Systems Biology (Methods in Molecular Biology)

l Scalability of the structure.

l Open structure.

l Transportability on any platform of the functions of the portal.

Scalability—It is important to create a flexible and easily scal-

able structure. From the hardware point of view, this means ensur-

ing continuity of service regardless of the maintenance operations,

data storage, or renewal. From a software point of view, it means

using tools, languages, and easily expandable methods. Actually,

static tools would involve the impossibility to expand the portal

without redesigning it again from scratch.

Open structure—The Internet is now a huge archive, with the

desired information obtainable by several different devices. Because

of this, it is important to build a multichannel access to portal

solutions or at least to use open solutions, to be enriched in the

future without having to re-implement a new project.

Portability—The portability is the ability to access a resource,

regardless of the platform on which it resides. In the implementa-

tion phase, this means to bear in mind the presence of: different

browsers, often not perfectly compatible with each other; different

operating systems, obviously not compatible with each other; the

necessity of having to change the tools with technological innova-

tion growth.

The analysis of user requirements concerns the acquisition of

the specifications regarding the features, the architecture, and the

product technologies to be realized.

The definition of user requirements was particularly long and

laborious, since it is related to a purely scientific context. At this

point, a series of interviews with researchers of the lab was carried

out, in order to design a technological tool able to support projects

management as well as communication and sharing between part-

ners, and at the same time serving the real needs of the particular

context in which the instrument was to be inserted.

Particular attention was paid to the demand for high flexibility,

scalability, and adaptability of the systems and applications.

Table 2

Favorable properties for content

Up-to-date

Of high value

With appropriate depth and extension

Attractive: informative but understandable

Stimulating

344 Garima Verma et al.