The Missing Link

Implementation is a loaded word

Among the significant barriers to JDF implementation is a lack of strategic resource investment at all levels of an organization. Once a decision has been made about which vendor to use and which software or software package to purchase, companies must negotiate a number of subsequent hurdles to gain buy-in from their employees. Among the obstacles that remain, the study found, are lack of knowledgeable personnel; lack of time; and cost of equipment, training, and IT; as well the stubborn perception that “JDF is not a notable technology.” Citing a 2005 analysis of a partial JDF implementation at a printer/publisher, the study estimated JDF implementation time at 9-15 months, divided into three phases: negotiation between management and vendor regarding technical issues and pricing; employee training to enhance receptivity toward JDF; and the actual installation and tailoring of the JDF solution to a given environment.