Premium Commentary & Analysis
A print software application can do certain jobs for your business. Once you’ve proven it works, don’t forget to execute. Deploy the software so it does that job across your entire organization. Read on to find out how.
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About Jennifer Matt
Jennifer Matt is the managing editor of WhatTheyThink’s Print Software section as well as President of Web2Print Experts, Inc. a technology-independent print software consulting firm helping printers with web-to-print and print MIS solutions.
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Discussion
By Robert Arena on Apr 18, 2018
I get the feeling that the people who develop solutions for effective workflows do not have to actually use their software in a production environment. I realize that the back end can be complex but the front end should not. The interface needs to be quickly scanned for the pertinent information such that the human operator can easily and accurately perform the task. I see that I am not alone. The are posts about that lament poor execution in even the top players like PressWise and PrintSmith. It is hard to embrace a system that obfuscates.
By Jennifer Matt on Apr 18, 2018
Robert,
You are correct, backend (non-customer facing) solutions get A LOT less User Experience love which is so IRONIC since these systems are used daily by so many people.
Most software is developed with just developers - there are no User Interface (UI / User Experience (UX) experts involved so many of the solutions are built with developers making user experience decisions.
It adds more time and money to the software cost to move the user experience decisions to an expert but it delivers on what you're asking for and expecting.
We have to succeed IN SPITE of the limitations of the software tools. We cannot use that as an excuse not to implement. I know it can be annoying especially when we all are setting our expectations from Apple's user experience, Google's response time, and Amazon's inventor (three of the most successful companies on the planet).
Jen