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Xplor Announces 2021 Technology and Application of the Year Award Winners

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Recipients to be recognized at XPLOR21 in St. Pete Beach on November 16th

Lutz, FL — October 21, 2021 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the recipients of its 2021 Technology and Application of the Year Awards. The awards will be presented at a ceremony Tuesday, November 16, 2021, during the XPLOR21 event at the TradeWinds Island Grand Resort in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

Tweet this: @opentext has won the #XPLOR21 Technology of the Year Award and Pink Elephant Productions @colorkarma / Massachusetts Commission for the Blind has won the Application of the Year! Honorable Mentions include: @CrawfordTechInc @Racami1 @Quadient and CSG https://bit.ly/3m20ZAX

Application of the Year Award:

The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members alike.

Xplor will award two honorable mentions in addition to the 2021 winner.

  • The winner of the 2021 Xplor Application of the Year is Massachusetts Commission for the Blind and Pink Elephant Productions for their implementation of “The Quest for Independence.” This “Pre-Employment Transition Guidebook” utilizes multichannel and multi-media application technology using a graphic novel format, for visually impaired individuals between the ages of 14-21 years of age.
  • An Honorable Mention is being awarded to Quadient for their InspireXpress, an application of technology that shifted over 25,000 legacy CCM templates to their customers’ Inspire platform by applying Artificial Intelligence (AI,) Machine Learning (ML,) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology to the cumbersome process of migrating legacy CCM applications to a new platform.
  • A second Honorable Mention is being awarded to CSG for the “CSG Experiences Practice” a dynamic approach that leverages holistic data analysis to create tangible insights allowing companies to better know their customer and deliver exceptional experiences. Through CSG’s customer engagement platform, companies can identify and tap into individual customer voices to discover the values, pains, and needs of the customer

Technology of the Year Award:

The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.  This can be a new program, product, or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members alike.

Like the Application of the Year award, Xplor will present two honorable mentions, in addition to the winner of the award.

  • The winner of the 2021 Xplor Technology of the Year is OpenText for their “OpenText Exstream for Salesforce,” a document generation tool with which Salesforce users can combine business data that is maintained in Salesforce with the capabilities of the OpenText Exstream platform, which allows the mapping of Salesforce standard and custom objects to available templates using information from the Salesforce system in business documents processed by Exstream.
  • An Honorable Mention is being awarded to Crawford Technologies for “PRO DocNow,” an engine for document manipulation enhancing already composed documents with color, logos, graphics, and more, to enabling production optimization by adding barcodes, generating postal sorting logic, and mining documents for index creation.
  • A second Honorable Mention is being awarded to Racami for “Pay+,” which recognizes each person’s document within a print job and stores those documents securely and executes workflows that send communications based on their preferences, payment history, demographics, and lifestyle. Initial notifications are via email to let people know that their bills are ready to pay. Additional communications workflows are prebuilt and triggered at different points in the payment lifecycle.

“We once again had a wide array of submissions this year making the decision by the Awards Committee difficult,” said Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International.  “I would like to congratulate all of our 2021 award recipients and also thank all of those who took the time to apply for an award.”

Xplor International will also be announcing the recipients of additional awards at XPLOR21 on Tuesday, November 16, 2021, during the awards ceremony.

For more information regarding XPLOR21, or to access the registration site, please visit https://cvent.me/gRg97O. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor HQ, at +1-813-949-6170 or via email at sales@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision-makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Director
+1-813-949-6170
Chad@xplor.org

Registration Now Open for #XPLOR20 Virtual Conference

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Program will include general sessions, panels, educational sessions, exhibits and networking

Lutz, FL – August 6, 2020 – Xplor International has announced that registration is now open for their first ever virtual annual conference event. XPLOR20 will take place over four days, starting on September 29th and continuing on October 1st, 6th and 8th.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int announces the #XPLOR20 Virtual Conference Registration is now open! You can attend the 4-day event for as low as $49 USD! Register today! #CCM #CX #Data #Technology https://bit.ly/3fEaZd7

The virtual event will feature the same great line up of general sessions, panels, educational sessions, exhibits and networking as the St. Pete Beach event. Sessions will be delivered by end users, analysts, consultants, industry experts, and vendors who will share relevant topics, best practices and trends in the customer communications industry.

