Patent ID: 7999956

Claim:
A system for use in a print production facility having a first print job processing department separated spatially from a second print job processing department and a department interface between the first print job processing department and the second print job processing department, wherein a set of print jobs are processed at the first print job processing department to obtain a set of multiple outputs and each one of the multiple outputs is delivered individually from the first print job processing department to the second print job processing department for processing at the second print job processing department, and wherein a workflow relationship exists as one of multiple departmental processing paths that a given one of the set of print jobs can follow between the first print job processing department and the second print job processing department, comprising: (A) a print job delivery tracking tool adapted to: receive codes corresponding to a transition for each instance in which one of the multiple outputs is delivered from the first print job processing department to the second print processing department; obtain a statistical description of a wait time interval at the department interface by using the codes to identify a first time for completing processing of one of the multiple outputs at the first print job processing department and a second time for beginning processing of the same one of the multiple outputs at the second print job processing department and computing a difference between the second time and the first time; (B) a memory for storing a total number of determined instances of transition between the first and second processing departments with their corresponding wait time intervals; and (C) a processor adapted to: use the wait time interval to compute a statistical metric value representative of a wait time interval for the set of multiple outputs; compare the statistical metric value to a reference value for identifying a job flow impediment; and use results of the comparison for determining a select alternate one of the multiple departmental processing paths for the given one of the set of print jobs; and, provide an indication to alter the workflow relationship based on the select alternate path.