Workflows in Archie

Workflows will enable editorial staff and others involved in the preparation of Cochrane reviews to track the progress of reviews, as well as to provide and request reminders and summaries of their Cochrane work. During 2008 the workflows will be piloted by a number of pilot CRGs and the system will be rolled out to all CRGs during 2009.

Update March 2008

The IMS has been working for many months now, in close collaboration with the Editorial Management Advisory Group (EMAG), to develop a workflow system in Archie that CRGs will be encouraged to adopt in support of their editorial practices.

Workflows are designed to guide Review Group Co-ordinators and other Archie users step by step through the main processes of editing and publishing reviews, including title registration, developing reviews, protocols and updates, and managing refereeing and feedback. Users will be able to keep track of multiple tasks, and eventually the Collaboration will be able to monitor the key stages of each process.

A Workflows Working Group has been set up within EMAG, with a membership of current and former RGCs. The Working Group is currently developing plain-English definitions for each agreed step of the workflows, and aims to have the definitions complete and ready for pilot-testing in Archie by the end of May. The workflow definitions are not meant to be prescriptive, but they should reflect best practice. They are intended to offer generic and flexible guidance on tasks to be addressed for the successful completion of a given editorial process.

Feedback to kate.cahill@dphpc.ox.ac.uk is most welcome.

Kate Cahill
Convenor of EMAG
March 2008

Workflows Working Group of the Editorial Management Advisory Group (EMAG)

A working group of EMAG convened the first time in September 2006 to start working on workflow definitions that reflect best practice in the editorial process. Minutes capturing relevant discussions about workflow issues and progress on workflows are available from both the full EMAG as well as Workflow Working Group meetings. See EMAG minutes.

Workflow definitions

The Workflows Working Group is currently in a process of finalising drafts on workflow definitions. Once they are ready for external input and comments, they will be made available here. The current plan is to have all six definitions listed below signed off by EMAG and available distribution to editorial bases at beginning of June 2008.

• Generic refereeing workflow definition (MS Word format)
• Title Registration defintion (PDF)
• Protocol defintion workflow - expected in April
• Review defintion workflow
• Update defintion workflow
• Feedback defintion workflow

Background papers

Specifications for a tracking system (PDF), January 2002

Evaluation of identified tracking software (PDF), January 2003