Lessons Learned: Projects need to be planned

Sometimes digitization projects seem to just begin without real forethought or planning; however, digitization project must be well planned in order for them to achieve their desired results. Why?

When we plan, we consider all of the things that need to occur -- from start to finish. When creating digital assets, that means considering questions such as:

• What is the focus of the project? Does it support the organization's mission?
• What critieria will be use to select items for digitization?
• How will the items be digitized? What standards will be followed? What equipment will be needed?
• How will the items be made available to users? How will the items be described so that they can be retrieved?
• How will the project be maintained long-term?
• How will the project and its maintenance be funded?
• Who will work on this project? Who will be responsible for its success?

Planning does take time, but once the plan is in place, the project will go much more smoothly.

And that old adage remains true: "Plan your work and work your plan."