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Managing Archival Digitization Projects

EJ Santos – NierrasSenior Information Architect, Metadata and Access Management

Asia Data Office – Manulife IT Delivery Center

Outline

> Preparing your project plan

> Implementing your project

> Brief Introduction on Project Management

> Prioritizing what you need to digitize

> Preparing your business case

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Brief introductionProject Management Basics

What is a project?“It's a temporary endeavor

undertaken to create a unique product, service or result.”

- Project Management Institute

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“Let our advance worrying

become advance thinking and planning.”- Winston Churchill

Cases where we need project management

❑ Expanding product/service

❑ For efficiency/ effectiveness targets

❑ Customer feedback/needs

❑ Legal/compliance requirement

❑ Social requirement❑ Organizational change❑ Technology upgrade❑ Company targets/goals❑ Mini-projects (wants)

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THE “TRIANGLE OF LIFE” OF A PROJECT:Time x Cost x Scope

Time

Cost

Quality

Key Concepts Used in Project Management

Initiate Plan Lead Organize Control Close

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Like a story, a project begins and ends.

Plan before you start.> Understand what

needs to be done.> Prioritize your

resources.> Do not overthink.

Monitor progress…… CONSTANTLY.

> Mitigate/address risks and issues as encountered.

> Communicate with your stakeholders.

Exit gracefully.> Ensure that you

have delivered as promised.

> Ensure your project’s documentation is completed.

START MIDDLE END

Prioritizing what you need to digitize

The concept of Archival Appraisal

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What do you Need to consider when you plan?

“In an archival context, appraisal is the process of determining whether records

and other materials have permanent (archival) value.”

- Society of American Archivists

So many materials…Which should I digitize first?

Define your collection targets based on your institution’s mandate. This will help inform which should be priorities for digitization.

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Questions you need to ask beforehand....

Do I need to digitize my collection?

What is the value of my collection to my institution?

What resources do I need to digitize my collection?

Do I have enough resources to maintain

my collection?

Do I have enough resources to start

this project?

Does it have impact to how my institution conducts its

business?

Does my collection have unique, archival or high

business value?

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… and then PLAN for your targets.

MILESTONE 1

MILESTONE 2

MILESTONE 3

Time

Cost

Product

Preparing your Business case

Justifying your digitization requirement/s

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What is a Business Case?“The business case provides justification

for undertaking a project. It evaluates the benefit, cost and risk of alternative

options and provides a rationale for the preferred solution.”

- Association for Project Management, UK

How do you state your “ASK”

BENEFITS COST RISK

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Common structure of a business case

Strategic NeedWhy do we need to digitize what we are digitizing

Proposed Solution/sWhat options did we evaluate and why are we proposing “this” option

Expected BenefitsWhat will we gain and what may be the “disbenefits”

Cost and ROICost considerations, what will be the financial gain (if any) and possible source/s of funding

Potential RisksWhat factors or adverse events may happen and their actual impact to the business case

Expected TimelinesMilestones expected or benefits realized within the proposed timeline of implementation

Business

Case

Project Plan

Project Implementation

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+80%of digital transformation* projects have failed,

scaled back or were delayed in the last 12 months

Couchbase survey says…

*Digitizing records/organizational memory is a key milestone towards a successful digital transformation.

Preparing Your Project Plan

What do you need to document in your digitization plan?

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What is a project Plan?“It is a formal document

designed to guide and control a project.”

- Technopedia.com, IT Business Glossary

Define your Targets S.M.A.R.T.ly

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What instruments do you need to create?

Scope Statement

Work Breakdown Schedule

Milestones

Gantt ChartCommunication

Plan

Risk Management

Plan

Technical Requirements to Include in your Scope

❑ Servers or target repository

❑ System platform and applications

❑ Terminals –administrator + user

❑ Document imaging device

❑ Staging “area” and equipment

❑ Back-up system -offsite/onsite/cloud

❑ Trained personnel to run (and maintain) the digitization project

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Define your Work Breakdown Schedule

Set your Milestones

andTimelines

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Maintenance items to include in your Risk Register

> Information/Data Security considerations> Business Continuity plan> Document management system and/or major

digitalization efforts already implemented> ERP or ECM solutions already present where your

records will be coming from.

Implementing Your Project

How to execute, monitor, control and close your digitization project

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“There is nothing so useless

as doing efficiently that which

should not be done at all.”

- Peter Drucker

Digitization Project Tasks to Complete

Pre

Selection and Preparation

Project Management and Tracking

DuringMetadata Creation/ Collection

Format Conversion

and Publishing

Post

Repository Management

Assessment and Evaluation

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From Print to Electronic: High-Level Process

Implementing Digitization with Records Appraisal

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Stick to your plan!One of the causes of project delays,

failures and resource cutbacks is SCOPE CREEP.

As you Close your Project, Remember to…

❑ Test thoroughly before formally closing off.

❑ Document, document, document.

❑ Ensure that expectations are delivered.

❑ Highlight your risk register.

❑ Consider how you will operationalize the project.

❑ Consider what it would cost to continue what you delivered.

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EvaluationProject planning takeaway

Thanks!Any questions?

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On a sheet of paper, answer the ff.:1. Project Objective: Why do you need to digitize

your collection?2. Project Scope: What do you intend to digitize?3. Project Milestone: Write at least 1 possible

outcome you need to achieve.4. Project Risk: Once you digitize, list down at least

1 concern/risk you need to prepare for.

“Preservation without access is pointless.”

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