Document Mechanics

Book excerpt: Creating variable documents entails integrating graphic design, digital asset management, and applied information technology - each a study by itself. Managing work flows and automating processes adds intricacy. It just gets more and more convoluted! It's possible to produce a variety of sophisticated results and resolve many communication needs with some fundamental techniques and a few basic tools. That's what this book is all about - giving the reader a starting point, a small collection of essential details, and some examples to build upon. This book is aimed at a diverse audience. The approach throughout is "show and tell." Early chapters deal with mechanics to lay the foundation for later chapters centered on process walkthroughs and document assessments. The intent is to provide a basic introduction to the technical interplay of digital assets, information management, and variable print,