Workflow Issues

Under In the area of print production, MadMac Creations relies on a PDF/X workflow. This decision resulted from the portability and ubiquity of the PDF format.

Several years ago, print shops primarily wanted files supplied to them in their original application format. If you made your poster in Adobe Illustrator, your print bureau wanted the Illustrator file; if you laid out your magazine in Quark Xpress, then you packaged your layout in Quark. But graphic application upgrade cycles outpaced printer technology and service bureaus couldn't keep up; hardware investments always take priority. So, starting around 2000, printers began accepting the PDF/X format. PDF/X was an attempt to re-purpose the PDF document format exclusively for print. The printer would not have to worry about cross-platform transformations, font or encoding errors, or missing image links.

The designer does need to be cognizant of some of PDF/X's pitfalls. The most important issue is Transparency. This section outlines a couple ways to get good output without sacrificing vision.

Since printers no longer get application files, they have little recourse to correcting poorly designed files. One method they rely on is Pre-flighting. Here are a couple tips on how the designer can cut off some critters at the pass.

Having nothing to do with PDF, but equally important to a good workflow, is collaboration between editorial and creative stakeholders in a project. This section givers a few options, based on team size.