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Project outline plan

The Project will adopt a ‘pilot service-in-development’ approach building on a sequence of iterations. We expect to go though a number of cycles of user-engagement, development, advocacy and dissemination. This will allow the Project to respond to the changing repository environment.

The Project will have a Project Steering Group, a Project Implementation Team and a User Focus Group. See the Project structure for the respective roles and membership of these groups.

The Project started 1st October 2007 and will have five main phases.

Phase 1: Start up and initiation, months 1 - 2
This phase will essentially initiate the project. We will establish the project's overall management structure, agree the strategy outlined in this document and setup lines and methods of communication.
Phase 2: Establish a pilot repository and functional demonstrators, months 3 - 8
Work in months three to eight will focus on implementing and piloting basic repository functions. We will implement a set of scenarios and demonstrators of 'real-world' relevance and value. These will provide demonstration materials for subsequent advocacy efforts, and provide a reference point for capturing user requirements and assessing user expectations.
Phase 3: Scale-up repository services, months 9 - 14
During Phase 3, the project will aim to expand the content stored in the repository and establish working practices. We will scale-up the infrastructure as required, establish and begin monitoring usage, and make deposited content fdlly available to other university systems. We expect a Support Network to form during this phase. Towards the end of Phase 3 we expect to be in a position to advertise widely the repository’s availability and functionality, encouraging self-archiving and enabling individual researchers (who have had not prior contact with the Project) to directly interact with the repository.
Phase 4: Monitor, review and revise repository services, months 15 - 21
This phase will, monitor, review and revise the repository services. This will leverage the support network established in Phase 3. Operational practises established in Phase 3 will be reviewed and refined based on experiences and user feedback. During the early to mid part of this phase, it may be appropriate for the University to mandate on the use of the repository. Also, we expect to significantly increase advocacy and communication efforts during this period. To further support the uptake of the repository, we will enhance the interoperability with internal systems and enable interoperability with external systems.
Phase 5: Project closure and handover to service, months 22 - 24
The primary focus of this final phase will be to ensure the smooth transition of the project's deliverables to a sustainable service

Within each phase there may be multiple development iterations. Iterations will be planned and managed in response to a set of prioritised requirements as agreed with the Steering Group. An evaluation will be conducted at the end of an iteration which will inform subsequent developments.