***Apologies for cross posting***

Sent on behalf of Peter McKinney, espida Project

******Launch of espida Model********

[http://www.gla.ac.uk/espida/model_download.shtml]

Why can't you get your senior management to give you the resources
that you need for digital preservation?

      Could it be that you are simply not speaking their language, but
      at the same time expecting them to understand yours?

      What is their language?

The espida model offers a way through the language barrier.  It is a
process that will help you produce convincing business cases tied in
to your organisation's strategic objectives and thus speak directly to
the senior management agenda.

The espida model will allow you to communicate the benefits of your proposal
without being constrained to use only financial measures of benefit.

The espida model is not a magic wand, it does not supply a route to
funding for work that is irrelevant or without merit, but it does give
clarity to the expression of values and benefits that are intangible
and hard to communicate.

There are a large number of areas beyond digital preservation (for
which the model has been developed) where it has been suggested that
the methodology might usefully be employed:

·       business cases for projects involving intangible benefits.
·       impact of change decisions for comparing a change proposal.
·       evaluation of proposals providing a 'level playing field' for comparing a range of different proposals.

In addition, this type of approach has applicability in the following
areas:

·       Digital Preservation
·       Information Technology/Information Systems projects
·       Library and Archival Collections
·       Cultural Heritage

The espida Model is now available for you to download and evaluate in
your organisation. The current version is a beta version, earlier
versions of which have been evaluated by a range of experts and
improvements made as a result of their input.  There is however still
more work to do on aspects of it, but the espida team is keen to get
feedback from practitioners to see how well its techniques work in
practice in a variety of organisations.

The espida team will be organising a workshop for those with
experience of working with the model in November, where there will be
an opportunity for discussion about how this type of approach might be
developed.

* You can read more about the espida project at http://www.gla.ac.uk/espida/.

* You can read about the communications barrier in our paper to the DLM
   Forum at https://dspace.gla.ac.uk/handle/1905/455.

* You can read about the espida methodology in DLib Magazine at http://www.dlib.org/dlib/april06/mckinney/04mckinney.html.

* You can download the espida model at http://www.gla.ac.uk/espida/model_download.shtml.

* You can contact the espida team at [log in to unmask]

***************************
Peter McKinney
espida Project Research Officer
Room 1118e
Glasgow University Library
Hillhead Street, 
Glasgow, G12 8QE

Tel: +44 141 330 1986
Email: [log in to unmask]
http://www.gla.ac.uk/espida