Hello
folks,
I'd like to make a first
attempt to summarise the 60 or so posts to the list this week. The intention is
to tease out some general pointers, and specific issues for any future
planning for a project (noted in brackets below).
There is, I am convinced,
an issue that better application of standards could help to address. We've heard
how the UK situation is in some ways better that examples
abroad.
The issue concerns grey
literature specifically, but needs to take account of all sorts of publication
of research and data. (Some of this may need to be out of scope for a project,
but can't overlook this).
Standards need to apply
where the document in question is the principle means of written communication
of the results, whatever the outlet or format. (This should inform the
presentation and scoping of standards).
To be effective, standards
for our discipline need to be valued by related professions. There is a need to
involve and communicate with, for example RTPI members. (Noted for stakeholder
involvement).
Flexibility is essential.
Different sub-communities within the sector will need guidance on
application of standards relevant to their work, level of access to technical
expertise etc. (i.e. additional outputs from the project, such as examples and
templates, perhaps XML schema development, not just a standard. Possible link to
the FISH Toolkit development project here?).
Standards need to recognise
the disparate roles that reports serve. They need to be fit for planning consent
purposes (the comon motivation for investigations), but also provide for future
research (which in turn will feed into better planning decisions via HER
enhancement). (This needs to inform the design of any new
standard).
Reports include both
metadata and data (even if in unstructured form). Both are needed to convey the
results of an investigation. (Important overlaps here with the 'access' strand).
The whole process of
dissemination of results of investigation through to where they can be searched
via HERs needs to be catered for. Grey literature is a means to a specific end,
not the ideal. We should avoid trying to find better ways to do the wrong
thing.
Please do make further comment if I've
overlooked any key points.
Best wishes
Ed
Standards and Guidelines manager
English Heritage