The conference program features four areas of focus, each with a unique blend of general and breakout sessions that address best practices and processes driving the CCM industry. The four focus areas include Compliance, Customer Experience, Data and Technology.

For more information regarding XPLOR20, or to access the registration site, please visit www.xplor.org/XPLOR20. Questions should be directed to Xplor HQ via email at skip@xplor.org or by phone at +1-813-949-6170, between the hours of 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community, Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Director of Marketing
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

Award Nominations Now Open for XPLOR19

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Recognitions to include Application, Technology, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards

Lutz, FL — December 6, 2018: Xplor International today issued their annual call for nominations to be presented at their 2019 Annual Conference, XPLOR19, April 23-25 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. The deadline for nominations is January 22, 2019. For more information on the annual Xplor awards, or to nominate a company or individual, please visit http://www.cvent.com/d/jbqcvk.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int Issues Annual Call for #Award Nominations. Nominate a deserving individual or company in one of 4 categories to be awarded at #XPLOR19 in Las Vegas, April 23-25 https://bit.ly/2zKvaUC

Application of the Year Award
The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Technology of the Year Award
The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.   This can be a new program, product or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

The Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement Award
Established in 2007, this award is given to an individual whose efforts and contributions have significantly changed the course and development of the digital document and customer communications industry. This award is open to members and non-members.

Xplorer of the Year
For over 20 years, Xplor International has honored an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the association. The Xplorer of the Year honors significant service to the association, dedication to the Xplor mission, and notable achievement promoting the interest of the electronic document systems industry.  Only current members of Xplor International, who are not on the Association Board of Directors, are eligible.

If you have any questions on the award nominations, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6171 or via email at register@xplor.org. For more information in regards to XPLOR19, please visit www.xplor.org/XPLOR19. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor HQ, at +1-813-949-6170 or via email at sales@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor Announces 2018 Technology and Application of the Year Award Winners

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Recipients to Be Recognized at Xploration® 18 in Orlando on April 17th

Lutz, FL — February 27, 2018 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the recipients of its 2018 Technology and Application of the Year Awards. The awards will be presented at a ceremony Tuesday, April 17, 2018, during the Xploration® 18 event at the Rosen Plaza in Orlando, Florida.

Tweet this: @CrawfordTech has won the #Xplor18 Technology & Application of the Year Awards! Honorable Mentions include: @RicohTweets @Broadridge @SolimarSystems @Racami1 @Indellient A BIG Congratulations to all! They will be recognized at Xploration 18 on April 17th! http://bit.ly/2EWvAfj

Application of the Year Award:

The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members alike.

Xplor will award two honorable mentions in addition to the 2018 winner.

  • The winner of the 2018 Xplor Application of the Year is UNUM / Crawford Technologies for their innovative approach in consolidating several data centers, automating over 2000 applications, and creating a process for ensuring efficiency and document integrity when outsourcing. The solution utilized Crawford’s QA in the Cloud and Operations Express products and demonstrated a significant collaborative effort between both companies.
  • An Honorable Mention is being awarded Volusia County Schools / RICOH USA, Inc. for their WebCRD with QDirect implementation that automated workflows and increased time and efficiency, allowing Volusia to take on work from local governments and non-profits to help drive revenue.
  • A second Honorable Mention is being awarded to Broadridge Customer Communications and Compart, NA for their patent pending “Rapid OnBoarding.” This application significantly reduces the time-consuming steps of producing a factory-ready file and document, all from a proprietary point-and-click user interface.

