Print Management In a Post-Pandemic Environment

Printing has been a thorn in IT’s side for a very long time. Whether you are trying to figure out what archaic error messages such as "PC Load Letter" means, or attempting to fulfill a 15-minute executive SLA for your president who just wants to print a 200-page report for a board presentation on their personal inkjet printer, printing has continued to be a resource drain for IT organizations. This presentation will review my implementation of a print management system in a pre-pandemic environment, introduce the adoption of novel technologies to replace paper during the COVID-19 pandemic, and make an argument for why not only print management as a software tool is needed now more than ever before, but also demonstrate why organizations should begin to think about their own print management solution, printing policies, and printer security. Printing can continue to be a drain on the organization’s resources, or you can assist your organization in presenting a cogent, rational, and tangible assessment of why they should care more about printing, and what you as an IT leader are prepared to do to assist with these changes. Doing so will allow IT to focus more on value-add activities, and less on setting up, maintaining, securing, and ultimately decommissioning printers, and managing all of the waste that is associated with them.