With continued growth of aqueous pigmented inkjet ink into new, more demanding applications, there is an increasing need for aqueous ink jet systems with improved stability, color and adhesion/durability on a range of substrates.This paper describes some fundamental work on tailoring resins and additives for different end use applications and evaluates the potential for enhanced performance. The influence of various resin technologies on ink stability and jettability will be reviewed. Using the latest nano-mills, the effect of dispersion characteristics on final ink properties and stability will also be examined.