Even the best science can fall flat without the right publication strategy. The challenge usually isn’t the content. It’s the strategy behind your target journal selection and the data (or lack thereof) used to support that decision.
In a recent episode of the MAPS Elevate podcast, Mike Cashman from Mavens and Mike Taylor from Altmetric shared smarter, more practical approaches to scientific publications planning and management. They focus on putting the right data directly into daily workflows, so decisions are faster, more confident, and more impactful.
Let’s break it down.
Why Reputational Metrics Aren’t Enough
For years, journal selection relied on one question: Can we get into a top-tier journal?
But as Mike Taylor explains, that doesn’t always end well.
To plan effectively and measure true reach, your team needs visibility into:
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Clinical guideline citations
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Policy mentions
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Open access status
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Social and scholarly uptake (not just volume, velocity)
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Real-world usage, not just academic prestige
This is the kind of insight that used to be “nice to have.” Today, it’s essential.
“We’re seeing teams shift from reputation-driven to data-driven. But if that data isn’t embedded in the right place, it never gets used.”
—Mike Taylor, Head of Data Insights, Altmetric
Make Better Journal Selection With The Right Tool
Let’s be clear: data isn’t useful if it’s buried in a dashboard or lost in an Excel sheet. That’s why Mavens® Scientific Publications Cloud is designed to deliver embedded decision support so the data shows up where and when you need it.
Here’s how it works:
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Side-by-side journal comparisons using live data
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Built-in support for fast directional decisions and robust journal evaluations
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Citations, uptake, reach, open access, policy impact, and more metrics
You don’t need to be a data scientist. You just need software that puts everything in one place, at the point of decision.
“The challenge isn’t just finding the right data—it’s getting people to actually use it. By embedding visual insights directly into daily workflows, teams work smarter and publish stronger.”
—Mike Cashman, Senior Director of Scientific Publications, Mavens
Embedded Data. Smart Decision-Making. AI-Enhanced.
Mavens is exploring ways to embed AI directly into publications workflows so teams can move from reactive to proactive. Because Mavens® Scientific Publications Cloud is built on Salesforce, Agentforce AI can be leveraged to surface smarter recommendations without adding steps to the process.
Surface journal recommendations based on past performance, content metadata, and publication goals
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Flag red flags or opportunities before a decision is made
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Review which recommendations were followed and what outcomes they drove
This isn’t about taking the human out of the loop. It’s about giving them better insights and fewer hoops to jump through.
Ready to See What Better Planning Looks Like?
If your publication strategy still relies on gut feel, past precedent, or impact factor alone, it’s time to bring in tools built for how your team actually works. Let’s make it easier to choose the right journal, back decisions with data, and prove value across the publication lifecycle.
Request a Demo of Mavens® Scientific Publications Cloud
We’ll show you how to turn scattered workflows into structured impact, so you can spend less time chasing down insights, plan smarter, and publish stronger.
Key Takeaways
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Top-tier ≠ impact. Real-world signals (citations, policy mentions, uptake) matter more.
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Embedded data in the workflow will beat a static dashboard every time.
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Mavens® Scientific Publications Cloud makes it easy to choose journals based on what matters most.
- Today’s publications teams need tools that flex across formats and workflows.
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AI (Agentforce) adds support without removing the human.
