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Paper and Pixels Harmony requires careful planning
By Aaron Kiel

February 2003 - docume.nt processing technology - The convergence and coexistence of digital and paper documents is a reality. With new and improved technology, delivering documents in a variety of forms is not only possible, it’s happening today in organizations around the world. Forward-thinking companies are addressing their customers’ needs with both paper-based and digital document systems. But achieving harmony between paper and digital systems requires careful planning and a comprehensive document strategy. Paper and Digital Documents According to the newest industry research, utilizing both paper and digital documents can provide measurable results and return on investment. CAP Ventures, a consulting and market research firm, and Create!form International, a provider of global forms and output management software, recently announced the results of an e-forms study. The study concluded that e-forms implementation could provide measurable ROI. The results are published in a white paper titled "Achieving ROI for an Electronic Forms Implementation." The Electronic Document Systems Foundation (EDSF) echoes this and the benefits of electronic documents in its study, "Printing in the Age of the Web & Beyond." According to EDSF, the body of electronic information will grow so dramatically that by 2020, 65% of all information will be communicated in electronic form.

Such research makes it clear that the time to start planning for the integration and implementation of an electronic document strategy is well at hand. To stay competitive, every organization must be capable of accommodating the flow of electronic documents into and out of the enterprise. And what of paper? Despite rumors of its demise, paper continues its popularity as a communication medium. According to CAP Ventures, annual US paper volume grew from 4.0 trillion pages in 1980 to 6.9 trillion pages in 2000. It is clear that the volume of both paper and digital documents is increasing. The question is: How can we leverage both?

Challenges in a Hybrid World According to Xplor’s General Manager, William McCalpin, challenges become apparent when an organization integrates digital documents into an environment that has traditionally used paper. One issue, says McCalpin, is the need to restructure processes in the absence of paper documents. "Companies have created many processes over the years that were dependent on the fact that the documents that were the lifeblood of the process were on paper. What happens when some or all of those documents become electronic?" asks McCalpin.

Document strategies are most effective in addressing such concerns. Keith Davidson, former Xplor president turned industry consultant, explains that, in order for the convergence of print and electronic document systems to be a force for gain and growth in an organization, it must be integrated with the business strategy, the business processes and the culture. "If that seems like a modest challenge, note that most modern organizations, even those with substantial decentralization and empowerment, are still substantially hierarchical," says Davidson. "This means that information is gathered and owned departmentally, processed and distributed with proprietary technology and utilized based on strategies and processes meant to maximize parochial corporate interests." Davidson points out that while technologies may converge, the information doesn’t — the so-called 'silos of information' effect. Without integration, organizations fail to get the most bang for the buck from their investments.

Opportunities Abound While there are many challenges to consider when dealing with the convergence and coexistence of digital and paper documents, the opportunities are tremendous. Ever since the advent of the Internet, there has been a shift in what’s being printed, and many customers expect to do business in a variety of print and electronic methods. This shift has been quite rapid in certain countries, says Bruce Otte, manager of Worldwide Production Print Solutions Strategy and Marketing for IBM Printing Systems.

Otte points out that the direct-mail/marketing world is actively using multiple presentation formats to deliver messages. "Many automobile companies now leverage electronic email delivery of a PDF brochure combined with a printed copy delivery. This is all built around a Web application where the end user builds the information they wish to see," says Otte.

There are some applications that are likely to show greatest returns from the integration of digital and printed documents including customer loyalty and retention programs, prospecting and market development activities, new product development and programs requiring large volumes of materials based on changeable information. Presenting Information, Serving the Customer According to Walter Young, product program manager at Océ, another opportunity presented by the convergence of digital and paper documents is the chance to present information to consumers in the most appropriate manner. "A paper document is just one representation of digital information. This information could also be displayed on a monitor or sent to a mobile device," explains Young. "While digital information displayed on a monitor can be dynamic and show motion, a document printed on paper allows the material on which the document is printed to become part of the message. Direct mail is one example. Each representation of a digital document has its strengths, and these characteristics may not transfer well to other media."

Utilizing both paper and digital documents is an opportunity to make your customers happy. According to McCalpin, the hybrid world lets us customize delivery according to preference; some customers will favor electronic and other will choose paper. "Customers may want to go back and forth in their choice of medium. In the hybrid world, you’re able to deliver the information in the way the customers want," says McCalpin.

Leveraging Convergence The best way to leverage print and electronic documents is through a document strategy that evaluates current needs, both internally and for customers. The key is to always keep your end users in mind, clearly identify the groups involved in creating the strategy and establish an ongoing dialogue. "This ensures that requirements and issues are commonly understood," says Ken Renko, manager of software solutions for Océ.

Keep in mind that information can exist in many forms, not just on the screen or on paper. Your document strategy approach should encompass managing the digital information assets and building bridges between the different communication forms. Flexibility is key here. The good news is that there are tried-and-true ways to manage the flow between paper and digital. Look for bridges to translate the digital information to paper and to leverage the strength of the printed information. "By printing on a variety of stock types and printing with black, color, MICR and invisible ink technologies," says Young, "you can maximize the representation of the digital information on paper. Consider bridging technology like machine-readable forms, MICR lines and invisible barcodes that allow paper documents to bridge back to digital form." Ways Not to Approach a Strategy According to McCalpin, it’s a terrible idea to have one group of people within an organization design a document strategy for electronic documents and another plan a strategy for paper documents. "It amazes me how often companies decide to deliver documents via the Internet and begin the process by laying off all the Cobol programmers who had built the current paper system," notes McCalpin. "They often hire a large number of Java programmers who don’t know anything about the company’s documents. It is far easier to teach Cobol programmers Java than to teach Java programmers your business," he says. This is not to say that the existing document team should be the sole people in charge of creating the electronic document strategy — quite the contrary. "You will need people on the team who understand what can be done with new technologies on the Web, email, voice, etc."

Limited Resources, Consider Outsourcing According to Roger Gimbel, the director of Worldwide Marketing for Global Document Solutions, companies definitely need to reach their customers with both digital and paper documents, and a document strategy needs to be developed using a three- to five-year timeframe. "Print is now just one of many media options, so the strategy adopted should encompass a variety of methods," says Gimbel. If staff and time resources are limited, Gimbel suggests outsourcing. "Therefore, the convergence really falls on the ability of the print provider to use new equipment that has multifunctional capabilities."

Gimbel adds that changes in technology and convergence typically require large investments to move forward. In today’s business environment, this can be an inhibiter to a corporation whose major business is the information contained in the digital or paper documents. On the other hand, documents are a print provider’s or document-solution company’s core business, and the responsibility of investing and being an expert in this area rests upon them.

The Good and Bad "Don’t throw out your existing system just because you’re incorporating new technology," cautions McCalpin. "When evaluating your organization’s document strategy, remember that your existing print system has been generating the documents that have made your company run for five, 10, even 20-plus years. There is often a great deal of your business assets tied up in how the print system does what it does. Be sure you fully understand what your print system does before you jettison it."