Estimated Schedule
Note: Project is managed by using the Scrum framework and these phases/milestones will be adjusted. Below is a tentative plan for Year 1 of project.
- Project Name
- Project Goals
- Problem and Value Statements
- Vision
- In Scope/Out of Scope
- Deliverables and Work Products
- Definition of Done
- Stakeholders
- Project Team
- Cost and Estimated Schedule
- Assumptions, Constraints, Dependencies, and Risks
- Acceptance
Reimagining Discovery DRAFT charter
Project Goals:
Transforming how researchers, students, and the global community access and explore Harvard's extensive collections, while making all kinds of information easily discoverable and accessible.
- Enhance user experience
- Improve discovery and accessibility of special and archival collections and all types of digital collections including but not limited to image, text, audio, video, born digital, immersive (3d, XR, VR, MR), GIS, etc.
- Integrate distinct digital collections discovery platforms, including developing a new one
- Investigate and use AI-powered tools to enhance user experience and metadata
Problem and Value Statements
Problem Statement
Since its founding, Harvard Library has been a guardian of the University’s memory and a gateway to the world's knowledge. We currently host an array of discovery systems that use different design approaches, organizational priorities, and technology standards. Scholars and the public expect to be able to find trustworthy information and discover resources easily regardless of the system that is managing and providing access to it.
Solution Business Value
By enabling rich cross-collection search, this project will offer end users intuitive, contextual discovery of special collections, archives and digital collections, through a mix of conversational interfaces, browsing that emphasizes the visual nature of materials when appropriate, and recommendations for similar or related resources, all informed by ongoing user research.
Alignment with Harvard Library Multi-Year Goals and Objectives
This projects aligns with FY 24 HL Goals:
- Diversify and expand access to knowledge
Maximize the breadth of tangible and digital collections across Harvard and peer institutions, for the benefit of all partners
Increase our focus on acquiring, accessing, and creating digital content that is accessible to all, as open as possible, and permits creative uses of collections as data
Invest in open access infrastructure and services that support equitable, sustainable models for scholarly communication and open knowledge
Vision
In Scope/Out of Scope
In Scope
Out of Scope
Deliverables and Work Products
Key Tasks and Outcomes
Task | Outcome | Responsible Parties |
---|---|---|
Definition of Done
Stakeholders
(Who is sponsoring the work? Who is funding the work? Who will accept the work? What organizations, departments, or people will benefit from this work? Link to related governance structure wiki page(s) where relevant.)
Executive Stakeholders | Title |
---|---|
Martha Whitehead | VP for Harvard Library and University Librarian |
Stu Snydman | AUL; Managing Director for Library Technology Services |
Open | AUL for Discovery and Access |
Tom Hyry | AUL for Archives and Special Collections |
Library Stakeholders | Title |
---|---|
Amy Deschenes | |
Kai Fay | |
Adrien Hilton | |
Chelcie Rowell | |
Shalimar Fojas White |
Technical Project Team
(Roles include: Product Owner, Project Manager, Scrum Master, Business Analyst, Quality Assurance Analyst, Architect, Software Engineer, Systems Engineer, UI Designer, Metadata Analyst, Subject Matter Expert, Release Coordinator)
Team Member | Title | Project Role(s) |
---|---|---|
Enrique Diaz | Manager of Library Software Engineering | Product Owner (LTS) |
Doug Simon | Senior Digital Library Software Engineer | Developer (LTS) |
JJ Chen | Digital Library Data Engineer | Developer (LTS) |
Maura Meagher | Associate UX Developer | Developer (LTS) |
Carolyn Caizzi | Senior IT Project Manager | Project Manager (LTS) |
Robert Hampton | UX Researcher | UX Researcher/Designer (HL) |
Cost and Estimated Schedule
(Define the resource commitment, project phases with their associated activities, deliverables and milestones. Include a plan for transitioning to a stabilization phase, if needed, and then operations and maintenance. This section may not be relevant for projects for which schedule/date-based information is not available at the time the charter is being written. In that case, be sure to document the schedule, milestones, and deliverable dates in other ways with stakeholders and be transparent about accomplishing them.)
Phase | Phase Start | Phase End | Completion Milestone | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | July 2024 | September 2024 | Natural language discovery platform | with generative AI featuresfor | discoveringboth digitized | ,and physical special and archival collections with generative AI features is | built andtested by selected end users. |
2 | October 2024 | December 2024 | Platform is adjusted based on user feedback, data pipeline is built | ,and platform scaled for a public soft launch. Design process for digitized collections component is completed. | |||
3 | January 2025 | March 2025 | Digitized collections components are built. Platform is monitored for costs and analytics are gathered and reviewed for full launch | .4 | April 2025 | June 2025 | Cont. building digitized collections components and platform is publicly launched. |
Assumptions, Constraints, Dependencies, and Risks
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