Technology of the Year Award:

The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.  This can be a new program, product, or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems.

Like the Application of the Year award, Xplor will present multiple honorable mentions, in addition to the winner of the award, due to the large number of submissions.

  • The winner of the 2018 Xplor Technology of the Year is being awarded to Crawford Technologies for their Auto Tagger for Accessibility product. Auto Tagger allows all types of PDF files to be automatically tagged and converted to Accessible PDF (WCAG 2.0 and PDF U/A) or Accessible HTML5.  Auto tagging saves time and opens the door to making all electronic documents equally accessible to any and all users.
  • An Honorable Mention for Technology of the Year is being awarded to Solimar Systems for their SOLitrack 2.0 with Batching and Mobile Modules. Solimar’s SOLitrack™ product, is a database-centric output management system that uses a PC client view interface to control and track print files on desktops or allows them to be viewed through a web-based interface on mobile devices with SOLitrack Mobile. The Batching Module creates rolling-queues based on mailpiece aggregations that dynamically schedules jobs.
  • An additional Honorable Mention for the Xplor Technology of the Year award is being presented to Racami for their Alchem-e CCM Platform. The platform ties together all other software and hardware within a company to form a master system that forces standards in companies necessary for automation, quality control, and speed to market. The platform reduces IT costs and has many features that assist employees so they are more informed, make better decisions, and run the business more efficiently.
  • An additional Honorable Mention for the Xplor Technology of the Year award is being presented to Indellient for their flagship product BlueRelay. BlueRelay offers a powerful suite of workflow and document management tools that simplifies document approval processes and improves quality and compliance of customer communications. The efficiencies gained at one of Indellient’s clients allowed them to experience “an increase of over 300% in workload without increase to headcount.”

“Once again, the awards committee had a tough time selecting winners from the volume of submissions we received,” said Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International. “I’d like to thank all who submitted and congratulate our winners and honorable mentions.”

Xplor International will also be announcing the recipients of the Xplorer of the Year and Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement awards at Xploration® 18 on Tuesday, April 17, 2018.

For more information regarding Xploration® 18, or to register, visit www.xplor.org/xplor18. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.

Vendors interested in being an exhibitor or sponsor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.

About Xploration 18: Starting at $899 USD for a Full-conference Platinum Passport, the two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events. Features include:

  • 40+ Educational Sessions
  • Panel Discussions and General Sessions
  • Keynote Speaker
  • 35+ Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum
  • Two Evening Networking Events (Tue/Wed)
  • Two Networking Luncheons (Tue/Wed)
  • Thursday Breakfast
  • New for 2018: A Morning with Keypoint Intelligence – InfoTrends

For more information regarding Xploration 18, or to access the registration site, please visit www.xplor.org/xplor18. Questions should be directed to Register@xplor.org or +1-813-949-6170 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 5:00 PM (ET), Monday through Friday.

Vendors interested in being an exhibitor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Director of Marketing
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

Xplor Now Accepting Nominations for Annual Awards

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Recognitions to include Application, Technology, as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards

Lutz, FL — November 28, 2017: Xplor International, The Electronic Document Systems Association®, today issued a call for nominations for their annual awards, to be presented at their 2018 Annual Conference, Xploration® 18, April 17-19 at the Rosen Plaza in Orlando, Florida. The deadline for nominations is January 15, 2018. For more information on the annual Xplor awards, or to nominate a company or individual, please visit www.cvent.com/d/1tq1dl.

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int Issues Annual Call for Award Nominations. Nominate an individual/company in one of 4 categories bit.ly/2nd8R6b #XPLOR18

Application of the Year Award
The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Technology of the Year Award
The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.   This can be a new program, product or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

The Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement Award
Established in 2007, this award is given to an individual whose efforts and contributions have significantly changed the course and development of the digital document and customer communications industry. This award is open to members and non-members.

