THE PERSONAL ENQUIRY

The Personal Enquiry

The Personal Enquiry

Introduction

The project process is a component of business that involves resources, labor and time of a business. The different types of a project process that will be undertaken by a business are dependent on the desired outcome and responsibilities of the manager of that specific process. In most cases all the process of a project are under the control and management of the project manager.

A specific project process will involve a specific sector and focus so what has to be accomplished will be done correctly. There are numerous different types of processes that make up a project. This will include communications, issues and risk management, quality, cost and time. Every one of these processes needs to have a plan devised in advance before a project can proceed to its execution phase of its lifecycle.

Project planning forms the core of a digital project because it addresses each aspect of digitization and its impact on your institution. This chapter will provide an overview of the issues that need to be considered in project planning, with specific references to more detailed information provided in other sections of the Guidelines for Digitization. (Doorn and Milter 2005 69)

Before the selection process, the hardware for the project is purchased, and the staff is assigned, planners of digital projects must do just that--plan! And planning for digitization projects involves an assessment of several factors as well as much foresight as can be gotten. Know your strengths. Know your weaknesses. Determine where your opportunities lie and how you can best take advantage of them, adapting where you can to meet the project's challenges. Know thy own self, but also know thy users, their expectations, and their needs. There are several points to consider that will provide more assurance of success:

Understanding the institution's goals and missions and where the digital project fits into those goals and missions

Envisioning exactly what the digital project is envisioned to be, what are the component parts, are there areas that can be developed now versus things developed later?

Assessing an institution's existing resources against those that need to be acquired

Establishing the standards that will be adhered to in conducting the digitization project

Beginning the documentation process to assure that decisions are well-communicated

Planning the implementation of the project, including milestones and a timetable

Monitoring, evaluating, and providing in-project direction (Papastergiou 2006 102)

This assignment will help you in this process by discussing these seven general areas that should be addressed in a digitization project's planning process: goals, objective and scope of project; definition of intended audience; analysis of collection materials; needs analysis; cost assessment and impact on institution; development of standards and processes; and evaluation.

Goals, Objectives, and Scope of the Project

You have to know where you are going in order to get there. An explicit statement of a project's goals ensures that all personnel share the same "destination" and can measure their accomplishments. Determining the scope of a project gives it focus and guarantees greater impact and more efficient use of ...