Consumer expectations for accessing academic content are shifting rapidly

Consumers can register and onboard in seconds, with the launch today of HighWire’s SAMS Sigma identity management application. SAMS Sigma is a customisable self-service platform for publishers that allows single sign-on across multiple content sites, and delivers unparalleled customer experience for the end user; simplifying access to publications and saving time.

SAMS Sigma removes the need for the consumer to re-register and undergo multiple verifications, as users can now sign-on with one single identity across all publications.

Leading publishers are now prioritising and investing in improved customer experience. Market forces are pushing for ease of access for end-users, and greater access control for publishers and institutions. HighWire’s system has been built to specifically address these challenges for the publishing industry, and SAMS Sigma reaches beyond the capabilities of conventional platforms, extending publisher control to include identity, authorisation and verification in one place, across multiple journals.

HighWire, the global technology company powering the discovery of knowledge, ideas and data through its intelligent publishing platform, built SAMS Sigma to support all current authentication methods, including name and password, trusted referrer, IP, library card and Shibboleth.

The standalone product has been designed to work in concert with HighWire’s platform, but can also integrate into publishers’ existing technology stacks; fully customisable on all profiles and licenses. This further enables bespoke reporting according to each publisher’s needs across content entitlement, licenses and subscriptions, conflicting IP ranges, voucher usage, and emails. Through its single identity sign-on, SAMS Sigma also provides publishers with a powerful view of tracking activity across all journals.

Supporting a variety of business models including consortia and sub-organisations, SAMS Sigma  helps to enable GDPR compliance, including validation and consent of all users, and publisher control over statutory documents, both with audit trails. It has also been carefully designed to support varied content offers including free, freemium, trials, and subscriptions, with a powerful API for external system integration, such as eCommerce or Salesforce.

Dan Filby, CEO of HighWire, said: “We recognise there are huge changes occuring in the scholarly publishing world, and consumer expectations for accessing academic content are shifting rapidly. That is why we built this system dedicated to delivering a better experience for the end-user, as well as providing greater control for publishers, and the institutions they work with.  The benefits are visible and measurable, and we are extremely excited to see SAMS Sigma in action, with our launch partners Springer Publishing and Cabi.”