The Four and a Half I’s of Publishing Technology

There’s no untangling the success of publishing from the successful development of publishing technology. To create a global community of researchers, reviewers, publishers, and more, the role of technology is ubiquitous. Publishing technology thrives in the push-pull environment that balances competition and collaboration or collective action, and this balance requires adaptability and flexibility to ensure that technology continues to serve the needs of the community it serves. 

As the role of technology within the publishing community continues to evolve, we see four key pillars to signal success and sustainability: innovation, interoperability / integration, iteration, and impact. Together, these pillars can collectively shape the future of scholarly communication. 

Innovation

The word innovation may be overused and overbroad, but it remains the mindset at the heart of transforming scholarly publishing. Across the board, publishers are focused on streamlining workflows and finding efficiencies, improving the user experience for authors, reviewers, and readers, accessibility, research integrity, open science, and more. 

Innovations in publishing are far-ranging: from unique use cases for artificial intelligence, to plagiarism detection, to metadata tagging and discovery tools. Innovation should make life easier for the end user: processes should be more usable; outputs should be more accessible. Embracing an innovation mindset keeps publishers competitive, while also saving time and money with new efficiencies. No matter what form innovation takes, it should be grounded in strategic problem-solving. Innovation for the sake of innovation will inevitably wither on the vine. 

There are countless pockets of innovation across the scholarly publishing ecosystem, and organizations that embrace an innovative mindset. The challenge comes with the adoption of new innovations at scale. Without a connective thread between innovations, or broad adoption of a single technology for an industry-wide goal (such as improved research integrity), innovation can stagnate. 

Publishing technologies can act either as the drivers of innovation or as the tools employed by publishers to execute their own innovations. Either way, close collaboration is key, which brings us to our next pillar.

Interoperability / Integration

Interoperability and integration are closely related concepts in publishing technology, often working in tandem to create seamless workflows, yet they serve distinct purposes. Interoperability refers to the ability of diverse systems, platforms, or tools to communicate and exchange data effectively, regardless of their origins or technical frameworks. It focuses on adherence to shared standards, such as DOIs or ORCID IDs, ensuring compatibility and consistency across systems. Integration, on the other hand, involves combining different systems into a unified, cohesive workflow, often through custom APIs or middleware solutions, to streamline processes and eliminate redundancies. While interoperability is about ensuring systems can "talk" to one another in a standardized way, integration goes a step further by making these systems work together seamlessly as parts of a larger, unified whole. Both are crucial for efficiency and user satisfaction, with interoperability providing the foundation for integration to succeed.

The interoperability / integration pillar of publishing technology is where the industry is prioritizing collaboration and collective action. Standards like Crossref’s DOI, ORCID for researcher identification, and COUNTER for usage metrics are pivotal in maintaining a connected ecosystem. These shared protocols ensure consistency, enable efficient data exchange, and improve discoverability. 

Elsewhere, calls for more end-to-end technology offerings are increasing. Identifying opportunities for enabling a frictionless transition between different technology partners across the publishing lifecycle will benefit the entire community, and every stakeholder, more broadly. Interoperability is also critical for growing areas of publishing technology like research integrity: adding an external and separate system for integrity checks is challenging in publishing workflows that are already highly complex. How can publishing technologists among us prioritize interoperability?

Iteration

Many of our publishing technologies are built on legacy systems, with complex workarounds and processes. Changes that seem simple can quickly snowball when we start to pull the thread of system updates or adding new features. 

In the journey toward technological excellence, iteration plays a crucial role. Pilots—limited-scale implementations of new tools—allow publishers to test feasibility and impact before rolling out changes broadly. This approach ensures that new technologies align with user needs and workflows.

For example, introducing AI-powered tools for peer review in a pilot phase can help uncover potential challenges, such as algorithm biases or integration issues, allowing publishers to make necessary adjustments before full implementation. Iteration, supported by continuous feedback from authors, editors, and reviewers, ensures that technology evolves in a way that truly serves its stakeholders.

By adopting an iterative mindset, publishers can reduce risks, refine workflows, and stay agile in an industry that demands constant innovation. This approach also fosters a culture of collaboration between publishers and technology vendors, enabling the co-creation of solutions that are both practical and scalable.

Impact

Ultimately, the goal of publishing technology is to create a lasting impact on the scholarly community. A well-designed infrastructure supports open science initiatives, ensuring research outputs are accessible, reusable, and reproducible. By facilitating the seamless linking of articles, datasets, and related outputs, technology can enhance transparency and foster global collaboration.

Impact also extends to operational efficiency. Integrated workflows reduce redundancies, minimize errors, and allow publishers to focus on their mission of disseminating knowledge. Moreover, advanced analytics and reporting tools empower publishers to measure and optimize the reach and influence of their content.

By prioritizing innovation, interoperability, and iteration, publishers can achieve meaningful impact that benefits authors, readers, and the broader scientific community.

Conclusion: A Call to Action for Publishers

The four 'I's—Innovation, Interoperability, Iteration, and Impact—are more than just principles; they are the pillars of successful publishing technology. For publishers and learned societies, the path forward is clear:

• Innovate by embracing new tools and technologies that enhance workflows and user experiences.
• Prioritize interoperability to ensure seamless integration across platforms and systems.
• Adopt an iterative approach to refine technologies through pilots and feedback, minimizing risk and maximizing effectiveness.
• Focus on impact to drive accessibility, transparency, and global collaboration.

By aligning with these principles, publishers can not only meet the challenges of today’s digital age but also build a foundation for a more inclusive, efficient, and innovative future in scholarly communication.