InSPECT project reports

The InSPECT (Investigating the Significant Properties of Electronic Content Over Time) project was funded by JISC between March 2007 and March 2009 under the Repositories and Preservation programme. It was led by the Arts and Humanities Data Service (AHDS) Executive until its demise in March 2008, and then by the Centre for e-Research (CeRch) at Kings College London. CeRch was assisted by project partners at The National Archives (TNA).

The project used design methods to identify the functions performed by an Object in its current manifestation and evaluate if they are required by other stakeholders. It adapted the Function-Behaviour-Structure (FBS) framework, a framework developed by John Gero to assist engineers and designers with the process of creating and re-engineering systems. By considering the purpose of the object in conjunction with the stakeholder that uses it, an auditor may determine the functionality and, by extension the properties, that are necessary to maintain over time. By focussing upon the properties that are essential, the institution may adopt a preservation strategy that is faster, simpler to perform and less costly than alternative strategies that maintain all elements of the object.