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Harrowell service

Digital publishing technology

Select, configure and improve the systems that support your journal—from submission through publication, reporting and continuity.

The service in context

Practical support for a connected publishing operation.

Technology should make publishing work easier, not create another layer of uncertainty. Harrowell helps owners make practical technology decisions that support editorial workflows, published content, reporting and future development.

Publishing systems are interconnected. A change to submission, hosting, production or reporting affects authors, editors, metadata and service teams. Good technology work begins with the journal’s actual requirements and the people who use the system.

What the service includes

The capabilities behind the service.

Every engagement is scoped around your journal’s needs. These are the core areas Harrowell can bring together in this service.

Requirements and selection

Translate editorial, operational and strategic needs into a brief for platforms, tools, integrations and service providers.

Platform configuration

Support journal structures, information architecture, roles, content presentation and publishing workflows.

OJS and PKP migration

Plan and manage journal migrations to Open Journal Systems (OJS/PKP), including content, users, editorial workflows, files, metadata and publishing continuity.

Workflow integration

Review how systems exchange information across submission, production, metadata, publication and reporting.

Operational visibility

Define reporting that gives teams useful information about content, workload, service performance and priorities.

Where we add depth

Designed around the realities of scholarly publishing.

Harrowell can take responsibility for a complete workstream or strengthen the part of an existing operation that needs more structure, capacity or specialist attention.

Technology decisions grounded in service design

We start with the journal’s work, then determine what technology must enable. This avoids selecting systems on feature lists alone and ensures configuration, documentation and training support daily delivery.

  • Requirements workshops
  • System and supplier evaluation
  • Workflow and integration specification

Implementation and transition support

A system change has operational as well as technical consequences. We plan roles, data, content, communications, checks and contingency so a change is managed as a publishing project.

  • Implementation plan and acceptance criteria
  • Content and data transition coordination
  • User guidance and operational handover

OJS and PKP journal migration

We support carefully controlled moves from existing journal platforms into OJS/PKP. The migration plan is built around a complete inventory, field mapping, test migration, verification and a managed go-live, with data integrity and uninterrupted publishing as central requirements.

  • Content, file, user and metadata inventory
  • OJS configuration and workflow mapping
  • Test migration, validation and go-live support

Improvement without unnecessary replacement

Not every problem needs a new platform. We diagnose where configuration, process design, data quality, reporting or ownership is creating friction and establish a realistic improvement plan.

  • Current-state review
  • Configuration and workflow backlog
  • Ongoing technology governance

How we work

A structured path from need to delivery.

The pace, scope and ownership are agreed around your journal. We make the work visible and give editorial, operational and organisational stakeholders a clear role throughout.

  1. Understand current systems, users, constraints and continuity requirements

  2. Define requirements and prioritise practical improvements

  3. Support configuration, transition and workflow alignment

  4. Review adoption, data quality, service performance and future needs

What is agreed up front

A service with visible ownership.

Every engagement begins with an agreed scope, responsibilities, review rhythm and practical definition of delivery. This makes it clear what Harrowell is accountable for, where decisions sit and how the work connects to your wider publishing operation.

OJS/PKP migration and validation plan
Technology requirements brief
Workflow and integration specification
Operational acceptance and review framework

What this makes possible

The outcomes a stronger service model should create.

  • Technology that fits the journal’s operating model
  • More joined-up workflows and data
  • Clearer information for editors and service teams
  • A practical foundation for future digital development and continuity

A good fit when

Journals moving to OJS/PKP, organisations implementing or changing a platform, acquisition and transition teams, and publishers needing clearer technology direction.

Harrowell can provide this as a focused project, an ongoing managed service or part of a wider publishing partnership. The scope is shaped around the journal’s current operation, priorities and development plans.

Discuss your requirements

Build a service model around the work your journal needs to do next.

Tell us about the journal, programme or operational challenge. We’ll help identify the right starting point and delivery model.

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