FAQs and how to get involved

MIDAS Heritage is maintained on behalf of the heritage sector by the Forum on Information Standards in Heritage (FISH). Proposals for changes to MIDAS Heritage should be made to the Convenor of the Forum on Information Standards in Heritage. They are also regularly discussed on the FISH email discussion list.

FAQs

Does MIDAS Heritage replace the first edition in 1998?
Yes – MIDAS Heritage expands upon the coverage of MIDAS (1998) and introduces new features relating to compliance. More information systems will hold data relevant to MIDAS Heritage, and it will be easier using MIDAS Heritage to identify whether or not your information system or dataset meets the standard.

What are compliance profiles?
Compliance profiles based upon the MIDAS Heritage standard will define for a particular information system and dataset or community of similar information systems / datasets what parts of the MIDAS Heritage standard are relevant to their needs. They will also identify any points where local use requires that optional aspects of the MIDAS Heritage (e.g. the use of a particular Unit of Information, or relationship between Information Groups) are made mandatory.

When will Compliance profiles be written?
The individual communities of similar information system / dataset managers will be responsible for writing their own compliance profiles. The Forum on Information Standards in Heritage can assist and advise on the process, but the development of the profiles is for the communities involved. They can use this process to set an appropriate threshold or benchmark for their community.

How to get involved

MIDAS Heritage is intended to be developed in response to comments from those using and applying the standard. Typical areas of development might include:

Straightforward additions, which would be issued as occasional updates to MIDAS Heritage. These might include for example:

• Corrections and clarification of the text.
• The addition of new Units of Information, and their inclusion in particular Information Groups.
• Editing of Information group texts to include additional Issues and recommendations from FISH.
• Changing the name of a Unit of Information.
• Additional details of how Information Groups can be related together to cover specific situations.

Suggestions for changes of this type should be made to comments@midas-heritage.info providing details of the current text, the suggested change, and giving reasons for the change.

More complex changes would require formal consultation with the community, using the process set out in MIDAS Heritage, as database design and working practices may need to be altered. These might include:

• The addition of new Information groups
• The change of an optional Unit of Information in an Information Group to mandatory status.
• Changing the definition of a Unit of Information.

Suggestions for changes of this type should be started by posting a brief proposal on the FISH email discussion list fish@JISCmail.ac.uk , so that any issues raised can be discussed by the Forum. The proposal should identify why the change is needed.