Desktop Publishing Progress Report Example

 

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Brian Gastle
TO: A. F., Manager

FROM: V. C., Assistant Manager

SUBJECT: Desktop Publishing Interim Report

DATE: November 15, 1998
 

Introduction

On October 19, 1998, you requested an investigation into the possibility of switching suppliers for AG Inn's publicity materials from an outside company to an in-house desktop publishing software program. Pursuant to this request, I submitted a proposal on October 27 and began my research on the 29 of that month.

As of today, November 15, 1998, I have established criteria for comparing both in-house publishing to an outside source and each desktop publishing package to its competitors. This data can be found in tables within the following progress report. The amount of time and money currently allocated for public relations publishing, and estimated the costs, in terms of labor and supplies, of desktop publishing, has also been determined. I am in the process of examining popular desktop publishing software packages and compiling the statistics into a database.

 Procedure Status

 Work Accomplished

1. Interview with A. F., Owner and Manager of AG Inn

    • This interview was conducted on November 10, 1998 at approximately 5:30 PM. Questions were posed concerning:
    • The type and amount of public relations material required by AG Inn
    • The relative importance of factors such as price, versatility, ease of use, and time-savers
    • The results of this interview were as follows:
    • Brochures are the most commonly used form of publicity at the Inn. They are followed by Reservation forms, Business Cards, and Form Letters.
    • Time-Saving Devices such as templates were listed as most important, followed by price and ease of use. Versatility and Capability were listed as least important.
    • A price ceiling for the desktop publishing program has been set at $1,200.
2. Determination of time and money currently being spent on publication
    • Currently, all aspects of the creative and publishing process are handled by an outside firm: Freeman Enterprises, located in Hendersonville, North Carolina.
    • AG Inn obtains all of its brochures from Freeman Enterprises at the cost of $2,800 for a 3-year supply (10,000 brochures); or $.28 each.
    • Ms. F. spends 1-2 hours meeting with representatives of the company; her primary role is to approve or disapprove the content and design of the publication.

3. Evaluation of time and money required for in-house creation and publication

The figures in the table below were generated using product information obtained from manufacturer web sites and online catalogs. For the purposes of this project, it is assumed that a Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 722C inkjet printer with a color cartridge set on standard printing mode be used. All figures are based on the time and money required to produce 200 brochures printed front and back. It is important to note that the cost for the creation of these materials would not be a factor every time the brochures were printed, as the same design can be utilized as many times as desired. Therefore, the labor costs associated with this phase of the process are only applicable when changing the brochure's design or when creating an entirely new, different document.  

Table 1: Time and Labor Investment

TASK
PRODUCT USED
TIME IN MINUTES (200 brochures)
TIME IN HOURS (200 brochures)
LABOR COSTS @ $6/hour
COST / BROCHURE
CREATION      
$12.00
$.06
1. Content  
60
1.00
    
2. Design  
60
1.00
    
PRODUCTION      
$1.70
$.01
 1. Printing Hewlett- Packard DeskJet 722C
266 @1.5 pages per minute
4.40
N/A
N/A
2. Folding  
17 @ 5 sec./ea.
.28
$1.70
$.01
INITIAL TOTALS  
403
6.70
$13.70
$.07
DAILY TOTALS  
283
4.70
$1.70
$.01
 
As these figures show, the day-to-day labor costs of producing brochures on the premises are very slight. After the initial content and design have been integrated into a document, it is simply a matter of opening the file, printing the desired number of copies on one side of the paper, reinserting the pages, printing the other side of the brochure, and folding the finished products in thirds. Most of the time is allocated for printing and does not require supervision. This leaves the employee free to attend to other duties during the day.
Table 2 represents the cost of supplies for the printing process. In the interests of consistency, the ink cartridge specified coordinates with the Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 722C printer mentioned above. The price per brochure quoted below for the ink may vary depending on the number and type of graphics in the document. The paper is sturdy, photo quality inkjet paper with a matte finish.
 
Table 2: Estimated Cost of Supplies
TYPE OF SUPPLIES PRODUCT USED PRICE TOTAL # BROCHURES $ / BROCHURE
1. Ink HPDJ722C $35/cartridge 200 (front and back=400 pages)
$.16
2. Paper Champion Inkjet Non-Glare $15/200 sheets 200
$.08
TOTALS   $50  
$.24

 

Work In Progress

Examination of Popular Desktop Publishing Software Packages

A database of the popular desktop publishing software packages is currently being compiled using data from manufacturer Internet sites. The following table lists the desktop publishing offerings researched to date and evaluates these programs on the basis of the criteria established during the interview phase of the research process, namely the presence and number of time-saving devices, the price, and the versatility/capability of the software. "Ease of Use" will be evaluated at a later stage, during the product tests.