Xplorer of the Year
For over 20 years, Xplor International has honored an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the association. The Xplorer of the Year honors significant service to the association, dedication to the Xplor mission, and notable achievement promoting the interest of the electronic document systems industry.  Only current members of Xplor International, who are not on the Association Board of Directors, are eligible.

If you have any questions on the award nominations, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6171 or via email at register@xplor.org. For more information in regards to Xploration® 18, please visit www.xplor.org/xplor18. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green, at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a not-for-profit association that provides thought leadership to the customer communications industry. As a community Xplor provides advocacy, education, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.

Our members are decision makers and recommenders who are involved in the conception, design, implementation production and delivery of multi-channel client, member and customer communications.

Xplor’s mission is to enhance organizational success and advance the careers of our members by providing research, publications, industry certification, professional development, web-based events, and conference programming. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida, with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int or @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Director of Marketing
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

Xplor Announces 2016 Technology and Application Award Recipients

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Lutz, FL — March 22, 2016 – Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced the recipients of its 2016 Technology and Application of the Year Awards. The awards will be presented at a ceremony Tuesday, April 5, 2016, during the Xploration® 16 event at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida.

Tweet this: #Xplor16 Tech & App Award Winners: @Apex_Rev_Tech @mutualofomaha @gmc_net @CrawfordTechInc  http://bit.ly/1pvKOvf 

Application of the Year Award:
The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Xplor will award two honorable mentions in addition to the 2016 winner.

  • Apex Logo 030816An Honorable Mention is being awarded to Apex Revenue Technologies for their implementation of Apex Connect which allows healthcare organizations to engage patients with communications that are tailored to their specific financial needs and delivered via their preferred channels.
  • Mutual of Omaha 031416An additional Honorable Mention is being awarded to Mutual of Omaha for their implementation of EMC xPression, which has significantly enhanced efficiency by reducing the number of custom return envelopes and consolidating print and insert jobs while providing customers on demand access correspondence, all of which positively impact customer satisfaction and operational savings.

Incepture Print Solutions 031016The winner of the 2016 Xplor Application of the Year is Incepture Print Solutions White Paper Factory. The implementation of the white paper factory represents up to 55% savings by eliminating excessive equipment costs, 59% savings on supply costs and 17% savings on postage expense. The white paper factory also benefitted from full color printing, including the mailing envelope and the ability to offer customizable marketing space, available in full color on each mailing envelope.

Technology of the Year Award:
The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.  This can be a new program, product, or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems.

Like the Application of the Year award, Xplor will present two honorable mentions, in addition to the winner of the award, due to the large number of submissions.

  • xplor-crawford-2An Honorable Mention for Technology of the Year is being awarded to Crawford Technologies for their PRO Inkjet Express, which allows organizations to implement an automated end-to-end production workflow and fully leverage the capabilities of their inkjet presses quickly, efficiently and cost effectively.
  • GMC Logo 062215The second Honorable Mention for the Xplor Technology of the Year award is being presented to GMC Software , GMC Inspire Customer Journey Mapping. This application ushers in a new era in customer experience by reducing the friction between operations and experience professionals, allowing each group to use tools that help them do their jobs more effectively.

Crawford_logoThe winner of the 2016 Xplor Technology of the Year is being awarded to Crawford Technologies for their Voiceye for Operations Express, which makes print documents fully accessible, ensuring compliance with current accessibility regulations. Clients who require an accessible format can receive their communications at the same time as sighted individuals, without the need to make a special request, be subject to a delay, or disclose their handicap.

“I want to thank everyone who submitted an award nomination. Once again we received a large number of submissions in each category, making it difficult for the Awards Committee.” said Skip Henk, EDP, President and CEO of Xplor International. “My congratulations to all of the award recipients!”

Xplor International will also be announcing the recipients of the Xplorer of the Year and Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement awards at Xploration® 16 on Tuesday, April 5, 2016.

