The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) has made a new Technology Watch Guidance Note on Understanding user needs: A case study from the National Library of Scotland by Chris Fleet available on general release today, following a 1-month DPC Member preview.
Access is an important element of digital preservation workflows and ultimately information is preserved so it can be used: so, understanding what users need is a key aspect of successful digital preservation. This case study is a real-world example of how this has been done at one institution, with constraints of time, expertise and resource. It demonstrates how a rich seam of information on user needs can be gathered through a variety of interactions with users and how this can help inform future activities and decision making.
"Understanding user needs is an essential part of planning for digital preservation and access and something that is encapsulated in the latest version of our Rapid Assessment Model (DPC RAM),” explains Jenny Mitcham, Head of Good Practice and Standards for the DPC.
“Following on from the publication of a guide to understanding user needs from Sharon McMeekin, we were keen to publish a selection of case studies from Members that demonstrate how organizations are doing this in practice, so it is great to see the first of these case studies completed. Chris describes how the use of a whole range of different techniques for gathering feedback for users has produced a body of information that can inform decisions around preservation and access strategies for his organisation."
The Technology Watch publication series is just one of the ways the DPC supports the digital preservation community. An international charitable foundation which supports digital preservation, the DPC helps its members around the world to deliver resilient long-term access to digital content and services through community engagement, targeted advocacy work, training and workforce development, capacity building, good practice and standards, and through good management and governance. Its vision is a sustainable future for our digital assets.
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