Is desktop publishing really for every desktop

Because of the proliferation of new hardware and software products aimed at turning all microcomputer users into publishers, editors of newsletters, user documentation, and training materials need to carefully consider the many options available for producing the highest quality product to meet the stated goals of their publications. While there are several distinct advantages to desktop publishing, such as permitting the quick turnaround of near-typeset quality publications, there are many additional considerations required to evaluate and decide what level of desktop publishing (DTP) best fits your needs and the capabilities of your staff.As users contemplate the move to DTP products, it is critical that their expectations are realistic and acceptable. Essential to the success of any DTP implementation is the recognition of the “hidden” responsibilities placed on the user. There must be a realization, for example, that there is a significant amount of individual expertise required to go from word processing to desktop publishing, and the DTP practitioner will be making the same design decisions as those made by highly trained graphic artists and typographers. Within most organizations it is difficult to find one person who can write, edit, do page layout, and produce graphics for a publication. Each publication, be it system or user documentation, newsletter, system notice, workshop and lecture schedule, brochure, or flyer, has its own set of design and publishing requirements. In spite of what the salesperson may tell you, DTP may not be the greatest invention since the light bulb. You can guarantee, however, that they will keep you in the dark about more appropriate products, simply because they may not be able to demonstrate them effectively. Depending on the type of publication you prepare, DTP may not answer all your publishing needs. Yet, there are practical steps you can follow to see if DTP is the appropriate choice to enhance and improve your publications.The Information Services group at the Center for Computing and Information Technology at the University of Arizona uses both DOS-based and Macintosh desktop publishing workstations to produce all user documents. Our group is responsible for all external publications for both administrative and academic users.Certainly the arrival of desktop publishing in our department represented the potential for increased services to our audience, but it also brought the realization that we needed to revisit existing publications. Just as we analyze a new publication, we examined each document for its stated purpose, audience, content, and design, in order to effectively integrate the new technology into established production methods.Over the past eighteen months we have been evaluating and choosing appropriate products suited for the varied types and requirements of the publications we produce. To effectively incorporate desktop publishing we felt we had to address the impact in five critical areas: hardware requirements for both Macintosh and DOS-based systems, output devices, software options, system compatibility, and system implementation timelines and training requirements.