After sharing my review of the “Final Report of the Lighting the Way Project” last week, Beth Snapp drew my attention to a 2017 OCLC report referenced within, “Demystifying IT: A Framework for Shared Understanding between Archivists and IT Professionals” (https://www.oclc.org/research/publications/2017/oclcresearch-demystifying-it-shared-understanding.html) that had been languishing on my “To Read” list.

As always from OCLC an accessible read; if you haven’t previously read it I encourage you to, or even re-read it.

Abstract

“Today’s digital archivist needs tools and platforms to ingest, manage and provide access to electronic records and digital content of all types. The complexity of digital systems makes the participation of information technology (IT) professionals essential. Archivists have sophisticated domain knowledge, while IT staff have advanced technology skills. As in other areas of human endeavor, working together effectively requires a desire to understand each other’s expertise, priorities and constraints. It requires developing a culture of collaboration.

This report describes types of IT providers and the services they typically offer, offers insights on the software development process, provides guidance toward building partnerships and emphasizes the centrality of resource constraints. Many of the issues described are relevant to librarians and archivists who work with IT colleagues on issues other than born-digital management.”

Key Discoveries

• “Regardless of the number of IT staff, they must always prioritize core functions (e.g., workstation and server maintenance, internet connectivity, email) that serve the entire organization over specialized services and projects.”
  • DAN: I think this also presumes  a “monolithic” IT; need to keep in mind the various parts of “IT” one is collaborating with.
• “IT resources are never limitless. You will always have rivals for time and attention. Be prepared to negotiate rather than demand.
• IT staff must equate time with money, which often means utilizing formalized approaches to project management to develop timelines and guard against “scope creep.”
• All parties should clarify terminology and intended meaning to guard against misunderstanding and be prepared to explain themselves clearly.
• Clients are more likely to be respected and valued by IT colleagues if they follow designated procedures (such as use of a ticketing system) and utilize documentation before seeking help.
• The ability of IT units to acquire new hardware, software or storage space for their clients on short notice is often constrained by an annual budget cycle.
• IT must always be involved from the outset when acquisition of any product or service from an external provider—including open-source software—is under consideration. They will be asked to support it in future.”

Key Concepts

“Archivists should see their IT colleagues as essential consultants and service providers and learn how to articulate the archives’ needs clearly and effectively”

IT Service Provider Models describes three common organizational structures

1. “Small shops, in which IT responsibilities fall to a single individual or a small group
   1. Be open to compromise. An appropriate technology may be available that provides most of what you need and is already familiar to your IT staff. A few well-chosen concessions may make the difference in enabling your vision.
2. Departments, in which a management structure coordinates staff who support IT functions
3. External service providers, who sell products and services that organizations either cannot or choose not to provide internally”

Building Partnerships describes three project roles

1. Client (archivist/curator/librarian)
2. IT professionals
3. Project manager

Resource Management

“…describes the limits that both archivists and IT professionals face for funding, infrastructure and staffing [emphasis added], and how finding the right balance within those limits may offer the best chance of achieving an optimal technology solution.”

• DAN – KEEP IN MIND: Infrastructure and staffing require funding!

Buy Build Adopt? Three general options exist for obtaining a new service or tool:

• Buy a commercial product, either off the shelf or with slight modifications
• Adopt an open-source solution.
• Build, either in-house or through an external provider

 Development and Support

“…describes widely used models of software development (waterfall, agile and lean), the process of negotiating project requirements and good practices for archivists to help developers fix software problems.”

Reporting Issues

The client “…can play a valuable part in the problem-solving process by providing as detailed and accurate a report as possible…”

• DAN: This is a really important step/concept, to provide detailed, articulate feedback to help fix or improve the developed solution.

….and above all when we collaborate with our University Libraries colleagues, “…Follow the rules of civil human behavior: never lose your temper or become impatient”