Digital diplomatics and measurement of electronic public data qualities. What lessons should be learned?
| Published date | 16 March 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/RMJ-01-2015-0006 |
| Pages | 56-77 |
| Date | 16 March 2015 |
| Author | Basma Makhlouf Shabou |
| Subject Matter | Information & knowledge management,Information management & governance |
Digital diplomatics and
measurement of electronic public
data qualities
What lessons should be learned?
Basma Makhlouf Shabou
Department of Information Studies,
Geneva School of Business Administration, Geneva, Switzerland
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to present a recent study on the denition and measurement of quality
dimensions of public electronic records and archives (QADEPs: Qualités des archives et documents
électroniques publics). It develops an original model and a complete method with tools to dene and
measure electronic public data qualities within public institutions. It highlights also the relationship
between diplomatics principles and the measurement of trustworthiness of electronic data in particular.
This paper presents a general overview of the main results of this study, with also illustrative examples
to demonstrate the feasibility of measuring the qualities of electronic archives in the context of public
institutions.
Design/methodology/approach – This research was conducted in two phases. The rst one was the
conceptual phase in which the quality dimensions were identied and dened with specic sets of
indicators and variables. The second phase was the empirical phase which involved the testing of the
model on real electronic documents belonging to several public institutions to validate its relevance and
applicability. These tests were performed at the Archives of the State of Wallis and the Archives of the
State of Geneva, thanks to different measurement tools designed especially for this stage of the research.
Findings – The QADEPs model analyzes the qualities of electronic records in public institutions
through three dimensions: trustworthiness, exploitability and representativeness. These dimensions
were divided into eight sub-dimensions comprising 17 indicators for a total of 46 variables. These
dimensions and their variables tried to cover the main aspects of quality standards for electronic data
and public documents. The study demonstrates that nearly 60 per cent of the measured variables could
be automated.
Research limitations/implications – The QADEPs model was dened and tested in a Swiss
context on a limited sample of electronic public data to validate, essentially, its feasibility. It would be
useful to extend this approach and test it on a broader sample in different contexts abroad.
Practical implications – The decisionmaking of records retention in organizations and public
institutions in particular is difcult to establish and justify because it is based generally on subjective
and non-defendable practices. The QADEPs model offers specic metrics with their related measuring
tools to evaluate and identify what is valuable and what is eliminable within the whole set of
institutional electronic information. The model should reinforce the information governance of those
institutions and help them control the risks related to information management.
The present study was supported by the University of Applied Sciences and Art of Western
Switzerland (HES.so Genève). It has been carried out by Basma Makhlouf Shabou in collaboration
with Melliuo, Rey, Schneider and Boder from HEG-Geneva; Fluckiger and Ducry from Archives
of State of Geneva; Dubois from Archives of State of Wallis; Kellerhals from Swiss Federal
Archives; Christophe Graf from the University of Bern; and Wildi from Docuteam Sa
`rl.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:
www.emeraldinsight.com/0956-5698.htm
RMJ
25,1
56
Received 15 January 2015
Revised 15 January 2015
Accepted 15 January 2015
RecordsManagement Journal
Vol.25 No. 1, 2015
pp.56-77
©Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0956-5698
DOI 10.1108/RMJ-01-2015-0006
Originality/value – The current practice of archival appraisal does not yet invest in a meticulous
examination of the nature of documents that should be preserved permanently. The lack of studies
on the denition and measurement of the qualities of electronic and public electronic records
prevents verication as to whether archival materials are signicant. This paper lls in some of the
gaps.
Keywords Appraisal, Information management, Archives management,
Electronic records management, Accuracy, Digital storage
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
In archival science, the interest for studying the concept of quality is not
well-developed. This paper presents the main results of QADEPs project (Qualités
des documents et des données électroniques publics) realized at the Geneva
Business School with the collaboration of several public and private Swiss partners,
who are themselves dealing with the denition and the measurement of the
important qualities applied to electronic records and data in public institutions. It
species the measurement of three dimensions:
(1) trustworthiness;
(2) exploitability; and
(3) representativeness.
For the purpose of this paper, the author focuses in particular on the main indicators and
variables related to the trustworthiness dimension. Classic and digital diplomatics
literature represents one of the main resources in this eld.
The goal of the project is, in a conceptual phase, to dene the variables to
appraise the quality of public electronic archives in the perspective of a sustainable
conservation in an Open Archival Information System (OAIS) system type. In a
second empirical phase, the model is tested on three public institutions (Swiss
Federal Archives, Archives of the State of Geneva and Archives of the State of
Wallis) to verify its applicability. This research promises to bring signicant
benets: theoretical results as well as empirical results. Regarding the theoretical
results, the conceptual framework will be presented as a general mapping, which
will summarize the dimensions and indicators of the qualities of electronic records.
This structure will represent the various aspects of the quality of public electronic
archives. A sample of variables related to authenticity will be then presented to
enable an accurate understanding of how one can dene and quantify the qualities
of a public electronic document to ensure its long-term preservation. Moreover, this
paper will focus the trustworthiness dimension of electronic records studied as part
of the QADEPs project. In short, it will highlight in particular the measurement of
authenticity and will demonstrate a relevant use case developed on the basis of rich
diplomatics knowledge.
Relationship between diplomatics and the study of records qualities
Diplomatics is recognized as a medieval discipline that consists of studying exclusive
attributes of records and manuscripts. It focuses not only on the analysis of their nature
but also on their broad context as well as their creation and their transmission
57
Electronic
public data
qualities
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