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Steps: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |   Step Seven: Defining the Editorial Process   The editorial process for an online encyclopedia both parallels and extends the one used for a print encyclopedia. The major difference lies in the status of the information, not in its essential or fundamental characteristics. Once developed, information in a printed volume becomes fixed; by definition, the development cycle for information in an online environment is continuous and dynamic. The static nature of printed information means that quality control and quality assurance, once completed, ceases to be an issue for editorial oversight. The dynamic nature of information in the electronic environment means that quality control becomes a paramount concern of an online encyclopedia, especially when the information is not developed directly but indirectly through links under the control of an external party. In another area, sustainability, the online encyclopedia is markedly different from its printed counterpart. A traditionally published encyclopedia, by definition, is a sustainable product since it has a final and fixed form and resides in an environment (e.g., a library) committed to making the product available indefinitely. The same conditions are not true for an online project, which has no final form and often no permanent host. While affecting the business plan most directly, these circumstances also influence the editorial process, especially in the selection of content and the scope of the individual entries. In its essence, the challenge becomes one of taking advantage of the medium without leaving the project vulnerable to it. With these caveats in mind, the editorial planning process must cover the following items: Criteria for entries Guidelines for recruitment and compensation of editors/contributors (including qualifications) Content development strategy, including guidelines for linking, rights management and revisions/additions. Quality assurance guidelines/procedures Methods: Research on content development strategies and quality assurance procedures of online projects. Additional focus group sessions with scholars and other experts regarding criteria for entries. Responsibilities: TPC to conduct research and focus group sessions and prepare written report. IHC to manage, review and approval by appropriate advisory bodies. Schedule: December 1, 2001 – February 15, 2002. Deliverable: Written report and guidelines for editorial process.