-sist project – scientific and technical information system presentation of the sist device

-SIST project – Scientific and Technical Information System

Presentation of the SIST Device


Table of Contents

1 – General Principles of the SIST Tool 2 – Fast Visit to the website3 – Technical Composition of the device4 – Few SIST device key components5 – Perspectives, evolutions


1 – General Principles of the SIST Tool


Initial Objectives :

• Improve upon and share knowledge and experiences

• Value extraction of obtained or on-going findings

• Build regional research networks

• Incorporate African research in international mainstream

• Contribute to the narrowing of the digital divide

Constraints:

• Fast implementation

• Operational, simple and pragmatique device

• Technical, functional and financial autonomy of countries after the project

• A geometrically variable structure that is transferable to the rest of African countries

1 - General Principles of

the SIST Tool


SIST in some key ideas …

• A window of national and regional scientific activity on the Web

• A catalyst for scientific production• A communication tool and an exchange point

between research stakeholders • An operational workspace for researchers and

lecturers• A device to capitalise initiatives and co-operation

projects


the SIST Tool


Some Common Sense Rules to be observed

• Autonomy• a tool for the South managed by the South, technically, functionallly and

financially autonomous. • Simplicity, economy of means

• Consult the information directly at its source once that is possible• If not, minimise the work of the donor body, opt systematically for an

automated process of collection.• SIST is a system of access to meta data which provide reference to information

rather than a centralised reservoir.• Complementarity

• SIST adds value to the devices already existing in the country, it complements them, extracts their value without competing with them.

• Sustainability• SIST relies on sustainable technology which relies on open bases and used by

a larger community than that of the.• Assistance

• SIST, an accompaning vector for computarizing African institutions rather than a constraint.

• Recomending free software for informatisation


the SIST Tool



the SIST Tool

Possible functional response

Find the information

(access to electronic resources )

Tools/Services(Tools Box for Research)

Exchange(Collaborative Work ) Make it known

(Publish, disseminate on the Web)

Which information tool to use?• Not really an information system in the strictest sense of the word

• A gateway, a tools box, a system of publication on the Web: diverse functions but rarely certified under the same tool

• A simple use, less complicated tools, easy to handle

SIST• Capitalise existing scientific deposits

• Open access to sources of information from the North

• Simplify and improve upon the use of new ICTs

• Facilitate exchanges and communication among research stakeholders

• Stimulate scientific production, etc ….



the SIST Tool

SIST and modularity

Integration of partners solutions

Federated Research

Other SISTGateway

Managementof

Website

Collaborative WorkTools

Local Storageand

indexationof data

Local Information Extraction

Free ToolsAccompanimentComputerisation

• Integration of already existing solutions

• Independent and evolutive block software

• A « flexible » ground which is adapted to diverse material and software contexts

• the choice of free software : cost free use of solution, opened up to improvement


2 – Fast Visit to the Website


Guided visit according to different types of user

• The researcher, the lecturer– Find accurate information– Get informed on general scientific topics– Exchange, share skills

• The decision maker– Access to national overall

• The student– Train himself, learn, discover ICT and STI– Contribute to research

• The project team– Present, publish, display results– Manage the project and its resources

2 – Fast Visit to

the Website


Guided visit according to different types of user (« tools » translation of the visit)

• The researcher, the lecturer– Federated search of information– On line scientific news and documentary files– Discussion fora

• The decision maker– National directories and federated search on institutional

directories

• The student– The workstation of the scientist– Discussion fora

• The project team– Mini web sites design

2 – Fast Visit to

the Website


3 – Technical composition of the device


Generator of

mini W

ebsites

Outline of SIST Website

Set of partner databases

tools

SIST is a tool to be configured which contains:

• an outline of a Website (tree diagram, sections, menus, pages sizes …)• tools available in the tree diagram and reusable at one ’s own leisure time (forum, research, syndication…)• a meta search engine and its administrative interface• access to a first game of sources data from partners• a collaborative work space (a generator of mini Websites within SIST)

