Challenges in Web Publishing

Challenges in Web PublishingJack OchsAmerican Chemical SocietySociety for Scholarly Publishing 25th Annual MeetingMay 30, 2003

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What Well Cover TodayBackgroundIssues and challengesWhat we didWhere were going

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Testing the Waters: 1997-1998How much impact will the Web have?Pubs 1997 Strategic PlanThe Publications Division should plan, invest, and act as if the future will be substantially different from the past, and the present, while not jeopardizing current operations in case change turns out to be slower and less drastic.

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Rapid Expansion: 1998-2000We didnt need to worry - change was fast and drasticTremendous growth in Web projectsCorresponding growth in I.T. investment and organizationBooming advertising revenue helps support I.T. growth

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Time to Pause: 2000The number of projects continue to increase Projects become broader and more complexThe economy faltersI.T. infrastructure upgrade is neededStrategic and financial issues are raised

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The First Key Question:
Where to Focus?Fall 2000 first annual Web retreatKey strategic focus emergesAuthors, editors, and reviewersFocus drives Web activities to this day

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The Next Key Question:
How much can we, and should we, do?Sizing and structuring I.T.Identifying which projects to doDefining the role of I.T.

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Sizing & Structuring IT: 2002-Present2002 Strategic PlanSeybold studyExtensive internal reviewThree options for governance review

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Sizing & Structuring IT:
Running the BusinessModest additional resource requirementsMost economical alternativeGreatest strategic risk

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Sizing & Structuring IT: Expanding CapabilityHigher level of investmentMaintain current systems and productsDevelop new products Increase performance and capacity

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Sizing & Structuring IT: Transforming the BusinessAggressive spending requiredSignificant improvements to existing products and servicesCreate potential to develop and adopt cutting-edge technologies

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Our DecisionExpand as much as possibleReview opportunities annually until better times return

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Which projects to do?At first, a small groupThe group expanded, and size became a problemNow, two groupsOne to make recommendationsOne to make decisionsNote capacity affects judgments about process

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How does your project get on the to do list?Get support from one or all of the followingDivision directorDivision senior managersI.T.

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How does your project get on the to do list?Its something your director wants to doIt fits with your organizations missionIt generates fundsIts consistent with your divisions focusIt doesnt tie up significant I.T. resources for long periods of time

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Defining the role of IT:
Who makes what decisions?Our answerI.T. has the last word on technical issuesAll other decisions to be jointly madeResolving conflictsDivision management

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Project Sponsors & IT:
Where Problems OccurSponsors arent clearDifferences over designI.T. makes an obvious, and unilateral, decisionOngoing issue: Which decisions are technical, and which arent?Lack of communication

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Web Publishing:
Our Biggest MistakeNot adding more scalable I.T. resources than we did in the good years We could have outsourced more projects

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Web Publishing:
Our Proudest Moments1997 All ACS journals are first posted on the Web1999 ACS introduces our system for online manuscript submission and peer review2002 We enable Web access to every issue of every ACS journal

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Web Publishing:
Where do we go from here?Maintain dynamic balance between the needs of internal users; authors, editors, and reviewers; and end usersExpand I.T. capacity furtherRefine the relationship between project sponsors and I.T.

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Challenges in Web Publishing

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