NDSA:PDF Exploration

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Title of Activity or Project
NDSA PDF/A-3 Scoping Project

One Sentence Description:
NDSA PDF/A-3 Scoping Project working group members will research the pros and cons of using the PDF/A-3 standard as an all-purpose wrapper for various digital asset/media types including: textual, audio, video, photo, and GIS data.

Statement of the Problem and Goals for Addressing the Problem:
It is unclear whether PDF/A-3, which was designed to accommodate supplementary media files for text documents, is appropriate as a de facto normalization wrapper format for all media types. The goal is to develop guidelines for the appropriate use of PDF/A-3 with respect to different media types that includes both detailed technical information and a practical quick reference guide for end-users.

Strategic Value of Activity:

Improve understanding of best practices for using PDF/A-3 in digital preservation activities
Enhance consistency and improve long-term viability of digitally preserved content
Provide guidance to those considering PDF/A-3 as a long-term archiving format

Required Resources:
What's needed for this activity to proceed? Examples:

Time of working group members
External reviewers
Specialized skills or tools

Required Resources:
What's needed for this activity to proceed? Examples:

Time of working group members
Specialized skills or tools

Roadmap:
What are the steps to take in order to accomplish this activity? Examples:

Hold conference calls
Draft document and review
Invite member feedback
Revise document

Dissemination of Knowledge:
How will this activity be shared? Examples:

Publish report on digitalpreservation.gov
Write a blog post
Send announcements to listservs
Present at conferences that members are attending

Signifiers of Success and Outcomes:
List the indications that this activity has been successfully accomplished: A report, a completed survey, etc. Also list the larger goals for the product of the activity: i.e. the product is referred to by others, the product influences decision making for member organizations, etc.