Four pathways based on proficiency in the publishing process
Consider how the publishing process operates within your team — which tools you use, how self-sufficient you are in managing the publishing workflow, and whether you can simplify or automate certain tasks yourselves. Based on this, choose the pathway that best suits your needs.
Publisher working outside a dedicated publishing infrastructure
Does your publishing team mainly rely on working with a word processor, spreadsheets, and email? Do you perform most tasks manually, and would a system for managing the publishing process be useful to you? Or do you need access to tools that support peer review, assign tasks, or generate metadata? If you regularly prepare and publish scholarly content without programming or advanced tools, this pathway is likely the most suitable for your needs. We’ll take you through practical steps to optimise your everyday publishing tasks.
Publisher relying on a dedicated publishing infrastructure
Does your publishing team work with an external platform that automates peer review management, publication workflows, and metadata handling? Do you log in to a ready-made system that “just works” – but offers you little control over how it develops or what features it includes? Perhaps you're able to prepare data in a spreadsheet, run a simple script, or understand basic API queries – even if you’re not building the infrastructure yourself?
If you rely on ready-to-use solutions such as SaaS platforms or OJS, and you want to better understand their capabilities, limitations, and how to collaborate effectively with service providers – this pathway is for you. We’ll help you make the most of the available tools and learn to ask the right questions when things stop working as expected.
Publisher planning to manage a dedicated publishing infrastructure
Are you currently using external solutions, but increasingly considering becoming technologically independent and gaining more control over your publishing system? Are you beginning to build technical capacity — either within your team or in collaboration with external partners — and taking an interest in open-source tools such as Open Journal Systems? Perhaps your goal is to tailor the infrastructure to the specific needs of your publication, rather than adjusting your workflows to fit an off-the-shelf solution.
If you feel you're on the threshold of an important transition and want to prepare for a more independent approach to managing the publishing process — this pathway will help you plan your next step. It’s a demanding stage, but one that opens a real path towards autonomy and developing your infrastructure on your own terms.
Publisher managing a dedicated publishing infrastructure
Does your publishing team not only use technological tools but also develop and maintain them? Do you have influence over the architecture of the publishing system – from article submission, through peer review and publication, to long-term archiving and integration with external databases? Do you work with an IT team that adapts the infrastructure to the specific needs of editors and users, and is your technology strategy an integral part of your publishing operations? If you answer "yes," you are most likely operating within a model of full technological autonomy.
This is the pathway for those who want full control over the publishing process, aim to develop their own solutions, and make decisions based on the long-term goals of their organization – with a clear understanding of the associated costs and responsibilities.
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