Project management efforts should take into account a sundry of factors including an understanding of the general technical architecture available and institutional policy. Fundamental to all projects:
Assess > Design> Implement > Execute
Planning a digital project can be broken down into four general phases. These may include activities such as:
Pre-digitization activities : user need assessment, collection review
Design : Development of metadata schemas, defining technical targets
Implementation : metadata creation, digital capture, quality control assurance
Execution : testing, upload to IR and marketing or communication
The purpose of these questions is to determine feasibility of a proposed project and to support the successful implementation.
These questions should be prepared by the assigned implementation team prior to project start up. At this stage a more detailed review of the collection itself and or additional investigation into digitization best practices suited for this particular project may be needed.
Target Audience |
Identify targeted users of digitized materials, statement of user need or how digitized collection will help facilitate research |
Collection description |
Provide material description, including collection scope, quantity, document forms and physical condition. Also provide information on selection criteria used if digitization does not include the entire physical collection. |
Access and use parameters |
Identify rights of materials and any access/use issues |
Schedule |
Determine if timeframe is reasonable and does not adversely impact resources needed for existing projects |
Personnel |
Identify project personnel and resources |
Metadata application profile |
Define appropriate level of metadata and schema for collection. Identify best practices or standards used. |
Digital specifications |
Identify file format(s), digital specifications (resolution, bit depth, etc) and file naming schema for both masters and derivatives. Identify best practices or standards used. |
Storage |
Calculate size of storage needed |
Equipment requirements |
Identify equipment needed for the digitization work, are appropriate and available for the work to be done, and do not conflict with other projects |
Digital Preservation |
Any additional digital preservation requirements are clearly identified and supportable by the IR system. Define level of preservation needed for support of collection long term. |
Repository Structure |
Structure of collection in the repository is identified. Any special requirements for formatting in the repository can be accommodated. Provide item level determination. |
Programming support |
Confirm programming support can be committed in the project's timeframe, especially for any special programming needs identified. |
Workspace Permissions |
Permissions assigned to project staff for submitting digitized content to workspace server and the repository |
Training needs |
Identify any personnel training needs (e.g. scanning, IR submission process and including using workspace server (fonlibstor)) |
Funding |
No additional funding required |