Quality assurance in journal editorial processes

Abstract

Many of the techniques that are used in business to improve quality could be applied to scholarly journals to improve those processes that are under the editor’s control. Improving quality involves a number of steps: Identifying the key performance indicators (KPI) that determine quality for your customers; Documenting your procedures; Doing what you say you will do; Monitoring the KPIs and Continually reviewing the procedures to improve quality. This can lead to a beneficial re-examination of the relationships between the different participants (actors) in the publication system. This article examines how editors (in all subject disciplines) can maintain and improve the quality of their journals by adopting a systematic approach to quality improvement. The article forms part of a resource on Journal Quality that is being developed for the International Society of Managing and Technical Editors (ISMTE). Together with a set of worksheets it gives editorial staff an opportunity to relate the techniques to their own journal and to produce an action plan that they can take back to their editorial office.