Analysis and optimization of PDF-to-EPUB in the digital publishing process

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide an optimization method of workflow for publishing houses and electronic book (e-book) studies in the field of digital publishing.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the studies of publishing houses in Beijing, the present conversion workflow is illustrated using a functional modeling methodology. Then, the workflow is analyzed using 5W1H (why, who, what, where, when, how) methodology and optimized using ECRSI (eliminate, combine, rearrange, simplify and increase) principles. To validate the optimization effect, the workflow before and after optimization are generated and implemented by the ExtendSim® simulation software.

Findings

The simulation results show that under similar circumstances, both quantity and quality of the products are improved after optimization, which indicate that the optimization method is effective.

Practical implications

Electronic PUBlication (EPUB) has significant requirements to satisfy the needs of the mobile reading market and to earn increased profits, whereas some e-books are still preserved in a portable document format (PDF). This study results in the enhanced EPUB quality and production efficiency of the PDF-to-EPUB format conversion workflow in publishing houses. Publishing houses around the world can refer to this study to make a similar optimization when handling PDF-to-EPUB.

Originality/value

This research introduces the traditional industrial engineering analytical techniques to the workflow optimization of e-book conversion. Compared with the most of other methods used to optimize workflow, this method is simpler, more efficient and more suitable for e-book format conversion.

Citation

Pu, Q., Zhu, X., Chen, D. and Zhang, R. (2018), "Analysis and optimization of PDF-to-EPUB in the digital publishing process", The Electronic Library, Vol. 36 No. 2, pp. 350-368. https://doi.org/10.1108/EL-11-2016-0247