Preservation Policies ERPANET Seminar Fontainebleau 29 January 2003 Emmerson Consulting
Outline Need for digital preservation Drivers, time-scales, imperatives Common concerns Outline of a digital preservation policy Function/Activity value model © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Assumptions Not everything will be preserved Organisations want less rather than more Aiming for too much = losing everything © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Drivers for digital preservation policy Public Sector Private Sector Focusing on records created in the course of business © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Common Imperatives Managing the business Accountability Compliance Business resumption planning © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Differences? Private = shorter cycle, narrower impact, archives: demonstrable benefit Public = longer term, wider impact archives: assumed benefit © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Differences? Responsibility Private: life of the business? Public: beyond life of single administration © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Technological Change Average lifecycle of records = 7 years Average life of record creating system = 3 years .·. Preservation same for all organisations Point of creation/capture © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Timing Different methods for different values But ‘Permanent’ decision at creation/capture Appraisal at leisure not an option (Similar approach to traditional formats) © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Preservation Policy In theory Public bodies more aware than private In practice Survival decisions Taken at desktop Driven by immediate business need in all organisations © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Core Policy Requirements What is to be preserved Why it is to be preserved When it will happen How it will be preserved Where it will be preserved Who is accountable & responsible © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Determination of Value Most important element? Storage capacity finite Access and Retrieval must be guaranteed Legislative Restrictions Immediacy > new paradigm Business value? © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Function/Activity Modelling Functions = What the organisation is responsible and accountable for Activities = What the organisation does to carry out functions Records arise from activities © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Function/Activity Modelling Core functions = What the organisation exists to do Support functions = Enable the core functions External relations © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Value ranking © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003
Preservation Need Level 1 Immediate & Long Term Level 3 Immediate & Medium Term Level 4 Immediate & ? © Emmerson Consulting Limited 2003