I would strongly endorse this as an aspiration. Essentially, SPECTRUM lays
down a minimum standard, along with recommendations of the best way to go
about doing a particular task. This is then supported by the information
requirements. It is a "What Has To Be Done" for any particular activity. I
think that placing the MIDAS units of information in the context of how they
should be used would be extremely helpful. SPECTRUM assumes that museums
will adapt it to suit their own circumstances. The same could be achieved
for MIDAS 2.
We will need to assess the scale of the work required before committing to
this, but I think that feedback on whether the HER community can develop a
guide to best practice, formalised into procedures, is well worth having.
Best wishes,
Matthew
Dr Matthew Stiff
Data Services Manager
National Monuments Record Centre
Kemble Drive
Swindon
SN2 2GZ
(t): 01793 414727
(f): 01793 414770
(m): 07939 151510
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-----Original Message-----
From: Lee, Edmund [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 22 September 2003 11:44
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [FISH] SPECTRUM and MIDAS where are our procedures?
Hello again folks,
Matthew commented on integration of SPECTRUM and MIDAS
> In general, there will be a need for SMRs to broaden the range of
> information that they manage and disseminate, but this will
> be fuelled by
> internal as well as external drivers as they move towards becoming
> fully-fledged Historic Environment Records, with the new audiences and
> audience needs that this will inevitably bring.
in this context I would welcome comment on another aspect of SPECTRUM that
we might be able to 'borrow' - the notion of 'procedures'.
SPECTRUM takes as its starting point a range of tasks or procedures that are
part oc the everyday work of a museum curator (e.g. documenting a
collection, accesioning a new artefacts, undertaking conservation on an
artefact). It then defines what information is required to document that
procedure.
I see from the current consultation on Benchmarks for Best practice
(available online at
http://www.culture.gov.uk/global/consultations/2003+current+consultations/he
r_consultation.htm
) that it is an aspiration for the HER community to move in this directtion.
Section 3.1.b under 2nd stage HER performance measures refers to:-
" Extended written manual for procedures to cover the range of historic
environment information systems with which the Record shares data or has
links.
?Adoption of a full procedural standards (e.g. equivalent to SPECTRUM for
museums) for which documentation may be developed in next 5 years"
The question then is - what are our procedures? It's possible to see some
parallels e.g. accessioning of a new dataset (ie backlog), conservation of a
monument, development control etc. Should this approach be developed for the
2nd edition?
Ed
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