About Xploration® 16
The two-and-a-half day event is the perfect blend of educational sessions, panel discussions, general sessions, and networking events in a relaxed Florida environment. The event features 55+ Educational Sessions/Panels, THREE Keynote Sessions, 35+ Industry Partners in the Vendor Forum, Two Evening Networking Events and Two Networking Luncheons. For more information, visit the conference website: www.cvent.com/d/drqy2z #xplor16

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify, and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Manager
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

Xplor Issues Annual Call for Award Nominations

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Recognitions to include Application, Technology as well as Lifetime Achievement Awards

Lutz, FL — January 20, 2016: Xplor International, The Electronic Document Systems Association®, today issued a call for nominations for their annual awards, to be presented at their 2016 Annual Conference, Xploration® 16, April 5-7 at the Caribe Royale Orlando in Orlando, Florida. The deadline for nominations is February 12, 2016. For more information on the annual Xplor awards, or to nominate a company or individual, please visit www.cvent.com/d/pfqmq3 .

Tweet this: @Xplor_Int Issues Annual Call for Award Nominations. Nominate an individual/company in one of 4 categories http://ow.ly/Xk7jJ #XPLOR16

Application of the Year Award
The Application of the Year Award is presented to an individual, a company or an organization to recognize outstanding achievement in the imaginative application of current technology and/or unique implementation of existing document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Technology of the Year Award
The Technology of the Year Award honors an individual, company or organization that has conceived and developed an original concept leading to a significant advancement in the industry.   This can be a new program, product or technology that notably enhances the capabilities of document and communication systems. This award is open to members and non-members.

Xplorer of the Year
For over 20 years, Xplor International has honored an individual who has made outstanding contributions to the association. The Xplorer of the Year is Xplor International’s most prestigious award; it honors significant service to the association, dedication to the Xplor mission, and notable achievement promoting the interest of the electronic document systems industry.  Only current members of Xplor International, who are not on the Association Board of Directors, are eligible.

The Brian Platte Lifetime Achievement Award
Established in 2007, this award is given to an individual whose efforts and contributions have significantly changed the course and development of the digital document and customer communications industry. This award is open to members and non-members.

If you have any questions on the award nominations, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6171 or via email at Lynn@xplor.org. For more information in regards to Xploration® 15, please visit www.cvent.com/d/drqy2z. Vendors interested in being a sponsor or exhibitor can contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green, at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen@xplor.org.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify, and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: twitter.com/Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk
Marketing Coordinator
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

Why is the EDBOK important to our industry? By Roberta McKee-Jackson

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Note: At Xploration®14 Xplor International began a roll out of the first Electronic Document Body of Knowledge by providing conference attendees a limited edition of the document with the official First Edition released at the 2014 Graph Expo event.

Due to the significance of the publication and the impact on the industry as a whole Xplor has decided to provide a series of articles outlining what the EDBOK is, the impact it can have within your company as well as on one’s career.

Publication of A Guide to the Electronic Document Body of Knowledge (EDBOK), First Edition, represents a significant achievement for the electronic document systems industry. The industry as we know it today has changed dramatically from the one we understood 35 years ago. Innovations in technology, hardware, software, and people skills have resulted in the complexity of digital documents and data-driven communications that we utilize today.

The EDBOK represents the first compilation of the knowledge and expertise required to create and develop digital communications in today’s world – bills, statements, insurance policies, regulatory documentation, financial documents, and marketing communications. Never before has the collective knowledge of our industry been compiled into a single resource document, from the history of technology and processes to the current state of the industry.

The EDBOK serves as a brilliant resource for staff at every level within a company. For those new to the industry, it is a roadmap of the technologies and processes required to create digital communications. For more experienced staff, it is a reference source for continued development and education.

Topics covered in the EDBOK explain the technologies and processes using a standard vocabulary to describe the day-to-day production workflow and the long-term document systems development lifecycle. All forms of digital communication are created using these production job steps, from data to doorstep. The development processes covering the entire life of a document include business requirements, business/technical analysis, architecture, design, development, testing, production, and maintenance.

