E-Publishing

History

The e-publishing effort was established to bring together all of the CGIAR’s published science as one body of information – which was in at least 15 different formats, structures and locations. The aim was allow Centers to deliver information to users in the most appropriate form (paper, web or CD) and to automate the generation of this output across the entire range of public goods from all the Centers. This was to be achieved by building the foundations for media neutral publishing, where information produced by CGIAR Centers would be recorded and stored only once, after which it could be easily searched, packaged and customized for delivery to users.

Software was selected and a prototype system developed and tested. However, the activity encountered significant delays and challenges mainly due to personnel changes. Lack of human resources and a team that worked over different time zones also prevented progress. This was compounded by numerous teething troubles with the software and delays in delivery of the alpha and beta testing versions of the platforms. This hampered testing, and mounting delays and hold-ups diminished the engagement of team members in the activity. Some key functionality, in particular the ability to track changes in texts, was not developed, despite being expected by late 2006.

Lead Administrative Center

International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (Bioversity formerly IPGRI)

Project Coordinator

Paul Neate, Head of Communications Services (Bioversity formerly IPGRI)