MINERVA Project 1. The Minerva framework 2. Quality Handbook for Public Cultural Web Applications: – Recommendations and Guidelines Maria Teresa NataleBerlin, 5th August 2003 Ministerial NEtwoRk for Valorising Activising in digitisation

The MINERVA project is the operative section of a wider framework made up with the Lund Principles, the LUND Action Plan and the National Representatives Group (NRG) The MINERVA framework

Lund Meeting – 4th April 2001 Representatives and experts from the Member States gathered in order to identify ways in which a coordination mechanism for digitisation programmes across the Member States could be put in place to stimulate European content on global networks.

Lund Principles: the major outcome of this meeting They state that the Member States could make progress on the eEurope objective if they: established an ongoing forum for coordination of policies for digitisation; supported the developing of a European view on policies and programmes;

exchanged and promoted good practice, guidelines and consistency of practice and skills development; worked in a collaborative manner to make visible and accessible the digitised cultural and scientific heritage of Europe. lund_principles.htm

Lund Action Plan The Action Plan describes a first set of actions to be launched, and assigns responsibilities for them to Member States or to the European Commission. The Lund Action Plan takes as its reference the Lund Principles, identifying four main areas where specific actions are needed:

Lund Action Plan Area 1:Improving policies and programmes through co-operation and benchmarking Area 2:Discovery of digitised resources Area 3:Promotion of good practice Area 4:Content framework

National Representatives Group The NRG is made up of officially nominated experts from each Member State. It was set up to coordinate digitisation policies and programmes and to facilitate the adoption and implementation of the Lund Action Plan.

National Representatives Group Its stated mission is to monitor progress regarding the objectives encapsulated in the Lund Principles. The NRG meets every 6 months to share national experiences and create a common platform for cooperation and coordination of national activities across the European Union, as well as for their follow up at national level.

What is MINERVA Minerva is the spreading arm of the National Representatives Group. It is financed by the European Commission in the ambit of the IST Programme. It is a network of Member States ministries.

Original Partners Italy, coordinator (Ministero per i Beni e le Attività Culturali) Belgium (Ministère de la Communauté française) Finland (University of Helsinky) France (Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication) Spain (Ministerio de Educaciòn, Cultura y Deporte) Sweden (Riksarkivet) United Kingdom (The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries)

New Members Denmark Greece The Netherlands Austria Germany Ireland Portugal

MINERVA mission The network has been created: to discuss, correlate and harmonise activities carried out in digitisation of cultural and scientific content; to create agreed European common recommendations and guidelines about: –digitisation, –metadata, –long-term accessibility, –preservation.

Activities MINERVA has demonstrated to have contributed to the creation of a broad consensus on the European framework derived from the e-Europe initiative In many countries, under the aegis of MINERVA, many new national programmes of digitisation of cultural heritage started up MINERVA has contributed to creating a process of institutional collaboration among the various presidencies of the European Union

The rolling agenda In order to guarantee the continuity of the initiatives undertaken, the past, present and future presidencies of the EU commonly define the so called rolling agenda.

How Minerva works 5 Working Groups at European level Publications (guidelines, reports, etc.) National Policy Profiles on digitisation Workshops Co-operation with other projects Harmonising activities Enlargement of the network Training courses

The Working Groups They provide political and technical framework for improving digitisation activities and scientific contents They contribute at the definition of a common European platfoprm for the harmonisation of national initiatives

Working Group: Benchmarking Aims To exchange comparable information between Member States on programmes and policies; To give visibility to national activities in order to share similar experiences and skills; To promote the adoption of a benchmarking framework as a key tool for co-ordinating and harmonising national activities as well as to develop measures to show progress and improvement.

Benchmarking Short term strategy: Elaboration of a data model to collect information (phase closing on August 2003; report on the results achieved so far, NRG meeting in Corfu (June 2003) Long term strategy: Complete definition of the data base; to set-up methodology, shared data format and tool, for collecting data on a continuous base; to update constantly qualitative and quantitative information and to create a common database.

Working Group: Inventories, discovery of digitised content, multilingual issues Aims: To share experiences, to discuss and to facilitate implementation of common actions concerning: inventories of past, on-going and planned digitisation projects based on national observatories; technical infrastructure for coordinated discovery of European digitised cultural and scientific content, including a common set of metadata for description; multilingual issues; Analysis of the French model of descriptive standards and its adaptability to the Italian requirements.

Working Group: Interoperability, Service Provision and IPR Aims To analyse, identify and evaluate activities on metadata, registries and schemes; To discuss on standards, conformance testing centres, agreed terminologies, common metadata schema, middleware specifications; To examine of related legal issues, such as IPR and copyright.

Working Group: User needs, contents and quality framework Aims To define quality criteria for the digitised content (MINERVA Handbook expected by end of 2003); To encourage quality plan in cultural and scientific web sites; To support the initiatives launched by the European Commission with the provision of national digital content; To encourage training actions in cultural sites, to promote knowledge of multicultural issues.