For those who want to pursue designation under the EDP (Electronic Document Professional®) program, EDBOK represents the body of knowledge categories required for peer review and assessment. Perusing the varied topics will help candidates determine how their expertise and knowledge map against the criteria for certification. Staff who have two years of industry experience may apply for the EDA (Electronic Document Associate) designation while those with five or more years experience may apply for EDP certification.

The EDBOK embodies the collation of knowledge of the digital communications industry at a point in time and will prove to be an extremely valuable resource for anyone in this industry. As a living document, updates to reflect further innovations in technology and processes will be added to provide the most up-to-date industry guide.

For more information on the Electronic Document Body of Knowledge please visit: www.edbok.org or call Xplor International at +1 813-949-6170.

Do You Wanna BOK?

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Submitted by Skip Henk, EDP, President/CEO of Xplor International
March 17, 2015

When you read the title, what was the first thought that came to your mind? I am hoping some of you were asking yourselves “What is he talking about? What is a BOK?” That was my dilemma.

Although I have been active and involved in the industry for many years, I did not know what a BOK was or why it was important to our members and the industry in general.

According to our friends at Wikipedia:

a body of knowledge (BOK) is the complete set of concepts, terms and activities that make up a professional domain, as defined by the relevant learned society or professional association.

EDBOKMaking It Relevant
I must admit I was a bit slow to come around to the whole idea of having a BOK for the association. The idea that a document could or would contain the “complete set of concepts, terms and activities” for our industry was difficult to conceive. Looking at the “complete document lifecycle” and all of the inherent components, the different technologies, methodologies and disciplines that put end to end defines our industry would be a monumental task.

Climbing The Mountain
At Xploration® 13, a group of Xplor EDP members got together and determined that it was time our industry had a Body of Knowledge for the Electronic Document Industry. The “Limited Edition” was presented at Xploration® 14 with the first edition being published and released last year at Graph Expo. In all, almost forty people contributed in one way or another to the creation and delivery of our industry BOK. The scope of the book is impressive and includes:

  • Document Development Lifecycle, requirements gathering, business analysis, technical analysis, stakeholder agreement, architecture, information design, project design, development, critical communications recovery(disaster recovery), test and QA, production launch, maintenance
  • Document Production Workflow, data, data objects, composition, print streams, transformations, print management, electronic presentation, web and mobile delivery, archiving, print technology, inserting technology, delivery process.

The end product has become the basis for our industries knowledge and the platform that now drives Xplor’s educational mission.

Who Cares? You Should.
Anyone in our industry, no matter what role you play, will benefit from reading it. If you are in a technical or operations role, this book pulls it all together, filling in the blanks and expanding your overall understanding of the electronic document industry. If you are in sales or marketing, it will give you an end to end view of the industry, the various components and the knowledge will certainly differentiate you from your peers.

Special thanks to all those responsible for bringing this ground breaking document to fruition.

The project team: Matt Riley edp, Project Chair, Neil Merchant m-edp, Project Manager, Pat McGrew m-edp, Editor, Scott Baker, Roberta McKee-Jackson edp, Chad Henk eda

The technology contributors: Paul Abdool edp, William Broddy m-edp , Franklin Campbell edp, Tim Ciceran, Brett Dashwood edp, Christine Durfee, Carol Fiore, Franklin Friedmann edp, Neal Gottsacker , Chris Halicki edp, Cheryl Kay, Kevin Lantaff edp, Robert Linsky, Wendy MacMillan m-edp, William McCalpin m-edp, Linda McDaniel edp, Roberta McKee-Jackson edp, Neil Merchant m-edp, Denise Miano edp, Tim Nelms, Stephen Poe edp, Rebecca Rodgers m-edp, Kevin Tondreau edp

So, Do You Wanna BOK?
For more information on the Electronic Document Body of Knowledge (EDBOK) visit the EDBOK information page under Career Development.

