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Workflows, Requests, Tasks and EMu

Workflows, Requests, Tasks and EMu. Mark Bradley National Gallery of Australia. Introduction. project to replace NGA’s current Collection Services Request System (CSRS) general “project management” issues for collecting institutions

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Workflows, Requests, Tasks and EMu

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  1. Workflows, Requests, Tasksand EMu Mark Bradley National Gallery of Australia

  2. Introduction • project to replace NGA’s current Collection Services Request System (CSRS) • general “project management” issues for collecting institutions • thoughts on how to proceed in developing a solution within Emu • seeking interest from you

  3. Contents why we need request/task management current solution (history of CSRS) issues we currently face can EMu help solve these issues? challenges - the big picture

  4. Why do we need request/task management?

  5. resources decreasing workloads increasing efficiencydividend

  6. staff looking for help increasing need to systematically track workflows/tasks work getting more complex

  7. Who? Movements Imaging Packing any activity with a timeline/deadline Loans Conservation Installations Curators Storage

  8. History of CSRS at NGA • Imaging department • competing priorities • digitally documenting the collection • providing high-quality images for internal and external publication • photographing gallery events

  9. History of CSRS at NGA the Imaging department in-house bespoke system Implemented Imaging Services Request System created by a staff member to manage the request and supply of images. In 2004

  10. History of CSRS at NGA (for the geeks) • SQL Server back-end • Access front-end • Connects with EMu’s standard libraries (APIs)

  11. Imaging Services Request System • enabled IRU clients to request images • for publication (marketing, catalogues, books, the web) • ID shots in EMu • for presentations • of events (openings, etc)

  12. Imaging Services Request System • enabled IRU staff to: • check existing image database (avoid repeating work) • manage competing priorities • track progress

  13. From ISRS … • Other departments noticed potential to track other activities • ISRS expanded to include management of requests for: • Conservation • Movements • Loans/Packing

  14. …to CSRS system became known as CSRS – the Collection Services Request System.

  15. CSRS Issues– why change? Wouldn’t run on Macs Many technical issues Created by internal staff member, who later departed No service level agreement with the creator Fixes made when creator could find time (holidays, flex time)

  16. CSRS Issues– why change? • Could not keep pace with: • changes to gallery processes • repurposing of gallery spaces • or upgrades to CMS

  17. CSRS Issues– why change? We tried paying a third party consultant to work on the system had to reverse engineer the design before able to work on it expensive way to go

  18. staff looking for help

  19. And so they turn to EMu

  20. EMu solution options My task has been to conjure up a way to make EMu do what CSRS does. But better.

  21. Tasks? Pest Checks and Notifications utilised EMu’s tasks function

  22. Tasks? • So close, but… • spread across different modules, so no single list of tasks, nor ability to relate tasks to each other • not in all modules (notably Locations and Multimedia) • no way of associating a request with over-arching project (such as an exhibition) • cannot cover the scope of the Imaging requirements

  23. Tasks? Could work, but would need some serious customising

  24. New Requests Module? • Perhaps a better solution • Pros: • all tasks in one place = easy search • different tabs for different types of tasks • Cons: • expensive • slow to develop

  25. Challenges Link with existing Imaging Database? What happens when we move to a DAMS?

  26. Is EMu even the right system? The itunes generation are looking for modern, simple interfaces. Event the modest CSRS is more inviting than EMu’s interface Staff want something closer to Outlook for task lists DAMS will likely be web-based

  27. The Big Picture Tasks are just tasks – how do dependencies work?

  28. Task Dependencies Task Templates in EMu allow dependencies to be entered. But that seems to suggest a set “critical path”

  29. Is Critical Path the right path? there is no such thing at the NGA flexibility is more important. rigid systematic controls are seen to hinder rather than help when deadlines are looming shortcuts

  30. Summary increasing need for workflow management tools can it be done in EMu? can it be done well in EMu? do staff really want this?

  31. That’s all • keen to discuss if anyone’s interested Mark Bradley mark.bradley@nga.gov.au (02) 6240 6539

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