Process, not product Experiences from developing a digital interface of archaeological data sharing between public and private sector in Sweden
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The document discusses the development of a digital interface for archaeological data sharing in Sweden, aimed at improving the management of digital heritage information. It outlines the challenges and processes involved, such as communication among stakeholders, identifying and formulating requirements, and ensuring data quality and usability. The project emphasizes that digitalization is an ongoing process that requires continuous adaptation and stakeholder involvement.
Process, not product Experiences from developing a digital interface of archaeological data sharing between public and private sector in Sweden
- 1. Process, not product Experiences from developing a digital interface of archaeological data sharing between public and private sector in Sweden Asa Larsson Swedish National Heritage Board Twitter: @ArchAsa
- 2. DAP – Digital Archaeological Process Government funded program 2014-2019 Mission: Improve the management of digital heritage information for the benefit of infrastructure and development. Goals: • Minimise need for double storage and re-digitisation • Reduce the risk of loss of information between responsible parties • Ensure that heritage information is up to date and of dependable quality • Create a digital process for sharing information
- 3. The Swedish System CONTRACT ARCHAEOLOGY Private companies Local museums National History museum Rules, guidelines for heritage Oversight Approves development Specifications, tenders for archaeology (Developers cover costs) Results 21 COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE BOARDS NATIONAL HERITAGE BOARDManages the national Historic Environment Record Responsible for county heritage sites
- 4. Report PDF NHB Open Archive Report Tender Digital documentation ???!Ancient Sites Record Before: Digital to analogue Copy tender Archaeologist Dep of Hist Env Dep of Information Dep of Hist Env Administrators Archaeologists Planners Developers Researchers Site info Artefacts Decision Site info Report (2 copies) Site polygon Analogue documentation NHB Archive or Museum archive Museum collection County Admin Board County Admin Board
- 5. Project info: Who, when, where, what, Case number Polygon of area Site data Report (PDF) Artefact list (CSV) (Documentation) PUBLIC DATA Site data Project data Artefact data Reports (Documentation) HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT RECORD Geodata ASK CONTRACT ARCHAEOLOGIST Museum receiving artefacts Check site info InfoMake site info public DIGITAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROCESS County Administrative Board FORNREGNew online tool County Admin Board
- 6. New Digital System HER (KMR) Historic Environment Record FORNREG Online registration tool ASK County Admin Board FÄLTREG Offline bulk registration API API PUB platform MASTERDATA PUBLISHING Ancient & Historic Sites WMS Open Data Portal Excavations and Surveys Reports (and Data) FORNSÖK Open Web search FORNDOK E-Archive Data in/Tools SITE PID PROJECT PID ARCHIVE OBJ PID PID = Persistent Identifier
- 7. Fornsök Protected site (ancient/historic) Other historic site (lower protection) Non-protected (e.g. excavated/destroyed)
- 8. Protected site (ancient/historic) Other historic site (lower protection) Non-protected (e.g. excavated/destroyed)
- 9. Archaeological surveys and excavations
- 10. Open Data Portal https://pub.raa.se/oppna-data Updated each night • WMS (Web Map Sevice) • Data package for download as shape (zip) or GeoPackage (GPKG). • Ancient and Historic Sites • Archaeological Projects
- 11. Not an ”IT-project” OPERATIONS Identify processes Clarify responsibilities Legal framework Rules, regulations and guidelines Courses, manuals Support TECHNOLOGY New platform New Record structure New online tools New user interface Inter-system communication INFORMATION Correct/amend site data/info Clarify quality and standards Collect project data from stakeholders Correct/amend project data
- 12. Communication is Alpha and Omega • Seminars, info meetings • County administrators • Contract archaeologists • Universities – researchers, students • Museums • Other agencies/target groups • Reference groups • Web site, social media, blogs, news letters • Teacher led courses for the new tools (for professionals) • Web courses (open for all) • Evaluations, follow up meetings Don’t deploy and dash!
- 13. Challenge 1: Communication Government officials, archaeologists, developers, UX specialists… Pieter Bruegel d. ä. CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- 14. Challenge 2: Identifying requirements We want to Create a digital process for sharing information BL Harley 4951, f. 298v. British Library (PD)
- 15. Challenge 2: Formulating requirements We want to 1. Import data 2. Create data 3. Preserve data 4. Search data 5. Visualise data 6. Export data = 6 different products! BL Harley 4951, f. 298v. British Library (PD)
- 16. Challenge 3: Existing data is rarely ready-to-use Sources of error: • Created for other purposes, built in inconsistencies • Coordinate/geodetic system • Human error – variations, spelling mistakes • No agreed upon standards • Missing/Unnecessary metadata • Databases/shapefiles containing more than the project data • Errors during measuring (”fish-tails”) • Did I mention human error…? Het Nationaal Glasmuseum, CCBY
- 17. Challenge 4: Thinking digitally – not analogue in a digital way • Don’t just ”translate” an old process built for other purposes • Map out processes – then question the work flow • Reuse information and metadata whenever possible • Minimise the human factor (e.g. pre selected choices) • Link to sources, remove unnecessary copies
- 18. Challenge 5: People… The Completionist Everything is important! The Perfectionist No mistakes! The Charger Let’s do this! Albert Edelfelt, CC0 Arnold Böcklin, PDJohann Peter Krafft, CCBY
- 19. Experiences from implementing a digital process • Identifying and prioritising requirements takes time! • Be prepared to change your minds • Bring developers ”in house” – necessary for communication • Involve stakeholders internally and externally, make them pariticpate in the learning process – create courses, manuals etc • Digitalisation is not a product, it’s a medium for doing our jobs better • Deployment is only the beginning, keep developing
- 20. Tack / Thank you Åsa Maria Larsson asa.larsson@raa.se twitter.com/archasa www.linkedin.com/in/asamlarsson/ Swedish National Heritage Board www.raa.se twitter.com/raa_se facebook.com/riksantikvarieambetet