Case Study: California Polytechnic State University achieves streamlined student collaboration and real-world publishing experience with Quark's Quark Publishing System

Quark Publishing System Helps Future Writers, Editors, and Designers Gain Professional Publishing Experience in Class

California Polytechnic State University’s Graphic Communications program adopted the Quark Publishing System (QPS) to give students real-world publishing experience in Professor Mike Blum’s GrC 338 course. The class needed a way to teach digital content management, variable-data publishing and team-based workflows under tight timelines while avoiding cumbersome file‑sharing methods and limited lab access.

Blum and a department technologist self-installed QPS (integrated with campus Active Directory) and used role-based workflows, WebHub browser access, QuarkXPress integration, and native PSD/AI support to manage assets and revisions. The result was a smooth implementation with minimal technical issues, faster collaboration (no more flash drives or large email attachments), easier remote participation, effective handling of mid‑project changes, and strong student engagement as the program scales to larger cohorts.

California Polytechnic State University

Mike Blum

Professor Graphic Communications