Programme Manual: Introduction

• Scope and Style
• Format and updates
• Authors/credits
• Disclaimers
• Table of Contents

This Manual has been created as a part of the nof-digitise Technical Advisory Service provided by UKOLN and the Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS).

The NOF Digitisation Programme is an ambitious one with £50M available for the creation of online learning resources. It is unprecedented in the scale and scope of projects that will be funded. It has the potential to demonstrate excellence, celebrate diversity and become a benchmark for the future digital learning developments. Indeed it will have a significant impact on lifelong learning opportunities for all citizens, as it targets delivery through the People’s Network and the National Grid for Learning. We have already seen the Programme generating interest on an international level.

The Manual is designed to serve two purposes. Primarily it will provide NOF project managers and team/consortia members with a range of guidelines and information to assist and support in the practical implementation of the funded projects. However, it will also be of value in planning, managing and evaluating digitisation projects in future programmes funded in the UK and elsewhere. To this end, the Manual draws on the experiences of the projects involved in the nof-digitise programme to date, particularly with regard to business planning.

As many nof-digitise projects are already well advanced in the initial stages of planning and establishing their work and processes, it is expected that sections of the Manual referring to later stages of the life cycle of the project will be of more use initially. However a resource that draws together the essential elements at all stages of a digitisaton project's duration will be a useful tool in the longer term.

Whilst there has been an emphasis on producing generic guidelines that will be of value to all projects, specific examples and case studies have been included in a separate section.

Scope and style

A range of topics is covered which has been considered to be essential or at the very least, useful in the practical process of managing a digitisation project. In each section, the intention has been to give key information in an easily accessible style; the Manual is not intended to be comprehensive and a Bibliography of more detailed information and publications is given. Jargon has been avoided where possible. but a Glossary is included which contains listings of terms and acronyms used.

Format and updates

The manual is available in HTML format from the NOF digitise Technical Advisory Service Web site http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/nof/support/.

Authors/credits

Staff at UKOLN and at the Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS) have written and compiled the manual. Reference has been made to a number of other documents and web sites and the value of these additional materials is acknowledged here and author credits stated in the text.

Disclaimer

The currency and accuracy of the information contained in this Manual was verified at the time of writing. UKOLN and the Arts and Humanities Data Service may not be held responsible for any subsequent errors, loss of data or resourcing issues incurred by NOF projects.