Working Group: Good practices Aims To select and to promote good practice examples from Member State programmes and projects in order to exchange experiences, skills and to collect consensus from different communities of users. First selection presented in Alicante, June 2002 First MINERVA Handbook on Good Practices to be published during the Italian Presidency.

Network enlargement THE INSTRUMENTS Membership agreement To formalise the participation of Ministries in the Minerva network Co-operation agreement To formalise the participation of interested organisation in the Minerva Users Group

Minerva Web site To promote the Lund Principles, the acitivities and the results of the project To promote the projects partners To be a gate to other linked initiatives To be an essential instrument on Web quality, digitisation, metadata, long-term preservation, accessibility

Training A programme of training courses that uses open distance learning methodologies has been set up to diffuse the results of the project. Action lines: 1. digitisation: process, cataloguing and management, including metadata for the preservation; 2. legal aspects: IPR/copyright and data protection; 3. quality: criteria for design and development of cultural Web sites; 4. management of projects and services.

Publications Minerva publishes handbooks and guidelines on digitisation, edited by its working groups, and an annual progress report of the NRG. Already published Progress report of the National Representatives Group 2002

Publications Next publications Good practice handbook with the collection of the existing guidelines on digitisation Handbook for quality in public cultural applications: criteria, guidelines and basic recommendations Collection of the existing laws on IPR II Progress report of the National Representatives Group 2003

New tools The Newsletter: The subscription to the English newsletter is now possible through the MINERVA web site: a constant updating about the MINERVA news. The MINERVA mailing list: Soon available, the MINERVA mailing list will distribute information to users interested in the digitisation issues

Italian Presidency Events Minerva participation Florence, 16 th -17 th October: International Conference on Long Term Preservation of Digital Memories (organised by the MiBAC - DG for Libraries, in cooperation with MINERVA) Naples, 23 rd -24 th October: seminar Territorial information systems for the conservation, preservation and management of Cultural Heritage (organised by the MiBAC - DG for Archaeology, in cooperation with MINERVA)

Italian Presidency Events Minerva organization Rome, 29th October: workshop Digitisation: how to do in practice (in cooperation with AIB) Parma, 19th November: NRG meeting Parma, 20th-21st November: International Conference Quality for Cultural Web Sites (organised with MiBAC, City of Parma, Emilia- Romagna Region, Parma local authorities, University of Parma)

The Parma Conference Quality in cultural Web sites - Online Cultural Heritage for Research, Education and Cultural Tourism Communities

The Parma Conference (20-21 November) Quality in cultural Web sites - Online Cultural Heritage for Research, Education and Cultural Tourism Communities The conference intends to debate the main themes connected to the aspects of the online accessibility of cultural heritage to facilitate its access to a wider public all over the world, and to promote the development and valorisation of cultural tourism services. I session: Accessibility and communication: principles - best practices II session: Guidelines on quality for cultural Web sites III session: IPR, copyright and data protection

Web quality for cultural Web sites - Poster session 4 themes 1.Content quality for cultural Web Site 2.Accessibility 3.IPR issues 4.Communication and language

The WP5 Quality Framework March 2002 Beginning of the Minerva project May 2002 Set up of the Minerva Quality Working Group February 2003 First Deliverable on quality March 2003 Index of the «Quality Handbook for Public Cultural Web Applications – Recommendations and Guidelines » June 2003 Draft version of the « Quality Handbook » (Corfu) November 2003 Definitive version of the « Quality Handbook » (Parma) 2004 Dissemination

WP5 – Results achieved A definitive Quality Framework, basis of the Quality Handbook a set of criteria to be used at the difference stages of development of a cultural web site, i.e.: for the development of new cultural web sites to measure the quality of a project under development, in order to restyle weak components to validate and assess complete projects

WP5 – Quality handbook Quality Criteria for Public Cultural Web Applications a new approach beyond the user-defined Web

WP5 – Quality handbook contents RATIONALE INTRODUCTION 1. Definitions, Principles and basic Recommendations 2. General Quality Criteria for Web Applications 3. Specific Quality Criteria for Public Cultural Web Applications ANNEXES Validation methods Framework International rules on public web Repertory Italian document on IPR and privacy issues

WP5 – Quality handbook contents Chapter 1 Definitions, principles and recommendations The complex issues coming from the crossing of the cultural world with the Web revolution needs: definitions Synthetic and efficient definitions : classes, notions and subjects principles General principles, acting like basic premises in the Web project Recommendations on policies and strategies Recommendations on policies and strategies to be followed during the Web project phase

WP5 – Quality handbook contents 1.Definitions PCE 1.Public Cultural Entity (PCE) PCE identity PCE categories PCE goals PCWA 2.Public Cultural Web Application (PCWA) PCWA goals 3.PCWA Users PCWA Users needs PCWA Users routes

