Contents:
- Executive Summary
- Guidance on How to Use this Document
- Background to Document and Acknowledgements
- Chapter 1: Introduction
- Chapter 2: What is Impact?
- Chapter 3: Perspectives on Impact for Digital Resources
- Chapter 4: Knowing more and Making the Case
- Chapter 5: Building a Model for IA of Digital Resources – The Balanced Value impact Model
- Chapter 6: The Balanced Value Impact Model
- Appendix A: Project Overview and Methodology
- Appendix B: Outcomes of the Experts Workshop
- Appendix C: Outcomes of the Peer Review Engagement with the National Museums Northern Ireland and the National Library of Wales
- Appendix D: Methods and Data Gathering Techniques for IA
- Bibliography
The Balanced Value Impact Model introduced in this document provides insight into means used to measure the impact of digital resources as well as how to use evidence, drawn from a wide range of sources, to advocate how change, via digital archiving and access, benefits people. The author aims to provide key information and a strong model for the following primary user communities: the cultural, heritage, academic or creative industries. The model presented could also be useful for funding bodies who wish to promote evidence-based impact assessment of activities they support. The model defines impact as: ‘The measurable outcomes arising from the existence of a digital resource that demonstrate a change in the life or life opportunities of the community for which the resource is intended.’ This document also acts as a guide to the impact assessment process. It synthesizes information from the entire impact assessment sector and then proposes the Balanced Value Impact Model as a means to effectively carry out an Impact Assessment of the benefits of digitization and digital resources in general. Furthermore, it seeks to help the communities identified to provide a compelling argument for future work. Thus, this document discusses the following issues:Where the value and impact can be found in digital resources.Who benefits from the impact and value.How to measure change and impact for digital resources.What makes good indicators of change in people’s lives.How to do an Impact Assessment using the Balanced Value Impact Model.How to present a convincing evidence-based argument for digital resources.
This model helps policy and decision makers in audiovisual archives, or managers of audiovisual collections in general, employ methodical decision making while digitising, providing access to and exploiting audiovisual content (Impact Assessment). An impact assessment can provide useful arguments to convince internal or external funding bodies by making the what, why and how of digitising projects clearer.