Work station

of the Scientist

Collaborative Work Space

3 – Technical composition of

the device


A template of the SIST site to be completed and personalised

Delivered :• A complete structure of the Web site (Arborescence, menus,

sections, articles, browsing…)• A SIST graphic charter • Web page templates (editorial, article, list, table of contents…)• Reusable Tools (forum, form, syndication …)• STI resources connected and put at the disposal by partners

To be accomplished :• Personalising the structure according to national needs (themes)• Identifying and connecting national or international STI resources• Producing and adding contents to the sections of the site


the device



the device

Linux

Federated R

esearchM

odule SPIP-AGORA-SIST

Server Network

SPIP-AGORA

• a modular device in layers

• totally open

• usable for other functions

outside the SIST context

Apache MySql Php

Size of SIST Website

Diverse Websites

Changes in SIST Websites

National SIST Website

www.sist-sciencesdev.?? Users

Decision-Making Committee

Computer Scientists

Webmasters

Variable ElementsElements of Free SoftwareElements added by SIST to the free Software

Local Databases

Scientists


A free Software• SPIP-AGORA is a manager of «improved» contents• SPIP-AGORA is a free project since it is an extension of SPIP

A purely non commercial vocationInitiated by the Government Information Service (SIG)

• Disseminated not only within the State (Prime ministerial, ministerial, deconcentrated administrative Services …) but far beyond: territorial authorities, public institutions, associated sector, private enterprises …• Uses expanded technologies: linux, apache, MySQL, Php …• Portable and adaptable to all technical configurations of our African partners• Governmental sites : agora.gouv.fr, retraites.gouv.fr, forum.gouv.fr, europe.gouv.fr yet to come: équipement.gouv.fr, diplomatie.gouv.fr, environement.gouv.fr

Recognised partners• Braillenet, ANPE, ADULLACT (association des développeurs et utilisateurs de logiciels libres pour les administrations et les collectivités territoriales), ADAE (Agency for development of electronic administration)


the device


The Advantages

• Free of charge: No licence required, no maintenance charge• A multi faceted solution (variable Geometry)• Multiple and free Contributions• Total Opening up of the device• Current IT Standards, no specific skills required• Possible multiple uses outside SIST• No Computer team specially dedicated during the time of the project

The Disadvantages

• product development linked with community dynamism

• little or no technical assistance (Installation, changing a version, contextual problems…)

• less rigidity than it is with a commercial software (quality of IT product code )


the device


Structured choices:

– compatible with all the browsers (html standard) even the former versions– compatible with even the former materials (dynamically reconfigured screens)– solution (almost) independent of the material– sober, very few pictures, the Html pages are light and adapted to weak networks– integrated and user-friendly tools (forum, search engine, forms, syndication of site …)– fast manipulation, a site for surfers in hurry! (no expert mode)– fast priority and fast response time (principle of federated research)– an open solution where nothing is fixed– a technical choice according to the standards of current skills in computer science– a financial autonomy, organisational, functional and technical device even after the project


the device



the device

12 personalizable national SIST

• A stable common element between every national SIST

• Possibility to add nationalspecific needs to that common element

1 central SIST

• Gateway to national SIST

• Provide with shared and international informations

CountrySite

Web Site

SIST ProjectWebsite

SharedSections

Scientistoffice

Specificsections

Federatedsearch

Nationalproject

websites

E-Workspace

Inter-nationalproject

websites

NationalCentralizeddatabases

Localstorage

InternationalCentralizeddatabases

COUNTRYSIST

CENTRALSIST

Sharedresources

Nationalresources

Gateway +Shared

Informations

x 12

x 1


4 – Few SIST device key components

SIST web site templateThe work station of the scientist

The federated search moduleScientific news on-line

The e-Workspace


SIST web site template


A Standardised national web site template with four entry points :

• SIST : General information on the SIST project and on the way it goes on in the country

– Information on the SIST project– Precisions on the national structures and actions linked to the SIST device– Description of the SIST partners

• STI in XXXXX : summary of the national resources in Scientific and Technical Information

– The Directory of national institutions and international representations– The Directory of national experts – Access to databases of national STI projects– Access to national scientific production on line



• The work station of the scientist (scientist office) : resources and tools which can be used in the daily work of the scientist.

