A workflow model for digital theses and dissertations

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Humboldt University: A workflow model for digital theses and dissertations

ETD2003 22.5.2003

A workflow model for

digital theses and dissertations Developments and solutions at

Humboldt University

Uwe Müller

Humboldt University Berlin Computer and Media Service

u.mueller@cms.hu-berlin.de

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ETD2003 22.5.2003

Agenda

1. Introduction

2. Why Workflow?

3. Some Details

4. Further Developments 5. Examples

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ETD2003 22.5.2003

Introduction

• in Germany: duty to publish theses and dissertations

• first project “Digitale Dissertationen” startet in 1997

• Feb. 1998: HU changed its graduation regulations – new possibilty to publish electronically

– one of the first universities in Germany

• submission of electronic dissertations since 1998

• now: electronic dissertations + master theses per year

> 200

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Electronic Theses and Master Theses at HU

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Why do we need a workflow system?

• document server with quality standards

– SGML / XML as standard document format – PDF as presentation format

– authenticity: signatures for all documents

• printing service for presentation copies

many different work steps

many involved persons & functions

many documents to be processed

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Workflow concepts

• role: abstract description of – work steps

– rights to read and manipulate data – certain “functions” in a work chain

• functions / rights, e.g.

– convert document

– ‘publish’ a dissertation

– read status data from other colleagues – assign tasks to roles / persons

• state and condition

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Workflow concepts: states and conditions

State Condition

Uploaded Revision Accepted Converted

Check

sucessful Accepted

mail to author mail to converter

Accepted

mail to author mail to converter Check

failed Revision

mail to author Revision

mail to author XML

generated Converted

mail to signer Signature

generated Signed

mail to fs master

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Difficulties / Design questions

• process for documents is not linear – circles

– branches (e.g. creation of different formats) – multiple conditions for a state transition

• time limits

– automatic reminder emails in case of elapsed limits

• allocation of tasks

– direct assignment to a person (‘push’) vs.

– assignment to a pool of persones (‘pull’)

• data protection /privacy

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Roles / Functions

• author / starting point of the workflow

• ‘referee’ (formal and technical quality)

• librarian / cataloguing, formal classification, metadata compilation

• reprography / printing service

• conversion

• person in charge of document server / file system

• creation of signature

• export (mainly metadata)

• briefing sucessful publication to doctorate office

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Writing Original Upload

Check

Document Server

Compilation of

Metadata

Publish Export

HTML

WWW

Sign

Print

PDF

Metadata Signature

Book

Convert SGML

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“Pre”-Workflow

• Work starts before the workflow!

• information events for doctoral candidates

• courses on how to use the authoring tools (document styles ...)

• support / hotline

– e.g. creation of PDF version

 “preflow” system for enqueries before formal submission

• maintenance of developed tools

– new versions for new word processor versions – tools, styles, manuals, web pages, faq lists, ...

– ETD service is a sustainable part within the library!

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Architechture

• requirement of platform independence

web interface

• server: Apache + PHP

• database for workflow data (Sybase)

• database for metadata (Sybase)

• file system for documents

• automatically created emails

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DBS

HTTP server

workflow system (PHP)

table rows SQL

query HTML HTTP

request

web

browser

email

FS

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Further developments

• joint Electronic Publishing Group (University Library / Computer and Media Service)

• documents ≠ one entity – multi media objects

• technical support for authors while creating

• workflow: technical check of objects

– series (journals ...)  different workflow

• dynamic creation of HTML from XML sources

– no static HTML pages on the document server

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Further developments (2)

• conference system – benefits

• integrated system, e.g. for referees

• generation of online and printed programme (up to date)

• reuse of metadata

• printing on demand

– workflow

• paper management (application, reviews, rank, upload)

• conference schedule (sessions & events, room management, speakers & chairs ...)

• registration process (different registrations fees, discounts & reductions ...)

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Examples ...

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Thank you ...

Uwe Müller

Humboldt University Berlin Computer and Media Service

u.mueller@cms.hu-berlin.de

Questions?