GOOD PRACTICE FORM FOR NOMINATIONS

We propose to start the activity of the workgroup on 'good practice' proposing an initial set of some main areas where to put the nominations. In particular we think to start with the basic issue of digitisation itself.
Each project can be 'nominated' for more than one area, following your evaluation of the most important features contained in the example.

AREAS for nominations of 'good practice' for on-going projects on digitisation:
1.	Preservation of physical objects via digitisation and electronic surrogates.
2.	High quality of the digitisation process.
3.	Metadata and Thesaurus.
4.	Usability of project results.
5.	Management of the process and workflow
6.	Accessibility including copyright issues and web sites

For each project please specify:

•	Area of 'good practice' where you like to nominate your project (you can put more than only one area): 
Metadata and Thesaurus.

•	Name:
Endovelliccus

•	Responsible body and/or any specific : Instituto Português de Arqueologia
Co-ordinating body/mechanism:

•	Contact person: Drª Jacinta Bugalhão

•	Web site: www.ipa.min-cultura.pt

•	Description of the project, objectives and priorities:

Since its creation, IPA was defined as primarily devoted to the detection, preservation and management of archaeological heritage.  To that end, it became pivotal to bring up to date the computerized inventory of archaeological sites previously developed.  This database would be made available to planning agencies and planning companies as well as other state institutions with duties in the field of archaeological research and management.  In order for IPA and related state agencies to fulfill its missions in the realm of preventive archaeology, a good and as extensive as possible knowledge of the distribution and ranked importance of archaeological resources across the country’s territory is required.  On the other hand, the development of the database itself requires good connections between the managers, the scientific community and the public. Endovélico was therefore designed so as to be able to accommodate public access to the information stored therein.

All the information stored in the system is of both scientific and administrative nature.
Endovélico’s main form is the “Archaeological site form”, featuring general and scientific information fields (designation, site type, chronological period, soil use, description, remains, storage of remains, administrative location, geographical location, location’s level of precision (metadata) and maps) as well as administrative and legal information fields (landowner, legal protection, threats, workers, protection, conservation). The system is complemented by forms of a more scientific (archaeological project, fieldwork, bibliography, archaeologist, images) or more administrative nature (file, inspections, organizations, individuals).

•	The main technical features for what you consider the project a 'good practice' example:

It was not until 1995 that a new system for archaeological information and management was developed: the Endovellicus system, developed by Chiron, Lda. It is based on Oracle database software and uses a Borland Delphi interface. This system consisted of a series of forms with multiple internal links and allowed geographical location through an external link with Esri ArcView software.  In itself, this step constituted a qualitative leap in data storage and processing.

Long term sustainability strategy: The actions currently under way are:
1.	Development and optimization of the system and its interfaces:
a)	Progressive growth of the contents available online;
b)	Upgrading the system’s GIS capabilities, through software implementation and systematic correction of the geographic references;
2.	Implementing solutions related to new telecommunication concepts
3.	Transfer of information still stored in old support systems, both manual and digital
4.	Continuous insertion of new data into the database
5.	Integration of field data

•	Accessibility by users via local network or Internet (describe modalities and IPR issue from a technical point of view):
A feature added to the system in 1998 was Web access. Under constant updating, the amount of database contents available online thus tends to grow.  This enables external use through the IPA’s website (www.ipa.min-cultura.pt). The data currently available are of essentially technical and scientific nature, and mostly used by archaeologists, in the framework of research or preventive archaeology projects.	The user profile is expected to become more diversified, and to include other agents whose activities have some sort of territorial impact (promoters of major public and private developments with important subsurface components) or are directed towards heritage management (local authorities, tour operators, etc.). At present online contents are only in Portuguese, but it is expected that in the near future they shall be made available in English as well, thereby considerably increasing the potential audience.

Problems encountered : The system has been upgraded and reformulated several times since 1997, with the purpose of improving its power and user-friendliness.  At the same time, previously integrated information has been verified and corrected, and new data have been systematically added. At the end of 1997, we had 8564 archaeological sites on record; today, the number is 13,500.
The most relevant problems are:
1.	The permanent need of technical upgrading, at the level of hardware, software and training
2.	The communication difficulties between archeologists and computer scientists in the development of common denominators
3.	The question of scientific ownership and authorship of the database contents 
4.	The need for continuous insertion of data, needing both technical expertise and patience
5.	The permanent need for an equilibrium between fieldwork and data insertion into the system
6.	The integration/communication with other GIS systems, of foremost importance in the use of the database as a resource for planning purposes. 

Comments: 

Figures and documents enclosed:

I agree this information could be published/

                            X  Yes
                               No

Organisation & person completing the questionnaire

•	Formal name of organisation:
Instituto Português de Arqueologia

•	Type of organisation:
State agency in dependence of  the Portuguese Ministry of Culture.

•	Field of action:	Archive / Library / Museum / Foundation / others ….
Archaelogical  Heritage

•	Address:
Av. da Índia, 136, 1300-300 Lisboa, Portugal 

•	Name of director:
Prof. Dr. João Zilhão

•	Name and role of person completing the questionnaire:
Drª Jacinta Bugalhão

•	Tel: 0351.213616509

•	Fax: 0351.213616559

•	Web site: www.ipa.min-cultura.pt

•	E-mail: jacinta@ipa.min-cultura.pt

Date: