ESO Information Repository (PDM)

The ESO Information Repository team manages and supports the centralization, organization, preservation and distribution of ESO institutional, project and product documentation.It encourages standardized practices and controlled processes for handling documentation at ESO.

The ESO Information Repository is part of the Library, Documentation and, Information Services (LDIS) department under the Directorate for Science.

The team is composed of the PDM Administration Team with the support of the PDM Assistants/Document Controllers.

The PDM Stakeholders Committee is composed of key-users and provides the user requirements for the implementation of the ESO Information Repository (PDM).

ESO's Central Documentation System

The ESO Information Repository (PDM) is ESO's central electronic system for documentation and shall become ESO's main documentation platform. Documents are organized in a consistent, standardized and controlled manner.

The ESO Information Repository:

enables collaborative work and supports the creation, versioning, digital approval, release and distribution of documents
contains reliable, up-to-date, checked and formally approved documents
allows controlled access to ESO's documentation for contractors, consortia, governing bodies and global partners.

About the term "PDM"

The term "the PDM" is used as a synonym to refer to the ESO Information Repository.

The acronym PDM traditionally stands for Product Data Management. However, to embrace the larger scope of the ESO Information Repository, it should also be interpreted as Product and Document Management.

PDM Administration Team

The PDM team is composed of the ESO Information Repository Manager and the Information Systems Specialist.

We are in charge of:

defining and implementing documentation processes based on recommendations and requirements provided by a committee of stakeholders;
administrating and configuring the PDM to facilitate and enforce the wide use of the system;
developing and carrying-out routines for efficient integration of existing documents into the system and identifying opportunities for data mappings between the repository and other relevant systems;
the continuous operation, update and maintenance of the tool;
providing trainings and documentation guidelines for all users.