Personal bickering about over-high target in workplace without regards of realization result.

1. Workflow bottleneck on Comic approval process

2. Pre-Editing

3. Production material acquiring No copy to work on Need original book as material to be translated. Working copy can be purchased from book stores. Non-procedural way. Additional cost. Can’t be done on old or out-of-print books. Working copy sent by licensor. Procedural way. Sent after contract agreement. Took time for shipment. Sometimes licensor are very late in shipping.

4. Production material acquiring No stock of materials to work on Slow licensing process from licensor. Some publishers have strict schedule for license request. No new titles to be worked on. New title licensing took more time. Avoidance of titles with lots of modification Avoiding bottleneck in approval process. Most titles has parts that needed modification to be published in Indonesia.

5. Translation process Pre-translation Working copy is photocopied to be sent to translator. Tight deadline: long queue of books to be photocopied. Translation Limited number of translator Quality issue Time needed to edit the translation caused editors to prefer experienced translators. Training translators had be done by editors who’s already having other work load. Time issue Quantity of translations per translator adds up time needed to get result. Discipline Some translators are difficult to contact. Part-time freelance translators had time issue. Freelance: cheaper cost.

6. Editing

7. Editing load High monthly target 8 titles published per editor = 8 titles edited Editing speed versus load Per book editing time average: 2 days 8 books = 8 x 2 days = 16 days. Monthly work day average = 22 days. 6 days for other processes (proof editing). Difficult titles needed more time. Per book proof editing time average: 0.5~1 day 8 books = 8 x 0.75 days = 6 days. Proof number target = 3. 3 x 6 days = 18 days. Editors will most likely need to do jobs outside work hour to meet the target. Result: long time and abundance of errors.

8. Post editing

9. Approval process Licensed books needed approval process to be published Materials needing approval Cover design Logo and picture editing. Copyright statement Name and years. Modified pictures Need to be done to conform to local ethic standard. Main market are juveniles even for titles originally targeted to more mature market.

10. Approval process Slow approval process Needed approval check from licensor side Picture modification needed approval from author. Response are slow Standard: 5 work days. Reality: sometimes involve repeated confirmation request without any response.

11. Suggestions

12. Suggestion Stockpiling materials Copy & translations Limited time to request. Contract expiration. Limited number of qualified translators. Edited materials Having more materials ready. Need tighter scheduling that can be met. Too much external factors. No warranty on translation and material acquiring. Current high workload doesn’t leave much room. Approvals Sending cover and modification ahead.

13. Suggestion Reducing of workload Aggressive outsourcing of editing Cost associated with freelance editors. Difficulties to accept reducing of work load for current staffs. Rethinking of target number (highly unlikely) Problem: target will always go up. Target are based on estimates and previous year’s target. Realization is always lower. No lowering/correction of target based on realization. Related to corporate finance planning. Plans established two years ahead.