The work of the scientist can be modelled in the form of situation. Each situation (Searching for information, Publishing, to be informed ....) is described as a real documentary file which brings together the entire necessary means of answering the context of the situation.

• Collaborative space (e-Workspace) : This part of the Website is meant for the project teams or network of experts who wish to have a platform to work and collaborate. It is a question of real mini Website within the SIST site.

Without knowledge in computer science, a team is able to develop a communication, exchange and work site with the same tools that like those presented and used in the SIST site.



The workstation of the scientist


The workstation of the scientist• An approach « everything on the table »• a digital working environment• tools• methodologies / scenarios for putting in place project and activities • sources of validated scientific information

putting at the disposal by SIST partners or one selection of web sites strongly identified with scientific contents by the partners



The workstation of the scientist, a first outline

Sections linked to the research process and illustrated in the following first sections:

• Researching• Exchanging• Publishing• Training oneself• Keep informed

Offering a definition of the perimeter of the action, sites and reference documents with putting forward aspects linked to the open access and the open source

A tool box for research, a teaching tool for education



The federated search module


Reminders of some SIST objectives :• SIST is a system of increase in value of existing scientific funds in countries where it is

established• SIST facilitates access to international databases of partners• SIST is a simple and pragmatic tool • SIST is a system of quick referencing of STI and not a storage system• SIST is evolutionary and must be able to quickly take into account the evolution of

national scientific production • SIST handles STI in a broad perspective : universality and multi themes

A technical response : the federated search module• Address any STI source form whatever its nature, type and format• A very simple interface similar to that of «Google »• A standardization of results• The display of meta data but the possibility to access the information as a whole• Short response time• A very flexible management, making it possible to add new sources to query




Result 2

SISTCountry A

Organ B

Agency E University CResearch Centre D

Library F

Institution A

SISTCountry B

Website

Website

database

database

databasedatabase

Whole Text

Whole Text

database

FederatedSearch Module

database Website Full Text SIST

?

Résult3

Result 1

Result 2

Original source link

Connectors

Meta Data Question


A connector per type of data source Presently, the SIST has the following

connectors:

• on-line databases• Scientific websites• Full text storage • Other SIST devices• « Partner » sources



On-line databases

• Each database accessible on the WEB and having a questionnaire

• More generally, any resource located on the Web and which can be found and displayed via a Web form

Observations: 1 - Some specific forms (ownership products ) cannot be linked to SIST via this connector.2 – Accessible databases can also be the one managed from a central point by the SIST (catalogues, directories…)



Scientific Websites

• Any scientific Website whose contents are deemed to be relevant to the SIST

The contents of the identified websites are then periodically indexed by the SIST

Observation: Do not index outrageously to limit the noise. Make reasonable choices of indexed sites.



Full text storage

• Any location accessible through an URL and containing documents in most of the classical formats (Word, PDF, Excel …)

The content of these documents are then periodically indexed by the SIST

Observation : The same observation as that of the Websites on the need to make reasoned choices of indexation.



Other SIST devices

• All the national SIST have an entry point that allows them to respond to a query from another SIST

The search criteria sent by the calling SIST are then transmitted to all resources selected by default on the called SIST.

Observation: SIST become a NETWORK composed of 12 national SIST and a central SIST(sharing of CPU time, possible access to a great number of

VALIDATED scientific resources)



Partner sources

• Within the scope of conventions related to the SIST projects, partners can provide with specific « SIST » access to their resources.

These forms of access are quicker and more reliable than normal connections and moreover, they generally help to be more specific in the search.

