Towards a Solution

Archival description should draw on the metadata captured in business systems rather than reinvent the wheel. A particularly challenging issue for the recordkeeping community is the archival requirement to preserve records through time, and the need to reference and map between different versions of metadata standards over time.

The prototype developed by this project will demonstrate how to overcome major barriers to the implementation of recordkeeping and resource discovery metadata standards, particularly in eGovernment. It will provide an implementation model for the clever use of metadata in quality recordkeeping systems that capture and manage information that can support the reliability, authenticity, accessibility and usability of evidence of government decisions and activities for as long as that evidence is required. The development of the prototype and the implementation model will involve the prototyping and testing of innovative metatools that will enable the translation of metadata between different schemas, including a mini metadata registry.

Quality assurance mechanisms will also be developed during the prototyping as a critical feature of the prototype and implementation model will be the demonstration of the business utility of metadata, as well as the cost effectiveness and feasibility of having integrated systems and applications that permit metadata to be created and captured once and reused for multiple business critical purposes.

New Knowledge

This project will:

• demonstrate how systems integration can be achieved in practice and the concrete benefits that can accrue in relation to the creation, use and reuse of recordkeeping metadata from a commitment to systems integration, thus addressing the requirement to create once, use many times
• provide a model for the clever use of metadata in recordkeeping and related fields
• support compliance with recordkeeping and resource discovery standards designed to ensure quality records and archives, accessibility of government information, and the accountability of government
• provide a model for new software and systems solutions to assist organizations to comply with standards in cost-effective ways that maximise corporate return on investment
• provide prototypes of new metatools and demonstrate how a metadata registry can enable metadata translation between schemas
• enable Australian business system developers operating in the resource discovery, document management and records management industry sector to better position themselves in the emerging international market in this field.

New Technological Methods

The project will use new and emerging technological methods in user-centred rapid prototyping and implementation modelling to:

• deliver a proof of concept prototype supported by metatools, capable of demonstrating the business utility of metadata and the cost effectiveness and feasibility of having integrated systems and applications that permit metadata to be created and captured once and reused for multiple business critical purposes
• provide an implementation model for best practice, including a working model of a mini metadata registry
• demonstrate the utility of these methods to other metadata communities.

Research Methodology

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Authorised by Head, School of Information Management and Systems. Caution.
Maintained by Records Continuum Research Group.

Last updated 12 October 2003.