Library Special Collections | Digitization Quality Control Workflow
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Digitization Quality Control Workflow The level of quality control (QC) for digitization will vary based on the nature of the project and material being scanned. Typically, images will be processed at the proper resolution, cropped, and correctly oriented during the scanning process. These are all primary QC indicators. During capture, the scanning technician also inspects all images for other primary QC indicators including the correct file name, uniform crop, and color profile. These steps allow the technician to catch any mistakes and save scanning time by resolving these issues early in the process. Secondary QC indicators are advanced factors to consider when examining digitization quality and are performed after capture. Sample batches of materials undergo secondary QC check–the larger the sample, the higher the level of quality control. To be ingested into Islandora, all files must meet digital object validation (JHOVE) standards. Items are processed using JHOVE software to ensure that the file size, format, and embedded metadata are accurate.
Points of Quality Control There are 4 points for QC: primary QC indicators, secondary QC indicators, and pre- and post- upload indicators. Each point is detailed below. QC indicators for each project are determined in the project planning phase and are documented in the Project Profile: Specifications for Scanning.
4 Points of Quality Control
Checklist
Primary quality control check
[Completed by scanning technician]
File name Are the file names correct? Are there any missing? Orientation Are the images correctly oriented? Completeness of image/cropping Centered Number of pages Do the digital subdirectories match the number of physical units, i.e. boxes, folders, books, etc.? Does each subdirectory contain the right number of files? Order of pages Sizing of pages Readability/nothing obscuring content Resolution
Lighting Amount of detail Contrasts Uneven tones or flares Missing scan lines or dropped pixels
Secondary quality control check [Completed by Library Special Collections after file delivery
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Library Special Collections | Digitization Quality Control Workflow
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from digitization vendor or after each batch of images is digitized in-house]
Sharpness Excessive noise Scanner artifacts, i.e. speckles or spots Aligned color channels
Pre-upload quality control check
JHOVE validation
Are all the items loaded in the repository or digital platform? Are the images appropriately displayed in the repository or platform? [Check a sample set of 10%.]
[Completed by the UCLA Digital Library before upload] Post-upload quality control check [Completed by project lead or project team members after upload]
Levels of Quality Control The Project Profile: Specifications for Scanning also defines the level of QC undertaken for the project. There are three levels–low, medium, and high. These three levels have the scanning technician and the QC reviewer, if assigned, measuring scans against the QC indicators discussed in the section above. The only difference between the three levels of QC is the number of records reviewed for the secondary QC indicators. Refer to the chart below to see what percentage of records is sampled for each QC level. 1
Levels of Quality Control High
Secondary item-level QC indicator check (70-100% sample) Digital object validation (JHOVE) Primary QC indicator check
Medium
Secondary sampled quality control indicator check (20% sample) Digital object validation (JHOVE) Primary QC indicator check
Low
Secondary quality control indicator check (10% sample) Digital object validation (JHOVE) Primary QC indicator check
Note: If the scanning technician encounters an anomaly not covered in the QC guidelines or in the Project Profile: Specifications for Scanning, he or she should stop with metadata creation and report the problem to the supervising staff member as soon as possible.
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Metadata quality control will require a more rigorous review of quality and, thus, a higher percentage sample than is assigned for digitization quality control. It is through complete, accurate, and consistent metadata that users are able to successfully perform searches for materials in a digital repository or platform. 2|P a g e
Library Special Collections | Digitization Quality Control Workflow
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Guiding Principles of Quality Control 1. All primary QC indicators are checked during scanning. 2. Secondary QC indicator checks are completed during each batch of digitization. 3. If possible, the secondary QC indicator check should be done by someone that was not responsible for the digitization and metadata creation. It is always better to have a fresh pair of eyes review the materials for a second and final time before completion. However, this is not always possible. 4. The secondary QC reviewer will note any quality control issues in the Prioritization and Scanning Progress document so that the scanning technician knows what corrections to make. 5. The Prioritization and Scanning Progress document also serves as a way for a supervisor or project manager to monitor the quality control work. 6. When batches of QC are completed, the reviewer will submit comments to the project team to notify them of the status of QC via the project charter's timeline. The timeline will help the project team track when quality control has been conducted and when it is completed.
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