Why are we writing a business case?: Difference between revisions

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Will digital preservation make the collections easier to access and re-use?
Will digital preservation make the collections easier to access and re-use?


    If No: you're doing something wrong.  Go back and look at what you are doing and make sure that you have remembered  
  If No: you're doing something wrong.  Go back and look at what you are doing and make sure that you have remembered  
    to include access to the collection.
  to include access to the collection.
    If Yes: then you're doing something right.  Properly executed, digital preservation should make it easier to give  
  If Yes: then you're doing something right.  Properly executed, digital preservation should make it easier to give  
    the right information to the right people quickly and in a format they can use. In practice, the work you might need  
  the right information to the right people quickly and in a format they can use. In practice, the work you might need  
    to do to make a collection re-usable and accessible is very close to the work that you would need to do to preserve a  
  to do to make a collection re-usable and accessible is very close to the work that you would need to do to preserve a  
    digital collection too.  Moreover having a thoughtful preservation plan means you can confidently begin to delete  
  digital collection too.  Moreover having a thoughtful preservation plan means you can confidently begin to delete  
    content that is needlessly instead of duplicated.   
  content that is needlessly instead of duplicated.   


What are the expectations of your organisation and your users in relation to your management of the collections?
What are the expectations of your organisation and your users in relation to your management of the collections?

Revision as of 10:52, 1 August 2013

When writing the business case consider the audience and appropriate tone and level while writing, you may need to write two versions (high-level and an implementer case in order to sell the activities)

Why is digital preservation important to you organization, department, and collection? Why should I make digital preservation a priority?

Take a look at how digital preservation supports your organiation's mission and how it aligns with your strategy. 
Are there external factors influencing how digital preservation impacts your oganisation's mission or reputation?

Are you or your department responsible for long-term or short-term collection retention and access?

if yes, understand the importance of the assets to the institution and users and the scope of collection
if no, review your collection policy to ensure you haven't missed anything.

Is your department responsible for digital preservation or some aspect of digital collection care?

if yes, proceed with writing the business case
*understand your current environment,strategic objectives infrastructure and stakeholders.  
*partner with your IT staff (internal or external supplier).
*how ready is your organization for digital preservation: what infrastructure is there?
*what scale of preservation are you hoping to undertake?
*ensure that people understand what you are trying to achieve at an early stage.
if no, find out who in your organization needs to be consulted in writing the case.

Will digital preservation fulfill the organisation's mission and business objectives?

Will digital preservation further the reputation and provide the ability for collaboration, investment and further funding?
Will digital preservation enable more effective exploitation of assets and maximisation of their use and re-use?

Will digital preservation make the collections easier to access and re-use?

 If No: you're doing something wrong.  Go back and look at what you are doing and make sure that you have remembered 
 to include access to the collection.
 If Yes: then you're doing something right.  Properly executed, digital preservation should make it easier to give 
 the right information to the right people quickly and in a format they can use. In practice, the work you might need 
 to do to make a collection re-usable and accessible is very close to the work that you would need to do to preserve a 
 digital collection too.  Moreover having a thoughtful preservation plan means you can confidently begin to delete 
 content that is needlessly instead of duplicated.  

What are the expectations of your organisation and your users in relation to your management of the collections?

do you need to plan for, invest in, grow, or develop areas in your organization to mitigate risks in relation to:

*Collections? (information loss, obsolescence, ...)
*Department? (inability to fulfil strategic objectives. IT)
*Organisation? (reputational damage, loss of income generating capacity with lack of access to assets)
*Users? (loss of access to collections)
*Depositors? (lack of confidence in repository)



Further information:

  • Strategy documents (collections development policies, organisational/departmental strategies, mission statements)
  • Risk assessment methodologies
  • Sample business cases
  • Preservation case studies - horror stories and success stories