Document-Centric workflow

[jalperin]

The idea is to use either a simple display library + hypothes.is or Substance + some commenting to allow for workflow that allows commenting and editing of the document throughout the workflow.

[asmecher]

For now, deferring to OJS 3.2. Needs more experimentation than I have time to invest before 3.1.

[jmacgreg]

I'd extend this idea as follows:

Replace the existing file uploading function within OJS/OMP with a plugin infrastructure that would allow for different document models in the submission process. A file upload model would be one option; so too could be a HTML-enabled TinyMCE field; Substance + commenting; even some sort of inline Google Drive function. These would be delivered as plugins.

I would suggest that the file upload option would be the default (and moved into a plugin); and PKP would also include a basic TinyMCE option as a fallback (as well as a proof of concept for others who want to integrate their own services).

[NateWr]

@jmacgreg One thing that strikes me from your description is that it is premised on the idea that there is a single file representing the primary document, and that the workflow would revolve around this document. What about other files, such as disclosure forms, review submissions, supplementary data, etc. Our existing workflow is largely built around the sharing and sorting of groups of files. What place would you see for these secondary files in a doc-centric workflow? Would they be unnecessary? Or does the existing file upload model exist alongside it? Or would we encourage all such needs to be channelled through the discussions?

[jmacgreg]

Hi @NateWr, good question, and I'm not entirely sure how I'd approach this. There will always be a need for uploaded files, probably most specifically: data sets, forms (PDF), and figures/tables (images). How about these scenarios:

• As a participant in a submission, I want to be able to edit or comment on a manuscript without downloading it.
• As a participant, I don't want to leave OJS to review, revise and comment on a submission.
• As an editor, I want participants to be able to upload other forms of data as part of the submission: data sets, tables/figures (possibly inline, but possibly also separately if we use an external typesetter), and other forms.

That would suggest to me that it's most important that the main manuscript, and possibly other items, may be available via this interface; but that there would always be an option to upload files. Maybe just have the two options? An option to create a component (via eg. TinyMCE or substance); and an option to upload a component (via the typical upload process, which I am now suspecting may always be avaialable).

[asmecher]

A viable approach that we may have a potential partner for:

• When a document is uploaded, use pandoc to convert it to PDF behind the scenes. (The PDF is stored alongside the submission format, but not used except as outlined below.)
• When workflow tools need to be presented, use the PDF with pdf.js. Embed an annotation tool (like hypothes.is) so that annotation work can be done on the PDF.
• Depending on needs, the annotations can either be managed by the annotation tool, or the existing OJS review tools can be used as a back-end. (This may be complex.)

A proof of concept with open reviews would be relatively little coding, as the annotation tool could manage annotations without needing to worry about access controls.

[NateWr]

Closing this as it is too broad in scope. If you feel this is still important, please consider making a concrete proposal in the feature request category of our community forum.