Strategic Content Alliance blog

The main objectives of the next phase of activity are:

The implementation, management and sustainability of the Content Framework including the development of “Digipedia” (and other “routes to market”).

A development programme to kick-start the use of the Content Framework to increase the aggregation and accessibility of public sector e-content from a range of institutions.

Advocacy to UK governments and institutions to demonstrate the value to learning, research and the economy of the wide adoption of the Content Framework.

In order to achieve these objectives, the following strategic areas have been identified:

• Audience Analysis and Impact – The need to understand the online audiences in the development of e-content to ensure that public funded content remains relevant and useful at a time of rapid technological innovation.

• Business Modelling and Sustainability – The need not only to sustain, but to continue to develop e-content through revenue streams – other than JISC is critical at time of budgetary cuts and economic uncertainty. We need to build on the models and case studies undertaken in phase one in order for our community to continue developing e-content for learning, teaching and research.

• Intellectual Property Rights and Licensing – The need to address the complex legal issues surrounding e-content – contractual; copyright; licensing; orphan works for example is non-trivial and one of the significant barriers to true legally compliant interoperability.

• Advocacy and Implementation – The need not only to show case, but apply the tools developed under phase one of the initiative in a real world environment is critical – not only to hone the effectiveness of these tools, but also to enhance professional practice in e-content lifecycle development.

• Experimentation (Rapid Prototyping; Testing; and Evaluation) for example, CenturyShare – The opportunities to develop; test; and evaluate rapid experimentation across sectors – enabling sponsors and others to collaborate through joint development in an agile and innovative manner.