User evaluation: sharing expertise to build shared values

In January 2003, cultural organizations internationally were invited to submit user evaluations of digital resources for review and analysis by the Cultural Content Forum (CCF). Established in 2002, the CCF exists to allow organizations with a strategic and/or national involvement in the creation of cultural digital resources to share knowledge and experience in the field. Over 80 responses were received as a result of the call for submissions; these were initially the subject of a broad-based review as they were catalogued and descriptions of the evaluation projects made accessible on-line to the wider cultural community. Although the scope of the submissions received was not as wide as it might have been, many reports received were of a high standard, meaning that further, detailed analysis was possible. In October 2003, a second stage of research was completed; this explored the potential for proposing common methodologies and user profiles for use in evaluation projects. This paper describes the research in more detail, identifying key issues arising from the research and proposing a way forward for establishing a shared understanding of best practice for evaluation projects within the digital cultural sector.