lessons learned simon tanner higher education digitisation service

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Simon Tanner

Higher Education Digitisation Service

http://heds.herts.ac.uk

Higher Education Digitisation Service: Lessons LearnHigher Education Digitisation Service: Lessons Learneded

Introduction:Introduction:

HEDS business model - why do we do it this way?HEDS business model - why do we do it this way?

Project planning and management.Project planning and management.

The real costs of digitisation.The real costs of digitisation.

What challenges remain?What challenges remain?


HEDS Business Model: Client SideHEDS Business Model: Client Side

A single point of contact for our clients whatever the A single point of contact for our clients whatever the original materials or the project goals.original materials or the project goals.

Services highly tailored to meet each clients exact Services highly tailored to meet each clients exact needs, plus some supporting standard products.needs, plus some supporting standard products.

Client side contracts based upon a full Client side contracts based upon a full Service Level Service Level AgreementAgreement that specifies the job and costs in that specifies the job and costs in detail.detail.

All contracts supported by benchmark samples and All contracts supported by benchmark samples and Quality Assurance plans and guarantees.Quality Assurance plans and guarantees.


HEDS Business Model: Supply SideHEDS Business Model: Supply Side A range of commercial vendors bound to HEDS A range of commercial vendors bound to HEDS

through through Framework AgreementFramework Agreement documents. documents.

HEDS does a biennial survey of potential suppliers. HEDS does a biennial survey of potential suppliers. A small number of suppliers are selected for their A small number of suppliers are selected for their provenproven expertise in one or two areas. expertise in one or two areas.

Each task is assigned based upon the best Each task is assigned based upon the best value for moneyvalue for money at the time. at the time.

High volume tasks are distributed to spread risk.High volume tasks are distributed to spread risk.

HEDS work closely with the production floor staff.HEDS work closely with the production floor staff.


HEDS: Making MoneyHEDS: Making Money Low overheads - no expensive scanning equipment, Low overheads - no expensive scanning equipment,

conversion staff or space needed. conversion staff or space needed.

Do have software, high spec. PC’s, large/fast data Do have software, high spec. PC’s, large/fast data storage needs and fire safes.storage needs and fire safes.

HEDS either adds a small margin to the unit HEDS either adds a small margin to the unit production value or charges a direct cost to the production value or charges a direct cost to the client.client.

Sometimes act as managing agents for our clients on Sometimes act as managing agents for our clients on a consultancy basis.a consultancy basis.


Project Planning is about 3 things:Project Planning is about 3 things:

Vision - can you see the whole picture?Vision - can you see the whole picture?

Risk management - ensuring the vision is Risk management - ensuring the vision is achievable.achievable.

Resource management - putting vision into Resource management - putting vision into practice. practice.


Project Planning - VisionProject Planning - Vision

Describe the project from cradle to grave.Describe the project from cradle to grave.

Understand how the elements fit together.Understand how the elements fit together.

Do not need to understand the detail of every element Do not need to understand the detail of every element but must understand it’s project implication.but must understand it’s project implication.

Be able to define Be able to define solidsolid objectives, goals and objectives, goals and deliverables.deliverables.

The Hollywood pitch!The Hollywood pitch!


Risk ManagementRisk Management

Employ a good project manager.Employ a good project manager.

Define clear objectives and plan.Define clear objectives and plan.

Define the acceptance criteria and assign ranking.Define the acceptance criteria and assign ranking.

Ensure early scheduling of equipment delivery.Ensure early scheduling of equipment delivery.

Training - invest.Training - invest.

Be honest about the potential problems and the Be honest about the potential problems and the risk of risk of failure.failure.


Costing: HEDS lessons learned:Costing: HEDS lessons learned:

Costs depend upon:Costs depend upon:

The information content of the originals.The information content of the originals.

The balance of costs, technology and project The balance of costs, technology and project goals.goals.

It depends on the physical nature of the original It depends on the physical nature of the original materials.materials.

""I'd really like you to forget those figures for how much it costs JSTOR to do digitization. They might be helpful, I'd really like you to forget those figures for how much it costs JSTOR to do digitization. They might be helpful, but in reality what matters is not how much it costs JSTOR, HEDS, GDF or any other organisation. What matters but in reality what matters is not how much it costs JSTOR, HEDS, GDF or any other organisation. What matters is how much it is going to cost is how much it is going to cost youyou."."

Kevin Guthrie, President of JSTOR during the closing panel session. Kevin Guthrie, President of JSTOR during the closing panel session. Digitising Journals: Conference on Future Strategies for European Libraries, March 2000, Copenhagen.Digitising Journals: Conference on Future Strategies for European Libraries, March 2000, Copenhagen.


Costs are usually people driven:Costs are usually people driven:

More human intervention means higher costs.More human intervention means higher costs.

Staff costs and overheads are often hidden when Staff costs and overheads are often hidden when working in-house and can be excessive.working in-house and can be excessive.

Metadata creation can eat into your budget unless Metadata creation can eat into your budget unless good estimating has been done.good estimating has been done.

System development and delivery mechanisms can System development and delivery mechanisms can easily overrun and eat the rest of the budget.easily overrun and eat the rest of the budget.

Preparation - the great hidden cost that can be at Preparation - the great hidden cost that can be at least 30% of the total.least 30% of the total.


What Challenges Remain?What Challenges Remain?

Metadata Metadata -- descriptive and preservation levels. descriptive and preservation levels.

-- addressed partially through METAe Metadata addressed partially through METAe Metadata Engine project Engine project http://meta-e.uibk.ac.at/

Preserving the physical reliability and usability of the Preserving the physical reliability and usability of the data. data.

Technology advance and redundancy.Technology advance and redundancy.

Raising revenue by providing valued services.Raising revenue by providing valued services.


One final thought...One final thought... The “Law of Disruption” by Downes and Mui *The “Law of Disruption” by Downes and Mui *

““social, political and economic systems social, political and economic systems change incrementally, but technology change incrementally, but technology changes exponentially.changes exponentially.””

What I hope we will soon see is not society or cultural What I hope we will soon see is not society or cultural institutions “catching up” with technology, but to seeinstitutions “catching up” with technology, but to see technology being adjusted and “tamed” for our needs.technology being adjusted and “tamed” for our needs.

* * Downes, Larry and Chunka Mui. 1998. Downes, Larry and Chunka Mui. 1998. Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Unleashing the Killer App: Digital Strategies for Market Dominance. Dominance. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Simon TannerSimon Tanner

Higher Education Digitisation Higher Education Digitisation ServiceService

http://heds.herts.ac.ukhttp://heds.herts.ac.uk

Email: [email protected]: [email protected]

lessons learned simon tanner higher education digitisation service

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