Research Framework

As the Publishing Domain is defined through the different activities and the resulting profiles involved in the act of publishing today, the Research Framework explains the issues that the Out of Ink project aims to investigate. From the Main Issues – which are the core topics of the research – some Sub-questions are generated. Both the Main Issues and the Sub-questions are references for the Questionnaire for the interviews.

Main issues

Book form and content translation across print and digital medium

Tools and software in all the steps of the publishing practice

Digital environment and new possibilities for collaborative practices

Reading experience, content access & usability

Digital technology shaping the publishing cycle

New publishing platforms, self-publishing & social networks

Changing roles in publishing

Ideologies in the publishing process, commons & open source culture

Sub-questions

How does the book’s form and content change due to digital processes?

Where does the difference between a book and an e-book reside?

How is the traditional book changed after the digital shift in publishing?

In which ways cna traditional publishing and digital publishing coexist and intertwine?

What is the state of the research on publishing tools and devices?

Which kinds of tools are still needed?

How can the developments in tools and devices affect all the different publishing practices?

Can each publishing practice contribute to the research on tools and devices, and how?

Can the digital environment offer more opportunities to collaborative practices in publishing?

Which are the practices, software and tools that can enable collaboration in publishing?

How are roles of the author and of the editor changing?

How is the reading experience changing in the digital environment?

Which are the main problems in content access and usability?

Are the current devices and software good for reading?

Which are the main steps in the making of an e-book and what are the main differences between print and digital books?

Which are the main changes in the distribution trends due to the rise of the digital book?

What is the economic value of the printed book in the digital era?

Is a digital book cheaper than a paper one in the production?

What is the main impact of the free sharing in the publishing market?

Did book production increase since the digital revolution?

How can the book and the e-book interact with each other in a very diversified market?

Who will be the lead characters in the publishing market?

What new platforms are available for publishing?

How is self-publishing changing the trends of the publishing practice?

Does the self-publishing practice enhance democracy in information and knowledge?

What is the relation between self-publishers, corporate and small publishers?

Which are the new forms of networks and communities created by the book’s sharing activities?

Is the instant on-demand replication causing an increase of knowledge production?

How are traditional roles breaking down?

How are the different professionals now interacting in the making of a book?

Which are the new professions involved in the publishing practice?

How do the ideology of commons and open source culture filter into the publishing process and content?

Do the Internet and the digital environment enable free sharing of information?

How does the open source culture enhance collaboration in publishing?

Is standardization becoming compulsory even within open access models of publishing?

Are the open source tools for publishing accessible?

Go to the Questionnaire