An Object Model for Integrating Production Management in Newspapers

Process management and production monitoring in newspaper production is currently, when at all present, handled by separate, function based, local monitoring systems, e.g., ad tracking, press control, and mailroom control systems. There is a need for interchange of production status information between such local control systems as well as for standardized data acquisition methods for process-wide production management. This paper discusses a general, structured model for the exchange of object and production status information between separate multivendor and platform production management systems that will support integrated production management in newspapers. A hierarchical view is taken that allows for production monitoring on different levels of granularity. A proposed message format for the interchange of object and status information is described. This paper discusses a general, structured model for the exchange of object and production status information between separate multivendor and platform production management systems that will support integrated production management in newspapers. A hierarchical view is taken that allows for production monitoring on different levels of granularity. A proposed message format for the interchange of object and status information is described.