WP5 – Quality handbook definitions PCWA 1.Public Cultural Web Application (PCWA) Every Web application whose services and contents concern cultural heritage in all its sectors, and which provides cultural information and promotion and/or offers didactic and scientific services. 2.PCWA Users Everyone, professional or non professional, who uses in a systematic, casual, incidental or finalised way a PCWA, satisfying different needs depending on his cultural profile, his aspiration to a personal growth or his incidental curiosity. PCE 3.Public Cultural Entity (PCE) An institution, organisation or project of public interest whose mission is to produce, conserve, safeguard, valorise and diffuse culture in any sector (archives, libraries, mobile and immobile heritage, archaeological, artistic, architectural, historical, demo-ethnological, anthropological).

WP5 – Quality handbook contents Categories 1.Archives 2.Libraries 3.Monuments / Sites / Parks /Reserves 4.Museums 5.Conservation departments 6.Research/training institutes 7.Exhibitions 8.Temporary projects The 8 PCE CATEGORIES

2.Principles a Public cultural entity (PCE) should provide to: 1.Promote the widest diffusion of culture 2.Share the whole community of cultural entities 3.Use innovative channel of communications effectiveness 4.Adopt a suitable use of web applications 5.Conceive quality as a process with the agreement between PCE and Users goals WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents

3.Recommendations: policies and strategies 1.Networks and thematic access points 2.PCWA domain and validation 3.PCE coordination between internal and external information flow 4.PCE communication channels coordination 5.PCWA process management: project, development and financial management 6.IPR and privacy control for PCWA contents 7.Long-term preservation of PCWA contents WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents

Chapter 2 Basic Quality Criteria for Web Applications basic specific The quality criteria framework is composed by two main groups : basic and specific criteria. Chapter 2 is dedicated to the basic framework, a synthesis built according to the widely accepted criteria on web quality. Each criterium will be explained with definition, commentary and examples. WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents

Content criteria Consistency, Currency, Accuracy, Content responsibility, Advertising policy, Objectivity, Content organization evidence, Content membership evidence Navigation criteria Link evidence, Link soundness, Link coverage, Backtracking soundness, Context evidence, Media control soundness, Media control evidence Presentation criteria Scannability, Similarity, Proximity, Consistency, Minimalism Application evidence (technical) criteria Application mission evidence, Application responsibility, Maintenance strategy evidence, Technical strategy evidence Accessibility criteria (from WAI Content Accessibility Guidelines W3C Recommendation -1999) WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents 2. Basic Quality Criteria for WA

Chapter 3 - Specific Quality Criteria for Public Cultural Web Applications (PCWA) Contents 1.Premises 2.PCWA goals / quality criteria crossing table 3.PCWA goals definitions 4.PCE categories and the Web 5.PCWA goals / quality criteria cards WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents

Chapter 3 Specific Quality Criteria for Public Cultural Web Applications (PCWA) Besides the respect of basic quality criteria, the specificity of Public Cultural Web Applications require specific quality criteria. Those criteria may change according to each PCWA goals. Each of the 12 PCWA goals must descend from the agreement between PCE goals and users needs. WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents

Chapter 3 Specific Quality Criteria for Public Cultural Web Applications (PCWA) For each of the 12 PCWA goals are defined and commented the proper quality criteria, both for PCWA content and for its technical characteristics, intended as valid for all PCE categories. When necessary, the criteria will be better clarified according to the specificity of each of the PCE categories WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents

1.Presenting PCE identity 2.PCE activity transparency 3.PCWA mission transparency 4.Promotion of PCWA role in thematic networks 5.Presenting legal rules and standards 6.Spreading cultural contents 7.Promoting cultural tourism 8.Educational services 9.Scientific research services 10.Services for culture-related professional 11.Reservation and e-commerce services 12.Promotion of thematic communities WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents The 12 PC WA GOALS

WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook contents Contents 1.Completeness 2.Comprehensiveness 3.Conciseness 4.Richness of information 5.Multilinguism 6.Authority / Responsibility 7.Uniqueness Content organisation 8.Appropriateness of grouping 9.Appropriateness of nesting 10.Appropriateness of splitting Query/Search usability 11.Appropriateness of query/search forms 12.Completeness of query/search results 13.Possibility to bookmark/save query/search results The 13 specific CRITERIA

Collection of comments and observations before 1st September so as to complete the handbook before the meeting in Brussels on 24th September. It is common knowledge that the first stable version will be presented at the Conference of Parma on 20th-21st November. The draft showed an advanced level of processed text; all the points in the Index have been considered and further developed, even though some parts are still in the phase of deeper study and completion. Please send all contributions and comments to the editorial board editorial WP5 the WP5 Quality Framework Quality Handbook work programme

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