How PLOS Transformed Their Production Process to Outpace the Competition and Improve ROI
As one of the largest and most respected publishers of open access scientific journals, the Public Library of Science (PLOS) handles an immense volume of content each month. Maintaining high standards of accuracy and efficiency in this fast-paced environment is critical to PLOS' mission of disseminating scientific knowledge. However, by 2014, the increasing volume of submissions began to overwhelm the existing production processes, threatening to introduce errors, drive up costs, and slow down the publication timeline. This case study explores how PLOS partnered with Apex Content & Media Solutions to revolutionize its workflow, resulting in improved speed, reduced costs, and enhanced visibility into the production pipeline.
The Challenge: Overcoming Workflow Inefficiencies and Bottlenecks
Complex and Overloaded Processes: PLOS faced significant challenges in managing the high volume of articles passing through its production “gate” each month. The intricate process required every article to be converted, edited, formatted, reviewed, and approved, involving multiple stakeholders across various geographic locations. Key issues included:
- Visibility Issues: With hundreds of articles being processed weekly, PLOS management had limited visibility into the production pipeline. This lack of oversight made it difficult to identify bottlenecks, track progress, and ensure that deadlines were met.
- Risk of Errors: The manual and fragmented nature of the workflow increased the risk of introducing errors during the numerous transferals of content between authors, editors, and production staff.
- Escalating Costs and Delays: The inefficiencies in the workflow not only slowed down the time to market but also drove up production costs, impacting the return on investment (ROI) for each published article.
Operational Challenges: PLOS needed a robust solution that could streamline the production process, enhance visibility, and sustain or even increase the production velocity without compromising on accuracy or incurring additional costs.
The Solution: Apex’s ProTrak Technology and Workflow Innovations
To address the challenges faced by PLOS, Apex Content & Media Solutions introduced cutting-edge technology and workflow innovations designed to optimize efficiency and improve oversight.
ProTrak: Revolutionizing Workflow Management
At the heart of the solution was ProTrak, Apex’s cloud-based, XML-first production workflow management tool. ProTrak was designed to bring order, efficiency, and transparency to the complex PLOS production environment:
- Streamlined Workflow: ProTrak allows users to upload source files directly into a web-based portal, initiating a seamless, automated workflow. The system ensures that tasks are prioritized, deadlines are set, and the next person in the production chain is alerted automatically when it’s their turn to act.
- Enhanced Visibility: ProTrak provides detailed, real-time insights into the production process. This high-level and granular visibility enables PLOS management to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks, and address potential issues before they escalate.
- Customizable Integration: ProTrak is designed to integrate with any existing workflow, making it possible for publishers to add quality controls, optimize processes, and improve speed to market while maintaining high standards of accuracy.
Key Results: Driving Efficiency and Reducing Costs
The deployment of Apex’s ProTrak technology resulted in transformative outcomes for PLOS, allowing it to keep pace with the growing demands of scientific publishing:
- Faster Publication Times: PLOS was able to reduce the publication time for every journal article by up to 30 days, significantly enhancing its speed to market.
- Reduced Production Costs: The improvements in efficiency and workflow management led to a 25% reduction in per-article production costs, delivering a substantial boost to ROI.
- Higher Acceptance Rates: The first-proof acceptance rate increased to 85%, positioning PLOS well ahead of its competitors in terms of both efficiency and quality.
- Sustained High Volume: With ProTrak, PLOS now manages more than 2,000 articles in its production stream at any given time, publishing over 20,000 scientific articles annually.
The introduction of ProTrak not only addressed the immediate challenges of workflow inefficiency and lack of visibility but also laid the foundation for ongoing improvements in speed, cost-efficiency, and quality.
