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In November 2002, DSpace was initially announced as an out-of-the-box "institutional repository software platform" (see DSpace 1.0 release announcement). While that basic goal has not changed, the common needs and use cases of an "institutional repository" have changed significantly in the last decade or so.  Therefore, this goal is oriented towards striving to retain DSpace's niche while revitalizing it to meet current and future use cases associated with the modern repository platform.

• Action 1A: Verify and validate the needs of a "modern institutional repository". This is instrumental in formalizing the value proposition of DSpace.
  
  • This activity has already begun part of the 2014 Vision Survey and Use Case gathering by DCAT. However, the gathered use cases are still being analyzed and prioritized.
• Action 1B: Survey the community on Technology Roadmap / drafted feature rankings
  
  • Ranking of features or validation of our Technology Roadmap
  • Also an opportunity to possibly gather volunteers for specific feature projects
• Action 1C: Identify minimum set of functionality/features for 'IR-core' and refactor codebase to provide this. This core may not be functional as-is, since it may require plugins that aren't extensions (e.g. authN)

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To be "lean", the DSpace technology platform should avoid duplicative functionality except where necessary to meet use cases or achieve "flexibility" goals.  Where unnecessary duplicative functionality already exists, the technology team should choose a "best option" solution, or propose building a new solution when a "best option" does not exist.

• Action 2A: Converge on a single, out-of-the-box user interface (UI). DSpace will no longer be released with multiple User Interfaces (JSPUI vs XMLUI).  A single user interface should be developed as DSpace's out-of-the-box UI. Early discussions on the requirements of this single UI (and some brainstormed candidates) are at Brainstorms on a Future UI.
• Action 2B: Converge on a single, out-of-the-box search/browse system.  DSpace will only support Apache Solr for search/browse, and the older, deprecated Lucene and DB search/browse system should be removed.
• Action 2C: Converge on a single, built-in statistical engine. DSpace will only support a single, built-in statistical engine (based on Apache Solr), and support for Elastic Search statistics should removed or migrated to an optional module. Support for Google Analytics will be retained, as it's an optional integration with an external statistics engine.
• Action 2D: Develop a basic User Interface "style / layout guide". In order to ensure a consistent user experience across all pages/features within the User Interface, we should provide basic guidelines for layout and styling of common page elements, etc. Examples may include basic guidelines for how errors/warnings/notices should be displayed, what class(es) to use for types of buttons, etc.

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There will obviously be limitations to what DSpace can and should do, so we need to have ways to support plugins/addons/extensions to that core functionality. Not all users of DSpace will need to achieve the same set of Use Cases, so we will need to define which are "core" and which would be better implemented as plugins/extensions (either centrally supported or third-party supported).

• Action 3A: Define a family of specifications/interfaces/tooling for 'implementation' plugins (like authN, storage, persistent ID services, etc).
• Action 3B: Define a family of specifications/interfaces for functional extensions to 'IR-core' DSpace ( working title: 'modules'), and refactor existing bundled code to conform to new model (if appropriate/cost-effective). 
• Action 3C: Provide infrastructure/tools for a module registry, where users can discover, and install modular extensions. Likely include both modules maintained by committers and community contributions.
• Action 3D: Devise a flexible but rigorous system of versioning all components (core, module, etc) where compatibility requirements can be checked/enforced by the build/deploy tools.
• Action 3E: Define and expose new interfaces (in 'IR-core' DSpace and possibly modules) to allow local customized code to run: 'integration points'.
• Action 3F: (Highly dependent on UI architectural work) Provide a user-discoverable registry/library of user interface templates (working title: 'themes'), that can be installed and adapted for local use. 

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To provide easy and out of the box integration aspects with external services in the following areas:

• Action 4A: Ingest Support ingest of complete metadata records (items) from external services, with or without files. External services may include: CrossRef, DataCite, PubMed, ORCID works, SHARE, etc.

• Action 4B:  Consume Provide the ability to consume external authority control sources to enrich specific metadata fields fields.  External authority control services may include: ORCID or VIVO for author/contributor data, Fundref for funder metadata, Sherpa Romeo for Publisher OA policies information, etc.

• Action 4C: Expose DSpace metadata and content to external services. Allowing pushing metadata and content to external APIs, or allowing external services to harvest (pull) information from a DSpace repository. For example, DSpace content should be made available to Europeana, OpenAIRE, RIOXX compliant harvesters (UK), SHARE

• Action 4D: Expose DSpace usage data to external services.

• Action 4E: Integrate with external Authentication and Single Sign on services. Examples may include: UK Federation, OpenAthens, OpenID, Google/Facebook/Linkedin/ORCID authentication

• Action 4F: Integrate with external services providing identifiers (handleHandle, DOI, datacite DataCite, ...)
• Action 4G: Integrate with external storage and backup services (DuracloudDuraCloud, Amazon Glacier/S3, Arkivum, Archivematica, ...)

To integrate with parallel projects and initiatives (fedora, hydra, islandora) we first need to pin down the use cases of what those integrations will bring to DSpace, or what these will bring to the other platforms. They currently do not fit immediately in any of these five areas.

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DSpace should be easy to install without requiring Java development expertise, to configure without requiring server access, and to monitor from within the application. Basic configuration options, including the look and feel and selecting themes should be accessible from within the DSpace online administration area.

• Action 5A: Improve and simplify the installation experience for DSpace. This may include, but is not limited to...
  • Investigate download, packaging and installation tools for Java web applications to make it easier to build a working system. (What do similar systems use?)
  • Examine options for lightweight installation, with most configuration taking place from the web interface upon first use (see for example WordPress, etc)
• Action 5B: Improve and assist with the upgrade experience for DSpace, especially in terms of simplifying the management of local customizations (branding, custom themes, etc). This may include, but is not limited to...
  • Investigate options to assist with upgrades (for example highlighting changes from core code or configurations)
• Action 5C: Make configuration and basic theming an easier experience for hosted or low-cost deployments by migrating most options to the administrative interface. Some examples include..
  • Move configuration of basic theme configuration options (colours, logo) into administrative interface;
  • Allow most configurations to be edited (and refreshed) from the administrative interface
• Action 5D: Ensure data is never solely stored in "transient" technologies (e.g. Solr indexes or other such indexes) where it could be accidentally corrupted or lost. All DSpace data should be stored in a stable, persistent data storage system (e.g. database, filesystem), and then indexed from that location into tools like Solr, etc.
• Action 5E: Provide recommendations around scaling and load-balancing large DSpace instances.
• Action 5F: Provide administrators with additional system reporting features within the UI. Example use cases may include..
  • Alert administrators when new upgrades are available
  • Alert administrators when common system issues or misconfigurations are encountered (e.g. "Solr is not accessible / working", "assetstore is unavailable / unattached", "space in assetstore is low");

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