Posts Tagged ‘paperless office’

The Road to a Paperless Workflow Part 3-By Randy Townsend

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011 by user

If you have been following The Road to a Paperless Workflow series, so far you have assembled your team, managed the transition through critical questions, tested with a small sample of the affected groups, and challenged existing procedures and job descriptions. Effectively, you have passed the Ready and Set stages. Now, it is time to go!

But, no so fast! In order to achieve a sustainable workflow, you will need to properly maintain the employees that you have mobilized. Make sure that the workstations of those who will now be staring at a computer monitor for a majority of the day will accommodate for this kind of change.

According to www.youreyesite.net, the latest ergonomic standards for computer vision include the following:

Control your environment: The recommended distance you should be from your monitor is an extended arm length to the tips of the fingers.

Adjust the alignment of the monitor to accommodate for your height: Line up the monitor so that the eyes are looking down slightly at approximately 10-15 degrees

Make sure your workspace utilizes proper lighting: Most offices were designed to provide sufficient light required for a paper-dependent workflow. Such light, in addition to the glare that may be caused by a nearby window, can negatively impact your ability to stare at a monitor for extended periods of time. Adjust screen brightness and contrast to provide balance with room lighting. Consider using filters and adjusting shades and blinds in regular intervals.

Incorporate the use of rest or alternate task breaks throughout the workday: This will allow employees to relieve the stress on their eyes caused by shifting focus from a distant point source, like a person walking towards you in the hall, to a near point source, such as the text displayed on a computer monitor.

www.youreyesite.net is the blog for Shady Grove Eye and Vision Care, Optometrists serving the Rockville, Potomac and Gaithersburg suburbs of Washington, DC for over 40 years.

Randy Townsend is a team leader in journals production at the American Geophysical Union. He is currently securing a Master’s Degree in Publishing at The George Washington University. Randy is also a freelance writer. See his interview with Basketball Wives’ Shaunie O’Neal in the latest issue of A-Game Magazine.

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Posted in Bottom Line, Communications News, Digital Delivery | 6,949 Comments »

The Road to a Paperless Workflow Pt. 2

Thursday, January 20th, 2011 by user

By Randy Townsend

If you are serious about converting to a paperless workflow, hopefully you have (1) assembled a strong team of individuals that span across your organization and have (2) been asking questions critical to managing the transition. In case you are not sure about how to begin, please see Part 1, “The Road to a Paperless Workflow.”

The next thing you want to do is control your testing environment. Here are a few tips that will strengthen the foundation of your new workflow:

1. Start Small

There is no need to involve the entire organization when you are in the testing phase. Take baby steps confidently with as few people involved as you can manage. This will allow you the freedom to gauge intermediate successes and failures, and respond accordingly.

Avoid turning departments upside down with bold assertions strapped to explosive deadlines (We will be paperless by next Friday). Change can be a scary thing to many people. If done properly, your colleagues will have been a part of your program for some time before they truly realize the scope of the changes.

2. The Carriage Before the Horse

Be willing to reorder procedural steps. Transitioning into a paperless workflow constitutes a dynamic change in daily operations. Reassess the need for procedures structured to respond to the physical limitations of a paper-dependent workflow.

3. Redefine Roles

Some proposed changes might seem crazy, requiring redefining the some of your colleague’s job descriptions (or even your own). Be sure to discuss such possible changes with your Human Resources department. Remember that you are not changing the business itself, but rather working to improve the overall performance of our organization, which should be a common goal for everybody on staff.

As your testing is underway, your road towards paperlessness should appear greener!

Randy Townsend is a team leader in journals production at the American Geophysical Union. He is currently securing a Master’s Degree in Publishing at The George Washington University. Randy is also a freelance writer. See his interview with Basketball Wives’ Shaunie O’Neal in the latest issue of A-Game Magazine.

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Posted in Next Generation, Print Outlook | 12,498 Comments »

The Road to a Paperless Workflow

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 by Autumn Jones

By Randy Townsend

Going paperless in a production-centered environment requires input from a number of areas that could cut across your organization. The first thing you will need to do is assemble a strong team with members representing each stage of product development. When drafting your roster, consider adding the following:

  1. Acquisition Specialist
  2. Production Coordinator
  3. Copy Editors
  4. Proofreaders
  5. Graphic Specialist
  6. Vendor Representative

With strong team collaboration, you can weaken some of the resistance from opposing colleagues, and hopefully gain support and build momentum for your cause.

The next thing to do is clearly define your objectives by asking the right questions, posing them both to yourself and the members of your team. Before you eliminate physical documents, forms or other communications, ask yourself:

1.  How else can relevant content get to everybody who relies on it?

A. Email

B. Content Management System

C. Interactive PDF

D. Intranet

E. Wiki

2. Who will this affect?

A. Primary departments contributing to product development.

B. Secondary departments generating reports for stats and billing.

C. Administration

3. What will this cost?

A. Will your organization require technology upgrades?

B. Will your organization require additional server space?

C. Will your employees require training to use new software?

4. What are the benefits?

A.  Decrease in production time

B. A reduction in expenses

C. An increase in operational efficiency

D. Environmentally sound practices

5. What is the worst-case scenario?

A. Communication breakdown

B. Failure to adequately track and monitor progress

C. Employee resistance

6. What needs to be done for this workflow to become sustainable?

A. Over-communication during the transition period

B. Special attention to those having difficulty adapting

C. Establish hard and soft deadlines for transition

Remember, just because you need the information on the paper does not mean that you need the paper. Once you have begun your paperless journey, the road ahead will be much greener.

Randy Townsend is a team leader in Journals Production at the American Geophysical Union. He is currently securing a Master’s Degree in Publishing at The George Washington University.

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Posted in Next Generation | 2 Comments »