ISC: Phased approach to development

1. ISC: Phased approach to development Martin Parr, Philip D. Roberts, Elizabeth Dodsworth

2. The Invasive Species Compendium will be a multi-media encyclopaedia of: Known invasive species, of all taxa affecting all natural and managed ecosystems, except human pathogens. It will be global in coverage, and will concentrate on those species that have the greatest impacts on economies, livelihoods, human health, the environment and biodiversity.

3. The Invasive Species Compendium will be developed in partnership between CABI and USDA, and through a consortium of interested stakeholders.

4. Budget Status • $ 3 million – fundraising target • $ 2.2 million – raised so far • $ 1.1 million – spent on initial development phase • $ 0.8 million – second phase of development • $ 1.1 million – outlined for requirements for final phase • $ 0.8 million – still to raise

5. Schedule Status • ISC test version launched • ISC Alpha www.cabi.org/isc • Access to consortium members & partners only • Need to get feedback - use in detailed planning of next phase • Second phase already underway • Scoping for final phase already started

6. Schedule Status • Schedule affected by complexity in delivering the ISC on a new ‘common platform’ for Compendia • Positives – time savings in development because of reuse of technical components developed for non-compendium content • Negatives – need for detailed planning and specification had knock-on delays for content development

7. Actions Completed • Consultation • Scope • Content Definition & Commissioning • Platform Development • Website Development • ‘Soft’ launch of ‘Alpha’ version

8. Consultation • Requirements developed through Inception Workshop, and; • Refined through email consultation with Consortium members, IS Contacts, CABI IAS network & wiki; • Agreement on requirements in March; • Requirements summarised in ‘acceptance criteria’ • Author templates and functional specifications completed based on feedback, new templates developed;

9. Products of consultation

10. Scope • First phase delivered: • Working platform • Web interface • Core content on invasive species • Positions technology and content for enhancement: • Non-web delivery mechanisms • Expert systems – including improved referencing of data, especially distribution • More content • Content compatibility considered with GISIN Schema

11. Content Definition & Commissioning • ISC will use defined content from all existing Compendia • Information is supplemented by approx: • 200 new and completely revised datasheets • 700 datasheets modified from existing compendia • Datasheet mainly species descriptions, but also other datasheet types • Entry of content is ongoing – all material received, but not all ‘on the system’ yet • Library also under development – limited content shows proof of concept • Content commissioned or agreed includes material from partners: • GISD – for next phase • USDA-ARS – 100 invasive fungi (for next phase) • EPPO • OIE • PIER

12. Commissioning progress • Content from the first phase of commissioning has been received and edited. Some content still to go onto the site admininstration system

13. Platform Development • Provides opportunity to manage, share and update Compendium Content more effectively. Involved: • Database Migration – and data migration • Editorial System development – enables content sharing and real-time updates • Product specification – improved searching & browsing, and links to CAB Abstracts • New system will allow other Compendium to be migrated onto a common platform – see presentation by Chris Parker for more detail

14. Website Development – CABI site

15. Website Development – ISC Alpha

16. Click on datasheets tab to be taken to the list of all datasheets 1 2345678910Next

17. Search for a species You can search directly off the homepage or by clicking on the search tab in the top navigation. Clicking on the “Abstract Database” tab sends the same search into CAB Abstracts

18. Fallopia search on CAB Abstracts

19. Full Text article available to user

20. Datasheet: Cover View

21. Hovering over the dot provides the reference for the record of species distribution Datasheet: Distribution Map

22. Datasheet: Distribution Table

23. Datasheet: Building a Report OR Select the sections you want and then generate the report

24. Products completed in first phase • The project delivers: • ‘alpha version’ of ISC, containing datasheets, images, a library structure, search & browse functionality, linkage to CAB Abstracts, improved updating, content shared with other Compendia • Editing system for ISC which provides basis for system for other Compendia

25. The second phase of development • New Management for this phase • Project Manager: Philip Roberts • p.roberts@cabi.org • +44 (0) 1491 829206 • Content Manger: Lucinda Charles • l.charles@cabi.org +44 (0) 1491 829388

26. Next ‘Work Packages’ • System Improvements • We already know a lot of things we need to improve – e.g. report sequencing, new glossary, improved linkages to CAB Abstracts, improved contributor details • Content Development • New species datasheets • Expanded library • Innovative Tools • Mapping • Decision Support/Search • Community Involvement • Develop a Sustainability Plan for the ISC • Timeline: 12 months

27. Datasheet Commissioning and addition of content continues… 215 new datasheets planned for inclusion in Phase 2

28. Developing Innovative Tools • Mapping/Decision Support/Community Involvement • Workshop driven • Consortium members & project staff • Need to ascertain: • “What is required by the end user • What questions of the data are they going to ask?” • That includes your input

29. Developing Innovative Tools • Key elements: • Explore what ‘state of the art smart tools’ can be used to unleash the power of the Compendia data and ensure future proofing. • Report to the Consortium on what is achievable • Implement in Final Phase (2009/2010)

30. Example - Mapping Current mapping on ISC Abutilon theophrasti (velvet leaf)

31. The Future of Mapping on the ISC Workshop-driven ideas, could include use of Google Earth

32. Final phase • Significant issues to address will include • Ongoing fundraising for completion of $3 million project and delivery of ISC • Implementation of innovative tools • How to develop a ‘local’ version of a Compendium • How best to position the ISC for the future • In relation to other invasive species initiatives? • Provision of open and free access to the ISC?

33. Developing a ‘local’ version of ISC • Do we need to create a ‘local’ version? • Has the world moved on enough in the 5 years since the idea was envisaged? • Can we focus all the development to the web based ISC? • Will internet connectivity support universal access?

34. Developing a ‘local’ version of ISC • Historically the Compendia were created on CD first (1995) and then a web version of the CD created in 2001 • This development cycle is obsolete • ISC has been developed using web technologies

35. Developing a ‘local’ version of ISC • At the workshop last year it was discussed • that a ‘local version’ would be a collection of • pdf’s with a search facility • Will this satisfy the needs of the consortium?

36. Search for “web” Search with Adobe • Resulting PDF documents sorted by relevance ranking

37. Developing a ‘local’ version of ISC • Considerations : • Local version will lack the functionality of the web version(power of the data reduced, no user interaction, mapping facilities limited – no Google Maps). • No Integration of CAB Direct (all resources, linkages would be lost).

38. Your Input • We would like your feedback on the following: • The plans future tools for the next phase – this workshop • The Demonstration version of the Compendium on the new platform: ISC Alpha – by 19th December 2008.

39. Project Manager: Philip Roberts • p.roberts@cabi.org • +44 (0) 1491 829206 • www.cabi.org/isc • www.cabicompendium.org