From Publishing to Interaction: How to Gain Competitive Advantage Through XML with Dynamic, Interactive and Personalized Content   Table of contents   Indexes   Is XML the Missing Link in Raising Browsers to a Higher Intelligence?
Bellamy, Cameron
Columbia House
 New York 
 USA 
 		Cameron Bellamy
 Director
Columbia House
  1221 Ave of the Americas New York (New York)  USA (10020)
Email: cbellamy@chcmail.com
 Biography
 30+ years in the direct mail industry, 23 years at Grolier Inc, 4 years agency work and the past 6+ years at Columbia House. Active in the GCA's PGC in its JIFFI, Personalization and Proofing subcommittees. National Postal Forum speaker on PLANET code and direct mail instructions. Winner of the GCA's 1999 Innovator Award and currently a member of GCA's ADIS subcommittee.
 

What is it?

 A standard, predefined collection of data elements that fully describe the components, their interaction and the actions required in a direct mail campaign. In a word, instructions. JIFFI began as a relational specification in 2/99 and will be released in 1/00 in an XML DTD.
 

Why is it needed?

 No standard exists. Terminology is inconsistent and confusing, many items have multiple terms. Mailing industry needs a stable base to grow from, otherwise any growth will be fragmented and vendor specific. Clients need a portable data platform.Standards can aid in developing new employee’s technical knowledge of the industry. Align client/vendor expectations.
 

What can it mean.

 Confidence your instructions are understood. We all use the same language. All parties know what is known, and what is not. Create an electronic “tickler” application. More complete instructions. It is easier to choose from a list than to remember the contents. Fewer follow up calls requesting missing information. May help reduce cycle time. Early adopters on the vendor side are reporting a full 8% increase in a customer service reps time and a 5% increase in production floor start-up.
 

JIFFI Goals

 Standardize job instructions between client and vendor. Raise and level the quality of instructions. Standardize production and receiving reporting. Dovetail with other GCA standards. Client biased design.
 

JIFFI in a glimpse.

 Uses normalized relational database design and XML DTD. Design serves as both a “transport” and as an application model. Two way data flow. Upgrade path for future industry innovation. Life cycle from RFQ to production.
 

Instruction topics.

 JIFFI spec contains the following instructional topics.
 
Merge/Purge
PrePress
Print
Personalization
Lettershop
Shipping
Receiving
Production
Drop Shipping
Special Instructions
 

Usage Scenarios

 

Client Side

 Client has own internal custom application. No modification to existing applications. Output can be generated at click of a button.
 Client has paper based system . JIFFI serves as model from which a user can build a custom application. Software suppliers will build off the shelf solutions.
 

Usage Benefits

 

Client Side

 Training new staff easier. Fewer costly mistakes on jobs. React to last minute changes with ease. Generate detailed quotes, planning, scheduling, receiving, and production reports. Produce history reports on vendor performance. Pinpoint and quantify cause-and-effect delays. Crisis management far more effective with real time data. Preventative actions can be based upon measured performance. Reduce cycle time as jobs are less intensive. Reduce staffs’ workload, may reduce turnover. Know in an instant if a job is on schedule. Get instructions and revisions out quicker.
 

Vendor Side

 More accurate resource allocation of machines, staff, storage space. Better materials requirement planning. More efficient plant load management. Job tracking easier. React to last minute changes and priority shuffling. Know exactly what is missing. Easily provide clients with custom reporting options. Log job events back to client Create job problem reports.
From Publishing to Interaction: How to Gain Competitive Advantage Through XML with Dynamic, Interactive and Personalized Content   Table of contents   Indexes   Is XML the Missing Link in Raising Browsers to a Higher Intelligence?