Observation : We tend to gradually generalize these forms of access vis a vis of project partners



Advantages of the federated search device• Only one question to cover a large panel of resources• Quick « the sooner answered, the sooner displayed »• crosses all kinds of STI forms • Does not bother about data formats• New sources easily connectable • Possibility to create new connectors (adaptability)• Respects data ownership • No necessary intervention from the source owner• Work as a network of national SISTs and central SIST

Disadvantages• No sorting according to relevance• A lot of noise (whole text search)• Possible “doublons”• Potential fragility of connectors « Online databases »



Scientific news on-line


Objectives:

• Regularly inform scientists on news relating to identified topics

Constraints:

• The scientist seldom has time to browse the net

• It is not always possible to mandate someone to search for information

• Information only has value when it is fresh

• Information only has value for a short period

SIST response :

• An aggregator of RSS lines



RSS lines and syndication• The term RSS (Really Simple Syndication) indicates a structuring

convention of files that guarantees their dissemination, in a greater number, in a comprehensible format (we talk of « syndication of content »)

• It is a particular text file whose content is automatically generated (except for special cases) according to the update of a website.

• This content is left to the free choice of the flow producer, but it is generally made up of update titles (for example: « new promotion »), corresponding hypertext links, and the description , in a few lines, of these updates (for example: « prices sacrificed on the memory for three days. Take advantage of that » ).

Observation: This mechanism is very popular for dissemination of news by editors and producers of content.



SIST and syndication• Identify the subjects of priority according to the needs of

countries where SIST exists.

• Locate RSS lines which can bring a relevant news on the topics (RSS directories like http://www.lamoooche.fr/, http://www.retronimo.com/annuaire-rss.php, http://www.rssfeeds.com/, http://www.syndic8.com/ …)

• These topics are therefore presented in the form of sections in the section “Scientist office>Keep informed>Scientific news”

• Every topic becomes a “centraliser” of RSS lines which is responsible for gathering the day ’s scientific news and package them in a user-friendly manner

• Generally, news has a link with the whole article




Scientific news

Topic 1 Topic 1

Web Site A

RSS Lines RSS Lines RSS Lines

Topic 1

Web Site A

Web Site AWeb Site A

Web Site A

News 1

News 2

News 3

News 1 News1

News 2


Collaborative work space


Objectives :

• Sharing of knowledge beyond geographical barriers becomes a priority for Research

• Scientists should be able to benefit from new ICTs

• The efficiency and fastness of projects or networks of expertise go through a collaborative work space

Constraints to be tackled : • Rapid implementation, limited time for learning, no computer

language skills

• Sites hosting

• Maintenance and development of the site during the project time

• Needs become rapidly complex (forum, survey, on line publishing …)



What SIST offers with the collaborative workspace

• An information space dedicated to a project team at the time of the project

• A generator of mini- websites who enables the creation of HTML pages developed with any knowledge in computer

• A tool box enabling, among other things, creation of discussion For a, opinion polls, on line publication of articles, workflows, site syndication, federated research, establishing of electronic libraries...

• Access to multiples resources made available by the partners



A collaborative work platform that can be personalised to:

• Present a project on the Internet

• Display on the web research works and findings

• Build an electronic project library

• Establish a resource centre (on line topical news, federated research on identified sources, discussion forum, polls, directory of experts... )

• Manage the project (planning, agenda …)

• Exchange (on line publication with validation workflow )

• Contribute to SIST (creation of databases which can be queried by the SIST)



5 – Perspectives, evolutions


The main developments considered are :

• Automated dissemination of SIST site contents to other websites ( creation of RSS lines)

• Device for selective information dissemination (from a recorded research equation, periodic dissemination of results via the message system, via RSS lines, or via the supply of web pages on the SIST.

• Harvesting of OAI (collection OAI metadata and exploitation via federated research module)

• Creation of centralised directory of experts

• Access control mechanism for sensitive database (Hinari, Agora)

• New connectors to the federated research ( LDAP directory)

• Improving the federated research module (post research relevant sorting, removal of “doublons”...)

• Exportation of federated research findings under other formats (XML, Word, Excel, Endnote …)

• Putting in place Blog and wiki tools in the collaborative work space

5 – Perspectives, evolutions


Questions ?

Prototype : sist-prototype.sist-sciencesdev.netProject website : www.sist-sciencesdev.net

[email protected] [email protected]

[email protected]@cirad.fr

-sist project – scientific and technical information system presentation of the sist device

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