 

skip_Henk_Photo_2011
Skip Henk, EDP
President/CEO
Xplor International

Madison Advisors Returns to Xplor Conference to Share CCM Insights

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Half-Day Pre-Conference Event Helps Kick Off Xploration® 15

Lutz, FL —February 24, 2015—Xplor International, the worldwide electronic document systems association, today announced that the Madison Advisor’s Pre-Conference Intensive will once again be part of Xplor’s Annual Conference, Xploration® 15, April 14-16, at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive in Orlando, Florida. The pre-conference program will take place April 13, 2015, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM. Attendees can register at www.cvent.com/d/l4qklv.

Tweet this: @Madison_Advisor Pre-Conference Intensive again returns to Xploration® 15 in Orlando, Florida #Xplor15 www.cvent.com/d/l4qklv

Madison Advisors provides thought leadership, strategic consulting, and market research to clients in the customer communications management (CCM), electronic delivery, and print industries. Their industry-neutral expertise enables end-user organizations, service providers, and vendors to achieve their strategic objectives around transactional customer communications and publishing services.

This year’s pre-conference program will feature three sessions that include:
• Archives: Not Just for Documents Anymore
• Measuring What Matters: Dashboards and KPIs
• Minding Your Print & Queues: Job Scheduling, Tracking & Optimization

For detailed information about the Madison Advisors program, please visit ow.ly/JADeo.

Pricing
Attendance to the Madison Advisors pre-conference program is not included with the conference’s Platinum Passport. However, attendees can purchase this pre-conference program during the registration process for Xploration® 15. For Xplor Members, the cost is $200 USD and non-members, $225 USD.

About Xploration® 15
Xploration® 15 is being held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort International Drive from April 14-16, 2015. Pre-Conference Programs will take place on April 13, 2015.

For questions about Xploration® 15, please contact Xplor Headquarters at +1-813-949-6710 or by email at register@xplor.org. To register, or for more information, please visit the conference website: www.cvent.com/d/l4qklv.

Registration to the three-day event includes access to all of Xploration® 15’s 60+ educational sessions, panels, keynotes, general sessions, evening networking events, networking lunches and a breakfast on Thursday.

A limited number of exhibit spaces are still available. Vendors interested in becoming an exhibitor or event sponsor should contact Xplor’s Director of Sales, Deborah Green, at +1-770-444-3845 or via email at deborahgreen1@earthlink.net.

About Xplor International
Xplor International is a worldwide, not-for-profit professional association that consists of thousands of users and suppliers of the products and services that create, modify, and deliver customized information using a wide variety of document technologies. The association provides educational products and programs for its members and the industry at large through conferences, meetings and annual events. Xplor International has its worldwide headquarters in Lutz, Florida with affiliated offices around the world. Further information is available at www.xplor.org.

Facebook: facebook.com/XplorInternational
Twitter: @Xplor_Int

Xplor International Media Contact:
Chad Henk, EDA
Marketing Coordinator
+1-813-949-6171
Chad@xplor.org

About Madison Advisors


Madison Advisors, an advisory firm, exists to advance the print and electronic communications objectives of Fortune 1000 companies. The company’s analysts provide advisory services for a range of content delivery strategies, particularly those addressing enterprise output technologies and customer communications. Through short-term, high-impact engagements (measurable in days or weeks, not months), Madison Advisors offers expertise and advisory services that directly help clients achieve hard and specific return on investment (ROI) related to their enterprise output goals and objectives. The company’s analyst team has an extensive background in the enterprise output industry, enabling Madison Advisors to offer its clients unique, objective perspectives and unparalleled guidance for their print and electronic communications initiatives. For more information about Madison Advisors, visit the company’s web site at www.madison-advisors.com or call (817) 684-7545.