The Information Appraisal Scorecard (pt 1)

Posted by davidkaymls on Sep 26, 2019 in Blog | Comments Off on The Information Appraisal Scorecard (pt 1)

Digital Archivy has developed an Information Appraisal Scorecard to assist clients. This blog entry is related to one practical modern-day example.

Many institutions including, evidently, the White House, face significant cyber challenges. First of all, they struggle to create effective information systems. They also struggle in implementing efficient workflows.  So, with some awareness of needs, they would benefit from an information appraisal scorecard. Most notably, this helps capture and codify provenance, metadata, and value. Ultimately, it will also assist in measuring users and usage with metrics.

From the perspective of digital archivy and information management and other records management nerds, the Impeachment Inquiry will be riveting. It will also be an enlightening experience.

So, with this in mind, we address the extant evidence using information management practices– while the case unfolds before our eyes.  As evidence is uncovered and de-classified and made available, we will appraise sources, assess the content, assign values. We aim to evaluate content to create a better information ecosystem. And we will build a system that tracks the evidential and informational value.

INFORMATION APPRAISAL SCORECARD CRITERIA

Because of this, we look at ways to quantify the data. We developed our scorecard to simplify this objective work. We began to look at the foundation, content, and data streams. Here are a few of our criteria:

• assess the media format or the source materials
• identify the content type
• describe the content itself
• assign the level of priority
• classify security levels as needed

We build on our experience appraising archives and advising on records retention schedules. As a result, we apply critical thinking and problem-solving. By examining and evaluating the information and evidence, we compare scores in the scorecard. This is useful for best practice.  In addition, this helps us assign an information appraisal value that will

• determine if evidential or informational value
• consider the volume and quantity or frequency of data and digital assets
• evaluate the uniqueness, authenticity, accuracy and completeness
• assess complexity of data and information relevant to users and usage
• apply access restrictions and user permissions

As a consequence, and by using this criteria as baseline, we create a system to track values based on source and content and users of the documents.

IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY

Similarly, in advance of today’s (September 26) #ImpeachmentInquiry hearing, records were released.   Consequently, they have different informational value. Further, in some cases, they have evidential value as well.  It includes a variety of content and materials.  Specifically:

• Transcript of phone call
• Whistleblower complaint
• Testimony of DNI
• ICIG’s Letter
• White House Memo of Conversation
• Record and notes from phone call by observers; and
• Audio recording of phone calls/conversations between POTUS and Ukrainian President

In addition, as we look at the network of connections to the left, we can map a new valuation.  Next time we will introduce the information appraisal Scorecard. We will also show a sample with the July 25 Phone Call Transcript. Furthermore,  you can access a copy of the IC IG’s letter here.

Above all, check out examples of some of our client work .  They illustrate how we develop similar systems to create systems and metrics.

“The ebooks will stop working.”

Posted by davidkaymls on Jul 3, 2019 in Blog, Featured | Comments Off on “The ebooks will stop working.”

“The ebooks will stop working.” I gasped when I first read that.
Last week, I was doing some research and surfing twitter on my cell when I saw a spine-tingling tweet with a sentence that made me stop in my tracks:  “The books will stop working.” After re-gaining consciousness, I stewed and mulled and collected my thoughts.  Then I wrote my most popular tweet ever. It practically went viral!  It got more than 31,000 click-thru engagements and nearly 150 likes and 130 retweets.  I’m still recovering. . . .

What a horrifying sentence, I thought.  As someone who has worked with digital libraries and archives, I’ve been thinking about ebooks not working and about digital rights for a long time. This disturbing news was gratifying and reminded me of the inspiring science fiction writings and non-fiction articles by Cory Doctorow.

DRM

So here’s the story.  In April, Microsoft announced that they will shut down their ebooks store and grant refunds. The FAQ page states “your books will be removed from Microsoft Edge when Microsoft processes the refunds.” In other words, they will refund purchases and then remove their DRM books.  They are eliminating their whole e-book ecosystem!

In 2004, science fiction writer Cory Doctorow warned us about ebooks. His speech is still available freely online (through the public domain) in many formats, I can still remember the thrust of his argument:

1. DRM systems don’t work.
2. DRM is bad for society.
3. It is bad for business.
4. It is  bad for artists.
5. DRM is bad business for Microsoft.

Originally intended as an anti-piracy measure, DRM has changed. Now it primarily functions to lock customers into a specific ecosystem. This restricts our ability to read or view or listen to purchases wherever and however we want. This cycle has persisted for decades and it shows no signs of abating.

