1. 1 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes The QA Focus Methodology Brian Kelly and Amanda Closier UKOLN Gareth Knight AHDS http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/qa-focus/ This session addresses the importance of quality assurance for metadata and describes the QA methodology developed by JISC-funded QA Focus project.

2. 2 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Background QA Focus has sought to: Help ensure the functionality, wide accessibility and interoperability of JISC-funded projects Provide advice and support materials to projects Recognise the limited resources available to projects Develop a light-weight methodology which can help projects achieve interoperability and compliance with appropriate standards and best practices Develop a self-assessment methodology which recognises the difficulties of external checking

3. 3 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes QA Focus Methodology The QA Focus methodology: Based on mainstream QA principles Projects should develop written policies on standards, best practices, etc. Projects should deploy systematic procedures for ensuring the policies are implemented Projects should share experiences (good and bad) Note that: The policies should be achievable The procedures may lead to changes in systems, workflow, etc. if non-compliance spotted Audit trails should be kept to help identify trends, provide documented evidence of best practices, etc.

4. 4 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Policies How do you know what you should do if you don't have documented polices? Policy: Web Standards Standard: XHTML 1.0 and CSS 2.0 Architecture: Use of SSIs and text editor Exceptions: Automatically-derived files Checking: Use,validate after update Audit Trail: Use,rvalidate monthly and document findings Policy example Please note that this is a template – you can add additional headings

5. 5 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Applying QA – Accessibility (1) Policy:The Web site will strive to attain WAI A guidelines. Consistent accessibility shortcuts will be used. An accessibility policy will be published. Architecture:The Web site will be based on XHTML templates which comply with WAI A. Monitoring:New and updated pages will be validated using,bobby. A monthly batch checker will be used and audit reports published (to enable any trends to be spotted). Exceptions:A list of permitted exceptions will be provided. QA Focus Methodology Note that University of Edinburgh Library have a useful Web accessibility policy

6. 6 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Applying QA – Accessibility (2) Policy:The organisation has no accessibility policy Authors are free to implement their own accessibility shortcuts (if at all) Architecture:No centralised policy covering authoring tools or architecture will be provided Monitoring:No monitoring will be carried out If you don't have a written policy, the unwritten policy may well be frightening!

7. 7 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Applying QA – External Services Area:Use of an externally-hosted stats counter Policy:QA Focus Web site will make use of Sitemeter for providing Web usage statistics. Dangers:There is a dependency on a 3 rd party and no formal contract. Rationale:The service provides additional functionality at no cost and little effort. Withdrawal of the service will not hinder the mainstream activities of the project. Alternatives:If the service is lost, usage figures can be obtained from standard Web log files.

8. 8 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Questions Any questions?

9. 9 QA Focus – Supporting JISC's Digital Library Programmes Exercise 2: In group exercise 2 you will seek to develop policies and procedures for QA for metadata In your group you can choose to address: QA for metadata QA for software