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Boosting the capabilities in managing advanced software development and delivering enhanced digital products

Executive Summary

Challenge: The client needed to boost capabilities in managing advanced software development and developing enhanced digital products. It needed an experienced, expert advisor that was not afraid to suggest alternative paths.

Approach: Our collaboration began by expanding Cambridge Core. The Press also launched Cambridge Open Engage. We became a strong voice in changing current systems and designing new ones and we continue to support and develop processes and code for various platforms.

Result: Cambridge University Press & Assessment brought ideas to life, creating and enhancing platforms that are specially crafted to client’s unique mission and changing customer demands.

Table of Contents

About the client

As the oldest university press in the world, Cambridge University Press is committed to sharing knowledge as widely as possible across the globe.

Cambridge University Press (the Press) is the academic publishing group of Cambridge University Press & Assessment, itself a part of the University of Cambridge, one of the world’s leading research and education institutions.

The Press publishes over 2,500 books each year for distribution in over 200 countries, and over 380 peer-reviewed academic journals across a variety of subject areas. Many of these journals are the leading academic publications in their fields and together form one of the most valuable and comprehensive bodies of research available.

The Press is focused on the changing needs of its customers, with ongoing investment in digital products and services, and in new, innovative learning and research solutions to help students, researchers and academics around the globe unlock their potential.

Business challenge

In January 2020, CUP&A approached us to help grow the capabilities of its Academic technology team, in particular to boost its capabilities in managing advanced software development and in developing its enhanced digital products. It was also looking for an experienced, expert advisor that was not afraid to suggest alternative ways of doing things.

1.6 mln +

journal articles on Cambridge Core

36,000 +

books on Cambridge Core

Scope of work

Our collaboration began by expanding the capabilities of Cambridge Core, the platform that brings together CUP&A’s academic books and journals publishing. With over 1.6 million journal articles and 36,000+ books, Cambridge Core is the place to find valuable, useful, and inspirational research and academic information.

Starting with six dedicated engineers, the collaboration now includes 19 members of Future Processing’s team.

Most recently, CUP&A launched Cambridge Open Engage, its early and open content and collaboration platform. Developed in-house with Future Processing and in consultation with researchers, the platform expands on the technology behind Cambridge Core to publish early and open research outputs.

Working with Future Processing’s highly specialised IT software development advisory team, CUP&A were able to build bespoke software, to ensure all content is open, free to the reader and free for the author to upload.

Working with the Future Processing team has been a great experience. They’ve done a fabulous job of integrating with our teams and played a big part in getting some of our key initiatives delivered on time.

We look forward to strengthening the relationship further in 2021 and to working in partnership to achieve even more for our customers.

Cambridge_Carolyn-Robson
Carolyn Robson
Academic Technology Director, Cambridge University Press & Assessment

Introducing digital innovation

Over time, Future Processing’s experts became a strong voice in changing current systems and designing new ones.

Together, we are exploring new fields and technologies where we can collaborate, like Site Reliability Engineering or User Experience Design.

The team of Future Processing’s engineers continues to support and develop the processes and coding for the different platforms to ensure they remain fully responsive, stable, and intuitive, improving user experience.

Cambridge University Press_screen

Benefits of our partnership

CUP&A’s ability to meet the changing needs of customers and the requirements of the fast-paced digital world depends on its new products and services.

Working closely with Future Processing has helped CUP&A to bring its ideas to life, creating and enhancing platforms that are specially crafted to its unique mission and changing customer demands.

CUP&A has also benefited from new expertise, with the team offering specialist advice throughout the course of different projects.

Future Processing brought a host of technical skills to the table – as industry experts, they helped CUP&A to make the most of opportunities emerging from software development, advanced software development and improved search engines.

Watch the interview

Nik Louch Deputy Director, Academic Technology Group from Cambridge University Press & Assessment discusses three important reasons why his organisation decided to expand its hybrid software development model with additional capablities.

Play Video about video_Cambridge_University_Press

Building long-term partnerships

Looking to the future, Future Processing will continue to deliver ongoing support and software maintenance for CUP&A’s existing applications, to ensure they are updated and available for customers’ changing requirements.

Building a long term and well-integrated partnership is of the utmost importance.

CUP&A will continue to use Future Processing as expert consultants, meaning the team will keep abreast of future technology trends to make the best decisions on software that will evolve with Press.

It’s difficult to put into words how pleasantly you can be surprised when you talk to your future partner about an ideal partnership and, after some time, you realise this ideal partnership is happening for real.

My dedication to our partnership with CUP is propelled by this mutual respect that our teams have.

Cambridge_Pawel_Pozdzial
Paweł Poździał
Team Leader, Future Processing

Technologies used in the project