Digitisation Staff Training

Last updated: 14 November 2008
Published in: Managing a project | Digitising analogue media
Tags: digitisation | outsourcing | staff training | training

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Summary

This paper takes a general looks at the staffing issues related to a digitisation project from a management perspective. It is intended to be of use to resource management staff considering the digitisation of all or part of their collection.

Contents

• Introduction
• Typical training required
• Levels of training required
• Time and cost commitments

Introduction

Digitisation projects are quite complex. They require an exceptional blend of skills and knowledge ranging from project management proficiency to specialist technical expertise.

If your host organisation has decided to undertake a digitisation project, either in-house or using an external digitisation service, staff involved with that project will probably require some 'on the job training' or 'continuing professional development' to meet the needs of the project. Although such training is typically concentrated at the beginning of a project, it is seldom a one-off event.

It is important for the project director or project manager to identify what skills and knowledge are essential within the project team for the project's different aims to be completed, and how any skill gaps can be filled.

Throughout a project staff will undoubtedly learn new skills in both digitisation and metadata handling as they carry out their work. These skills might include more efficient ways of using equipment or workarounds for particular problems. Formal opportunities should be made for these discoveries to be shared with other staff.

It is not uncommon for staff to leave or join a project throughout its life. Detailed documentation such as a workflow manual and allowing for a period of 'hand over' will help to ensure a smooth transition, but it may be that further formal training will need to be provided as new staff join the project or existing staff take on new roles.

Typical training required

Project management

Ideally a project manager with previous experience of running a digitisation project should be employed to ensure the successful completion of the project. However, if this is not possible an experienced project manager (for example from a technology or information services background) could be employed.

If the digitisation activity is going to be outsourced to a third party, then it is important that the Project Manager has an understanding of the digitisation process, so that communication is clear regarding contracts, expectations (e.g. quality control) and achievable outcomes (e.g. file formats). For more information see To Outsource or to Digitise In-house?

However the digital capture takes place, the project manager would need suitable training in:

• Initial decisions to be made relating to the technical processes (for both digitisation and metadata creation)
• Technical issues that will arise during the project (however depth is not required as this knowledge should be available from the project's technical staff)
• Models for a suitable workflow
• Quality assurance procedures
• Evaluation techniques

Technical staff

Within a digitisation project, converting materials into a digital form is the most important activity, along with metadata creation. Digitisation staff need to understand technical theory and have the hands-on skills required to operate equipment.

If the digitisation activity is going to be outsourced, then it is important that the Project Manager has an understanding of the digitisation process, so that communication is clear regarding contracts, expectations and outcomes.

Issues that need to be understood by technical staff include:

• The functionality of digitisation equipment (e.g. for audio, identifying an analogue-to-digital converter which operates at a suitable sample rate and bit depth)
• Workflow management and working as part of a team
• Handling procedures for potentially fragile original materials and associated conservation issues
• Techniques used to obtain an optimal digital surrogate from an original (e.g. for photographs, the calibration of monitors, scanners and cameras)
• The creation and use of different file types related to capture, archiving and delivery
• The optimisation of digital files before delivery

Metadata handling staff

Metadata is very important: it supports the searching and retrieving of resources so that they can be used for educational purposes. Metadata also enables resources to be better managed and preserved.

It is important that the project's metadata handler is trained to understand:

• Why 'full and rich' metadata is important
• Why using a controlled vocabulary (e.g. thesaurus) is particularly important to provide quality controlled metadata
• How to use a management system to support the creation of metadata (here specific training may be required for the particular software chosen)
• Workflow management and working as part of a team
• Handling procedures for original materials

Quality assurance

Quality assurance procedures also need to be implemented for testing the metadata that is created during the project that will support a digital resource. This part of a digitisation project is sometimes overlooked, or it is restricted solely to the capture activity and the resulting condition of the digital file. It is important that technical staff and metadata handlers (who are undertaking metadata creation) are trained to understand:

• The importance of self-checking and sign-off
• How to implement QA procedures within the workflow
• How to deal with 'exceptions' to the normal workflow
• How to keep standards high in a repetitive and detailed workflow

Levels of training required

Understanding the areas of training that will be required within a digitisation project is all very well. However, there needs to be an appreciation for the different levels of training required and how that can be achieved. Identifying relevant sources of training can be a challenge for project managers but these sources might include:

• Sector-specific digitisation training
• 'Cascading training' where one person trains others within an organisation
• Tailored training, provided by external consultants
• Hardware or software specific training provided by vendors or suppliers
• Studying a 'Workflow Manual' which, after creation can be used for self-paced learning

Time and cost commitments

Staff training is required to develop new skills or to keep up to date with new technologies but it requires time and cost commitments to be made by the project. These commitments should be built into the project funding proposal and project plan to ensure that funding and time are available with no detrimental effect on other aspects of the project.

If training is to be undertaken by external suppliers, then it is always a good idea to budget for this in the early stages of planning a project. Remember to include travel and subsistence costs (including overnight accommodation) together with the anticipated training fee.

Conclusion

The Digital Preservation Coalition's publication 'Mind The Gap' (2006) recognises the shortage of dedicated and high quality digitisation training in the UK. This is in part due to its interdisciplinary nature (the skills required can easily cross archive/library science, media production, conservation and IT sectors) but with careful planning, managers can put together programs of training from existing sources. JISC Digital Media offer training programs designed with the needs of the digitisation project in mind. These programs, coupled with a helpline service can assist project staff through each stage the project.

Last updated: 14 November 2008
Published in: Managing a project | Digitising analogue media
Tags: digitisation | outsourcing | staff training | training

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