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**Subject:** Pilot simplified composition for inexpensive titles and test alternative methods to cut composing costs by up to 10 %

**Situation** – TT & W’s composing stage accounts for ≈ 40 % of hard‑back and 50‑55 % of paperback cost. Industry benchmarks show TT & W’s productivity 20‑50 % below peers, indicating weak productivity and high cost.

**Complication** – All titles, simple and complex, run through the same quality‑control stages despite limited capacity. Manual composition is overloaded, overtime exceeds budget by > 50 %, and two compositors have recently left, threatening timely delivery.

**Question** – Are TT & W’s composing costs excessive, and what should we do to bring them in line with the market?

**Answer** – We recommend **piloting a simplified composition process for inexpensive titles and concurrently evaluating alternative composing methods**; the pilot can deliver up to a 10 % reduction in total composing cost and identify further productivity gains.

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### Why this recommendation works  

1. **Cost & productivity gap is real**  
   * Composing is the largest production cost (40‑55 % of book cost).  
   * TT & W trails benchmark productivity by 20‑50 %.  

2. **Pilot is feasible and low‑risk**  
   * Existing overload means any reduction in checks will free capacity.  
   * Selected simple titles can be tested without disrupting complex reference books.  
   * Overtime spend is already high; a pilot can immediately curb excess spend.  

3. **Potential upside**  
   * Early results suggest a **10 % saving on total composing cost** for the pilot set.  
   * A follow‑up methods study can uncover additional productivity improvements beyond the pilot.  

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### What we need now  

* **Approve the pilot** – select a representative sample of inexpensive titles, define reduced‑check workflow, and set a 4‑week measurement period.  
* **Assign ownership** – compositing lead to design the simplified process; analytics lead to capture productivity and quality metrics.  
* **Decision deadline** – sign‑off by **[date, e.g., 15 May 2024]** to start before the next production cycle.

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### Omitted material  

* Detailed interview transcripts (Roy Walter, Brian Thompson, George Kennedy).  
* Union claim discussion and broader labor‑market wage analysis.  
* Comparative study of three other printers (deemed unlikely to resolve the core issue).  
* The note that managers disagree on cost severity (all are willing to investigate).  

These items were removed or demoted because they do not directly support the recommended pilot and its expected cost‑saving outcome.