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TTW should reduce composing costs through a focused program to simplify controls for inexpensive titles and improve composing productivity.

TTW’s composing costs are material to production cost, and the company is uncompetitive on simple work. Because all titles currently pass through substantially the same quality-control stages while productivity trails industry benchmarks, TTW should establish which controls and working methods can be changed without harming quality or customers.

1. Test a simplified composing process for selected inexpensive titles.
   - Remove or retime selected quality checks.
   - Measure effects on quality and customer response.
   - The potential saving is up to 10% of total composing cost.

2. Conduct a methods study to improve composing productivity.
   - TTW trails comparable productivity benchmarks by 20–50%.
   - Examine changes to the composing method that could close this gap.

3. Use external comparisons to validate the findings, not to substitute for them.
   - Compare TTW with three other printers for context.
   - Do not rely on comparisons alone to determine whether TTW’s costs are excessive.

Managers do not yet agree on whether composing costs are high, but they are willing to investigate. The capacity shortfall, recent staff losses, late jobs, overtime above budget, and the union claim make timely action important.

Omitted: interview details and individual names; they do not support the recommendation.

Top: TTW should reduce composing costs through a focused program to simplify controls for inexpensive titles and improve composing productivity.
  1. Test a simplified process for selected inexpensive titles.
     - Measure quality and customer effects.
     - Potential saving: up to 10% of composing cost.
  2. Conduct a methods study to improve productivity.
     - TTW trails benchmarks by 20–50%.
  3. Validate findings through external comparisons.
     - Comparisons provide context but cannot settle the issue alone.