However, at present we may not have all the information nor terminology to discuss this vexing issue in pragmatic terms. In some ways this shares similarities with technological or format obsolescence issues.  DRM is more complex because it represents a time-based and privately-owned security mechanism.

Obsolescence Learned

Technological obsolescence often furthers a carrier format improvement. For example, the sound quality recorded on analog vinyl LPs were improved by digital re-engineering and noise reduction. Digital optical CDs captured recordings that sound cleaner and, some say, more sterile. But the market was built upon persuasive promises that compact discs provide “perfect sound forever.”

In the case of DRM, though, there is a more appropriate example of format obsolescence. This one hits closer to home in the born-digital world.  In the late 1990s, Macromedia Flash became the new killer app. It was a frame-by-frame animation tool that simplified vector animation and interactive publishing for the web.  The software enabled users to create interactive animations on a timeline and to capture and upload moving images files. This was a huge improvement on static HTML pages of yesteryear!

The ebooks: After-Flash Math

Adobe bought Macromedia and Flash in 2006.  Things got rough for Flash when the iPhone was released in 2007 without Flash player support.  Then, a few years later, just prior to releasing the iPad, Steve Jobs stuck a dagger when he announced Apple was stopping support for Flash. This exclusion of the Apple ecosystem was deadly for Flash.

With advances in open standards and exclusion from Apple ecosystem, Flash languished. Its software usage and proprietary formats became less ubiquitous. HTML5, a new open standard, became the go-to replacement.  YouTube, the largest provider of Flash video, was one of the first to migrate content to the new standard. In July 2017, Adobe announced they too would end support for Flash player and software in 2020.

Digital Rights Management represents a new structural threat to accessing our content.  This example of Microsoft removing ebooks and evidence of books from people’s libraries, is horrifying.  This is the tyranny of DRM and it illustrates the grave threat of additional proprietary algorithms.

So next time you’re downloading some music or purchasing an ePub, you may want to ask yourself, “Will the ebooks stop working too?”

Check out the Cory Doctorow speech from 2004 on Craphound: https://craphound.com/msftdrm.txt
Or if you prefer a fancier format, check it out here in glorious PDF.

”Content Is King and Storage Is Cheap”

Posted by davidkaymls on Mar 29, 2019 in Blog | Comments Off on ”Content Is King and Storage Is Cheap”

We often hear “content is king” and “data storage is cheap.” But few will point out how difficult it is to identify and separate content from data.  Content include Intellectual Property. But it also may include emails or text messages. Though content may be Top Dawg, long-term preservation is expensive. Formats, technical requirements and time frame affect storage costs and strategy. Yes, storage is cheap now, but over time, it becomes expensive and costs add up quickly.

Appraising data prior to ingest is invaluable. This builds trust in a system that users can use and find assets.  Storage is cheaper than cheap when less data is stored.

Content Is King

Content lies in the Venn Diagram intersection sweet spot of People, Process and Technology.  As a result, technology people, and process create content.  Workflows can be well-defined if challenges are phased. Also, solutions must be  multi-dimensional. The question becomes, how do creators and users find, access, and share the resources they need?

To some, it is unreasonably obtuse to invest in an organization’s organization.  But many gradually will see that great value is added with a single unified system.  One single source of truth may become a trusted digital repository. If costs are shared, and if it serves many users, an information infrastructure iscost-effective. Armed with content they need, users are empowered to seek, use, need, and share information.

Storage Is Cheap

Each network supports a wide network of extraordinary groups and unique individuals. While accessing information, users employ different processes and recognize their different needs and objectives. These include:

• Data for documentation of records
• Intellectual Property
• Sensitive or confidential data with PII
• Information licensed for limited usage
• Internal and external resources used for reference purposes
• Evidential and analytical data from reports and projects
• Communications
• Promotional and marketing materials

Information creates and adds value to the network. It frames every element of access, need, and use. An understanding of content usage also benefits users.  An effective metadata schema will build a sound infrastructure.  With guidance, a ttaxonomy can frame knowledge due to internal resources. Controlled vocabularies, preferred terms and acronyms, compiled from a style guide will fortify a trusted system and help with user adoption.

Consequently, we build effective and efficient information management systems. Institutions migrate structured and unstructured data to the Cloud. Sooner or later, they will need a strategy. Without a plan, they practically guarantee they will misunderstand their institutional knowledge.

Content is King, but context is queen and metadata is a prince.

Check out my experience from a list of clients with whom I’ve worked: http://www.digitalarchivy.com/clients/