The Methods of Appraisal and Preservation

Research Questions

• How do the appraisal concepts, methods and models developed by InterPARES 1 for the administrative and legal records created in databases and document management systems apply to the appraisal of the records of artistic, scientific and governmental activities resulting from the use of the technology examined by InterPARES 2?
  
  
• How do the preservation concepts, methods and models developed by InterPARES 1 for the administrative and legal records created in databases and document management systems apply to the preservation of the records of artistic, scientific and governmental activities resulting from the use of the technologies examined by InterPARES 2?
  
  
• What preservation paradigms can be applied across activities and technologies? What preservation paradigms are required for specific types of records resulting from each activity?
  
  
• What metadata are necessary to support appraisal and preservation of authentic digital records resulting from each activity?

Methodologies

The Domain 3 Task Force used the knowledge gained in the course of the case studies to test the applicability of the appraisal and preservation guidelines proposed by InterPARES 1. A methodology of particular advantage used here was that of rapid prototyping, which allows systems designers to quickly implement system requirements as articulated by potential users. Each working group in Domain 3 analyzed case study data to articulate guidelines for systems design, defining the overall objectives of each system and its known requirements. Subsequently, evolutionary development of each system tested the workability of the proposed guidelines in stages, allowing for modifications where necessary. A complementary methodology developed was that of activity modeling, which linked, conceptually, the system proposed to the guidelines.

Outcomes

The outcomes of the research conducted in Domain 3 were: prototypes of appraisal and preservation systems, activity models, and guidelines for records preservers (The Preserver Guidelines have since been translated into French, Spanish, Catalan and Portuguese). These tools, which are posted on the Website (see the "Products" section in the header menu), were further communicated in presentations, lectures, scholarly writings, interviews, etc.

Documents

Public project documents for Domain 3 are located here.