     

    Table 3: Product Comparison

    BRAND PRODUCT NAME TIME-SAVING DEVICES PRICE VERSATILITY/CAPABILITY FREE DEMO 
    Quark XPress 4.0 List, Index, Book palettes 
    $760
    		 Books and other long documents YES
    Microsoft Publisher 98 1,600 templates, 60 color schemes, personal profiles, integrated Web conversion 
    $100
    		 Brochures, newsletters, forms, letterhead, business cards, Web pages YES
    Broderbund Print Shop 5,600 layouts/templates; 21 projects
    $30
    		 Cards, brochures, banners, signs, newsletters NO
This table will be expanded to accommodate other candidates as they become available. All of the programs included in these lists meet the price requirement of $0-$1,200 and include various time-saving features.
 

Scheduled Work

1. Choose the three programs that seem most applicable to the needs of AG Inn and conduct further research

2. Compare the 3 candidates based on their functionality and performance as described by:

    • Consumer Groups
    • Independent Product Reviews in:
      • Computer Shopper
      • PC Week
      • PC Computing
      • PC World
      • PC Magazine
3. Compile a database itemizing the results of this research.

4. Use each product to produce a brochure for AG Inn in order to gauge first-hand how well it suits the business' needs.

5. Submit a final report, including the test brochures, explaining the outcome of the research and recommending the most suitable publishing software.
 
 

Schedule Status for Desktop Publishing Research Project

 This project has been delayed somewhat by scheduling conflicts, which hindered the interview process and thus put the entire process behind schedule. In light of this situation, it may not be possible to complete the research within the allotted time frame. Additionally, the date for the oral presentation of the finished report has been moved up a week, which will make it more difficult to complete the project on time. The result of this may be seen in Table 4, below.

Table 4: Schedule Status
TASK
10/26-10/31
11/1-11/7
11/8-11/14
11/15-11/21
11/22-11/28
11/29-12/5
Initial Interview
======
======
+++++
     
Outside printing costs  
======
+++++
     
In-house printing costs  
======
+++++
     
Software Examination    
======
/////
   
Interim Report      
+++++
   
Product Reviews        
*****
 
Analysis of Research          
*****
Product Testing          
*****
Final Report Presentation          
*****
Key:
Delayed
In Progress
Completed
Scheduled
 

 

Budget Status for Desktop Publishing Research Project

At this time, expenses for this project have coincided with the amounts estimated in the initial proposal. Where total expenses and wages were estimated to reach $1,120.00, at this stage in the research only $324.00 has been spent. A complete itemization of expenses can be found in tables 5 and 6 below. I am confident that this project will reach completion without exceeding the perimeters of the established budget.

Table 5: Expense Itemization

EXPENSE PRICE EACH QUANTITY TOTAL AMOUNT SPENT
Travel $0.20/mile
10
$2.00
$2.00
Magazines/Reports $4.00
3
$12.00
0
Long-Distance Calls $0.20/minute
30
$6.00
$2.00
Total 
$20.00
$4.00

Table 6: Wage Itemization

TASK SALARY
Per HOUR 		HOURS TOTAL AMOUNT SPENT
Initial Interview
$20.00
1
$20.00
$20.00
Printing Evaluation
$20.00
4
$80.00
$80.00
Software Examination
$20.00
7
$140.00
$140.00
Interim Report
$20.00
5
$100.00
$100.00
Reviews
$20.00
3
$60.00
0
Research Analysis
$20.00
10
$200.00
0
Product 1 Test 
$20.00
5
$100.00
0
Product 2 Test
$20.00
5
$100.00
0
Product 3 Test
$20.00
5
$100.00
0
Final Report
$20.00
10
$200.00
0
Total 
$1,120.00
$320.00

Conclusion

Thank you again for the opportunity to work on this project with you. I look forward to moving into the next stage of the research process, and expect to finish my report by the first week of December.

If it is convenient for you, I will present my findings and give my recommendation at a meeting held in room 334 of Forsyth Building on December 2 at 3:30pm. I look forward to seeing you there.

If you have any questions or concerns, you may reach me during normal business hours at (504) xxx-xxxx, or by email at xxxxx@wcu.edu.

 

 

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Department Head & Associate Professor English, 305 Coulter Hall
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC 28722

Office: 828-227-7264
Fax: 828-227-7266
email: bgastle@wcu.edu