You know PDF, and JDF, and ISO, and ICC. There are AFP, IPDS, IJPDS, and PCL. And then, there are the variations, subsets, and vendor-specific executions. Don’t forget the CCM, CX, DAM, and DRM standards and guidelines, and all the industry-specific regulations we live by. We swim in a sea of acronyms, with more emerging each year. With so many agencies, committees, and associations vying for our mindshare, it would be easy to sit back and ignore them all but let me make a case for a core set of standards to keep your eye on, even if you do not become a devotee.

Let’s start at the top of the pile with ISO standards. ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. You may see their certifications throughout the print industry because they are the global federation of national standards organizations. Supported by more than 160 countries, they are responsible for more than 24000 standards managed by more than 800 Technical Committees. For example, when an organization has attained ISO 9001 certification, it has built its business to meet five well-defined quality management standards. For large printing operations, ISO 9001 certification can be a differentiator because it not only forms the infrastructure for highly efficient production but also provides a marketing talk track to customers and prospects. Yes, it can be an expensive certification to attain, but test the cost against the gains from more efficiency and productivity. Also, remember that it is not a one-and-done certification. Once you earn it, you do have to keep it up!

Turning to the print industry, printing companies may look to the ISO 9001 certification and promote their adherence to quality standards. It is worth being aware of ISO because this is also the home of PDF – Portable Document Format.