An automated workflow is essential to respond to the changing needs of the open access publishing landscape. Such a workflow can ensure that manuscripts are efficiently processed and published in a timely fashion while helping to ensure that safeguards are built in to maintain research and data integrity. Interoperability of all components of scholarly publishing—from peer review to publication to data management–- is key to this process.
The STM Trends 2028, published by STM International, envisioned a world where humans and machines are integrated and engaged to support researchers as they navigate an increasingly complex world that is both analog and digital. It presented a visual ‘futurecast’ for publishers, libraries, funding agencies, scholarly societies, researchers, academic institutions, and other stakeholders involved in upholding the integrity of research, creating a model for advancing trusted science together.
As open access and open science initiatives evolve, with new business models and funding mandates emerging, the interactivity of these groups has become increasingly important. An overarching reliance on data interoperability links all aspects of the research life cycle and informs efforts that support the producers, publishers, users, and public open science.
Despite this unified effort, however, problems with consistent, accurate research data persist. A recent article in PLOS One included a multi-institutional analysis of where research data is shared. It concluded that the metadata quality landscape for published research datasets is uneven; key information, such as author affiliation, is often incomplete or missing from source data repositories and aggregators, which impedes the findability, interoperability, accessibility, and reusability (FAIRness) of research data.
Many publishers are struggling to automate workflows to accommodate the changing landscape of open access publishing. Yet, to manage the process, and ensure the interoperability and integrity of the content, it is essential to build in automation that will not only bring efficiencies but also provide safeguards and data to promote informed decision-making. The lack of Interoperability across systems is a barrier to effective communication and data transfer between systems. Perhaps supplemented by AI, an automated workflow can support editorial and business decisions and help ensure content is discoverable and reliable.
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Maverick has specialized in developing a multi-faceted team approach that evaluates workflows and applies this logic to automation of the publishing process. Reach out to your Maverick representative or email us at info@maverick-os.com to learn more.
By Rebecca Rinehart, Maverick CEO and Head of US Operations
Rebecca Rinehart is a publishing professional with over 40 years’ experience in all aspects of scientific, technical, and medical publishing in all formats, including books, journals, periodicals, and digital. She has served in senior publishing management roles in major medical societies and associations as well as corporate publishers.
Further Reading
Maverick Workflow Integration & Automation service sheet