Brian Cody, Scholastica Co-Founder and CEO, discusses how to spot digital optimization opportunities in peer review and employ Agile project management principles to make iterative process improvements throughout the year. Brian overviews how the concept of “Agile” project management originated in software development, as a way to break large projects into more manageable chunks, and how journals can apply Agile project management principles to peer review audits and updates using real case studies.

1. Identifying digital
optimization areas in peer
review and making Agile
improvements
Brian Cody, Scholastica Co-Founder and CEO

2. ❏ Overview of Agile principles and how they apply to journal
management
❏ Examples of Agile peer review process updates (case studies)
❏ Using actionable metrics to identify iterative improvements
Learning objectives:

3. Iterative improvements
Overview of Agile principles and how they apply
to journal management

4. “TL;DR for Agile + journals:
Solve a single problem,
get the benefit now,
iterate

5. “
Won't solve all your problems -
and it won't solve people.

6. Agile project management origins: software development

7. “
Traditionally, project management involved scoping a project and [...]
planning and execution happened sequentially, and left little room for
modifications or adjustments. Using Agile, you are encouraged to
think resources and time first in order to start making progress toward
your goals today.
- Agile Project Management: Tips & Tools for the Editorial Office,
American Journal Experts (AJE)

8. “
Reducing time to delivery by developing in
smaller incremental chunks and incorporating
an ability to pivot is the cornerstone of Agile
software development methodology.
- https://riskspan.com/news-insight-blog/a-brief-introduction-to-agile-philos
ophy/

9. Agile vs waterfall, team and individual psychology
Agile
◎ Pro: "This is a clear
improvement that
gives benefit now!"
◎ Con: “But there's still
all of these other
problems we didn't
solve!”
Waterfall
◎ Pro: "We really need to
figure out the full
solution and details.”
◎ Con: "We’re never
going to have time or
buy-in to implement
the full plan."

10. Think about a “life-changing” New Year’s resolution

11. Think about approaching that same resolution iteratively

12. DON’T:
Determine all of the updates you’ll
make to “improve efficiency” and
exactly how you’ll make them.
Get overwhelmed by all the
complications and personality
challenges
Applying Agile principles to peer review audits and updates
DO:
Decide on improvement goals to
iteratively work towards to become
more efficient.
Identify concrete benefits and ways
to “ship” them to your team

13. Editorial teams putting
Agile into action
Examples of Agile peer review process updates

14. Publisher 1:
Not enough staff time to do everything well
Challenges:
◎ Staff time limited and journal is
one of many project
◎ LOTS of manuscripts to
assign/track across editors
◎ Manually organizing files and
folders, Excel sheet tracking
◎ Tons of time spent organizing
emails and making sure
nothing missed

15. Solutions
1. Manuscript tagging system in
place of Excel/folders
2. Automatic email organization
This did NOT solve all of their
challenges - but did free up SOME
time.
Agile improvements based on current time and resources

16. Publisher 2:
Tracking assignments and tasks is chaotic
Challenges:
◎ Editors spread across global time
zones
◎ Managing editor had multiple task
lists and Excel docs for tracking
◎ Multiple email threads for every
manuscript
◎ Managing editor felt awkward
“nudging” editors so frequently

17. Agile improvement based on current time and resources
Solutions:
Worked with Scholastica to develop a
shared todo list system:
◎ Transparent task assignments
(social pressure)
◎ Updating and communicating
became one step, not two
◎ Software helped “nudge” editors
Could use free team apps like HITASK to
achieve similar end

18. Publisher 3:
Too many tools/systems for publisher to manage well
Challenges:
◎ Journals have different
wants/needs, inherit software
◎ Scattered teams and levels of
publisher support
◎ Publisher and peer review
managers learning and
supporting multiple systems

19. Agile improvement based on current time and resources
Solutions:
◎ Gradual tool/system consolidation
◎ Identified smaller number of
tools/systems that could work for
different journal needs
◎ Approached transitions gradually
working with small groups of
journals
Did NOT get down to one platform for
everything - but did have fewer platforms
to learn/support

20. Data-driven
improvements
Using actionable metrics to identify iterative
improvements

21. “
Don’t make a policy change until you have carefully
studied current data. I always say anecdote is the enemy
of effective office management.
- Jason Roberts, Senior Partner at Origin Editorial

22. Look for bottlenecks in your peer review process and try and identify one
improvement that will clearly add value
Some examples:
◎ Speeding up editor assignment/desk review process
◎ Reducing time spent on technical checks
◎ Streamlining editor/author/review communication
Find a concrete problem

23. Determine your top efficiency areas to address
Some examples:
◎ Recurring manual tasks
◎ Gaps in editor communication
◎ Frequent tool/task switching

24. 1. Identify one
improvement that
clearly adds value
and work on that.
Making Agile data-driven improvements
2. Determine
actionable metrics
you will track (data
should help answer
questions, not just
result in a number).
3. Track progress on
a regular basis and
determine iterative
next steps.

25. Make metrics transparent and visible daily, not just once a year

26. ❏ Overview of Agile principles and how they apply to journal
management
❏ Examples of Agile peer review process updates (case studies)
❏ Using actionable metrics to identify iterative improvements
Learning objectives:

27. THANKS!
Twitter: @briancody
Email: bcody@scholasticahq.com