Digital Library Implementation Workflow

The design for the workflow system that we are aiming at is divided into two levels, the macro workflow and the micro workflow. The macro workflow is assumed to be globally true for all processing of materials bound for the UVA Library digital library. The figure below gives a picture of the first conception of the macro workflow. Note that this is a very simplified picture. The macro workflow is intended to be a conceptual framework that will coordinate the various micro workflows that will be necessary. In phase 2 of the implementation we will be using ad hoc workflow, concentrating on getting the first versions of each of three collections in the repository. In phase three we will be concentrating on formalizing the workflow wherever we can.

Note that we are in the process of applying for another grant from Mellon to continue our work with Fedora. A big part of the project will be to build tools will make it easier to organize data for the repository. Our work in these phases of the implementation will inform that process. One area that we will definitely be concentrating on will be object creation tools or workbenches that make it easier to handle complex batches, such as batches of texts that have associated images. The diagram below illustrates the macro workflow for batches of one type of object. We will be concentrating on how to create parallel streams of objects that need to be synchronized. This simple diagram is meant to illustrate the basic process. As we get more of a handle on complex batches, we will update this diagram.

January 28, 2004