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An Agent Framework for Intranet Document Management

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Abstract

Document management inside an organization is a complex and broadly scoped problem. This paper approaches the technical and social issues of Intranet document management by developing a straightforward document lifecycle model consisting of five phases: creation, publication, organization, access, and destruction. A document management system (DMS) which encompasses these areas should also have an evaluation component so its effectiveness can be measured.

The document lifecycle is visualized as a waterfall model to help explore the discrete phases of an idealized Intranet DMS. The discussion of this model pinpoints where traditional DMS have fallen short, most notably in the areas of user-to-user and user-to-evaluator communication and coordination.

From the document lifecycle, we derive an agent framework to integrate technical and social considerations and guide the design, implementation, and evaluation of a flexible and efficient DMS. The lifecycle model and agent framework are useful to organize both technical and social perspectives in this area.

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Ginsburg, M. An Agent Framework for Intranet Document Management. Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems 2, 271–286 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1010012406205

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