Digital Workflow

Purchase a copy http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0950871826

It is difficult to believe this book was written in 2010 and first published in 2011. The book itself was on a subject way ahead of its time. Even in 2020 much of the content is just as relevant and it is still way ahead of its time. Needless to say it did not become a big seller. The subject of the book is far too specialised being focussed upon the Process Engineers working within the IT Industry. Essentially it is about the creation and use of workflow process engines to run businesses and even individual life events. So who is it targeted at in terms of a reader? It would have to be a Process Engineer who wants to think more outside of the “process flowchart mapping” box. With many organisation’s not fully appreciating even the value of process mapping let alone workflow mapping getting sales of this book was always going to be difficult. This was not a problem. It gave me the opportunity to get written down a major "framework" within which the subject of digital workflow could be established. 

Unfortunately I was establishing the term "Digital Workflow" which had not previously been defined within the IT Industry as well as describing it in detail. The term had more commonly been used in the media industries to define the pre-production processing of films. My application of the term was broader applying to all businesses and industries. Possibly a mistake on my part in terms of trying to communicate what the book was about using a term unfamiliar to everybody. But the reality is it was in fact a "digital workflow" and I thought this term needed to be established within the IT Industry. Trying to establish such a term just through a book publication using its name was not good thinking on my behalf. It really needed the "weight" of some industry or media organisations behind it. As I have said previously marketing was never my strong point. But producing the book did involve me in some really exciting new frontiers and oddly enough they depended heavily on "Digital Workflows". Bit like an own goal.    

 The really exciting thing about creating this book was back in 2010 I used the Print on Demand (POD) services of CreateSpace which had evolved from a Company called BookSurge. In 2005 Amazon acquired BookSurge a global leader in inventory free book printing and fulfilment based in Charleston, South Carolina. It was renamed CreateSpace in 2008 becoming part of their Media on Demand services division. Finally CreateSpace merged with Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) service in 2018. With Amazon, in my opinion, the leader in the application of “Digital Workflow” technologies the book itself was being produced using the principles described in the book. If that makes sense. It has always been obvious when using KDP that very effective workflow management principles have been applied to their business processes. Well done Amazon. 

 

So what do DMB Publishing intend to do with this book in the future? After 10 years it could do with some revision work but on the whole this could be quite superficial since the fundamentals remain unchanged. But I am unlikely to invest anytime in these changes unless a large specialist publisher is prepared to commit to the marketing and distribution of the book. As they say I am open to any offers. If you are interested please email me at dmbpublishing@gmail.com.