from blue jeans to data bytes: designing a fashion … conference 2015 paper t... · from blue...
TRANSCRIPT
By Tracey Panek, LS&Co. Historian
International Council on Archives Section on Business Archives Conference June 15-16, 2015
From Blue Jeans to Data Bytes: Designing a Fashion-Forward
Digital Archives
Company Background
Levi Strauss, Founder
Company Origins: Gold Rush Era
.
Established San Francisco, 1853
Invention of Blue Jeans: Patent, 1873
Levi Strauss & Co. Today
• SAN FRANCISCO
– Fisherman’s Wharf
– Coit Tower
– Gold Rush Foundation
.
LS&Co. Archives Overview
ARCHIVES COLLECTION HIGHLIGHTS
LS&CO. ARCHIVES USERS/STORY TELLING
Digitization Process
ARCHIVES OPERATION 2014: MANUAL
• Binders-on-the-shelf finding aids
• Manual accessioning • Hand-written
• No scanner • 2,000 digital scans
SIX MONTHS FROM MANUAL TO DIGITAL
DIGITAL CONVERSION PHASES
Phase 1. Convert to Electronic Tracking
Phase 2. Create Digital Assets
Phase 3. Upload Assets into Digital Asset Management System
PHASE 1: CONVERT TO ELECTRONIC TRACKING
UPGRADE EQUIPMENT & PROCESSES
Upgrade Equipment • Color Scanner-Copier w/Email • All Laptop Computers • Archives Staff Shared Drive
Eliminate Manual Processes • Switch to Spreadsheet
Accessioning • Switch from Hard Copy to
Digital Files
PHASE 2: CREATE DIGITAL ASSETS
• Photo Shoot
– Garments/Artifacts: 1,000 boxes of garments to photograph
• Scanning
– Records: 200 boxes of records selected to scan
• Audio Visual Conversion
– Film/Audio Tapes: Identified 2,400 assets for conversion
– Converted Less than 100 assets
– ON HOLD (Conversion on Demand)
PHOTO SHOOT
PHOTO SHOOT
SCANNING
Marketing
Garments
INDEX & NAME FILES
PHASE 3: UPLOAD INTO DIGITAL SYSTEM
• Determine Organization/Navigation
– Company Practice
– Concept Testing
– Follow Archives Organization
• Track Progress
– Weekly Conference Calls
– Weekly Training Calls
• Refine & Learn System
– Share Screen Shots
– Share “Carts”
RESULTS: CONSOLIDATED DIGITAL COLLECTIONS
• Key Word Search Example, “Wood”
– Pulls items from all collections
from documents and artifacts
to garments
COSTS
Cost for Digital Asset Management System (D.A.M.)
• Photo Shoot 15% • Scanning Documents 30% • Audio Visual Identification & Conversion 5% • D.A.M. Build-out 30% • Project Manager Contract Position 20%
Cost Comparison: Digital Asset Management (D.A.M.) v. Other Costs
• D.A.M. Annual Maintenance = IT Archives Server Storage • Digital Project < Current Marketing Video Project • Digital Project = 3X Cost of Acquisitions Budget
RETURN ON INVESTMENT
1. Two Examples of Immediate ROI - Levi’s Vintage Clothing Fall 2016 Review (1 hour v. 1 day) - Litigation Support (Live in Levi’s Litigation) 2. Collection Preservation 3. Worldwide 24-Hour Information Access 4. New Uses of Archival Assets: Data Analysis
LESSONS LEARNED
• Tag Assets While Creating Them
- Stream–of-Consciousness Descriptions - File Naming - Foldering
• Set Deadlines & Create A Schedule Working Backwards • Create Efficient Processes • Connect Vendors to Improve Workflows
• Weekly Conference Calls
• Beta Test
NEXT OPTION: BRANDING ASSETS
FINAL THOUGHTS…
THE FULL PICTURE
