
General questions, to uncover respondents' current involvement in cross-media
Receiving, creating, interoperability and sending mixed media jobs
Flow
File formats: XML, ePub, PDF
Metadata and validation
"Cross-media publishing has taken off with the recent proliferation of mobile devices," says Bart Van Looy, the ICT DTP Publishing Project Leader at Sanoma Media who serves as co-Chairman of the GWG Cross Media subcommittee, and is the author of the Survey. "It's essential that we get input from the industry's key stakeholders so that the GWG can help solve some of the problems creatives and publishers are encountering with cross media."
 
The survey covers general questions; and asks about receiving, creating and sending mixed-media jobs, specific workflow issues, and file formats used today and, potentially, tomorrow.
 
"The GWG and its members have an outstanding track-record and the right user base to help streamline and standardize tough processes in publishing workflows," says Van Looy. "We hope to do the same for cross media, based in part on the results of this survey."

The Workgroup expects to release findings in Q1 2012.
 
Cross Media Survey Toolkit for Enhanced Distribution
If individuals have access to relevant organizations that have employees or other associates who can participate in the Survey, the Ghent Workgroup encourages use of its Marketing/Social Media Toolkit to "spread the word" with ease. Contact [email protected] to obtain the link to supporting materials.