Let's examine in more detail some aspects of the selection process and the use of standards once selected. We should distrust any enterprise that requires new clothes. Many organizations have their own corporate style and publishing guidelines. Two areas that are often standardized are the document style and the document processing system. Within any organization with substantial publishing requirements, it is important to look at the requirements for exchange, style, and systems.
Document exchange is easy to overlook and is the source of many problems.
This book encompasses the entire range of printed material for the corporation. More than a specification of document types, it discusses the process of publishing, the structure of documents, writing style, and visual design. While it is an amazingly complete reference for the publishing process and standardized document style, it does not address any document exchange or processing issues. Many organizations simply pick one system, such as WordPerfect, and declare it as the corporate standard. In some respects, this is a perfectly reasonable approach.