Rely on NOA for any multimedia archive digitization project

...the NOA Way

To achieve a sustainable quality/success rate of 99.99%, even with millions of assets, NOA recommends moving beyond self-organized processes, individual talent, and highly specialized expertise. As real-life project experience shows, an industrial process founded on meticulously designed and perfected workflows, supported by cutting-edge technology, and guarded by a multitude of quality gates, delivers a consistently high level of quality and precision at the most affordable cost.

NOA's approach involves leveraging simple, repetitive specialized tasks manageable by well-trained operators, steering only a minimum of special cases through personalized processing by highly experienced experts. This way, NOA customers are able to achieve unprecedented performance levels over the long run, without sacrificing quality, losing time, or unnecessarily raising their costs.

Our Recipe

Clear workflows
Simple repeatable tasks
Custom task dialogs
Advanced carrier logistics

Carrier handling know-how
Purpose-built digitization tools
Purpose-built AV hardware
Machine quality monitoring

Human quality checks
Work approval procedures
Complex automation framework
Journalling and reporting

Starting a Project

Preserving priceless media assets through digitization is undoubtedly the challenge of a lifetime for many archivists. Especially with larger collections, digitization becomes a mid- to long-term project, requiring clear targets, careful planning, a sound strategy, state-of-the-art technology, high-quality standards, and flawless execution.

When starting a digitization project it is therefore very important to realistically assess the situation. Typically, there are 3 types of archives:

The Organized

"We know exactly what we want. An inventory and assessment process has been completed for our collection. We have precise information about the quantity of items, their state of degradation, and the metadata content. Additionally, we possess a comprehensive database with likely deeply annotated metadata, but we lack the digitization process."

The Dynamic

"The archive department does possess some useful data. However, uncertainties exist concerning its accuracy. The archive inventory database might be outdated, and the condition of the archive has not undergone assessment. Attention is needed for metadata improvement, and the usefulness of legacy data in general is questionable."

The Unstructured

"The archive collection is not well maintained, real carrier counts are not known, nor are the actual carrier types in the archive. The archive inventory database is virtually non-existing and the project targets are unclear."

Marina Butt

NOA, Project Manager

NOA's primary focus in projects is empowerment. We assist you in evaluating your collection, sizing your project, adapting your processes, establishing a digitization factory, training your staff, and, most significantly, empowering you to embark on a journey toward building your internal expertise. Our goal is to make you your own authority in archive preservation for the 21st century.

Pre-Project Evaluation

Project questionnaire
Input analysis and clarification
On-site consultation and vault visit
Preliminary sizing and design
Budgetary indication

NOA assists archives in formulating the right questions during the consultancy phase of a project to identify gaps and prioritize meaningful approaches.

An onsite visit, coupled with a light analysis of an archive's state, is recommended and can be incorporated into the initial tasks.

Smart choices

NOA supports its customers by consulting and recommending best-practice solutions for each step in an archiving project, enabling them to make well-informed, smart decisions.

All our pre-sales, sales, project, and support activities are tailored to fit our partners' realities. Every company is unique, and every country has its own specific considerations, including access to the right know-how, latest technology, reliable partners, cost-effective labor, affordable spare parts, etc. What works for a German broadcaster might not be suitable for an Indonesian archive.

Technology recommendations and best-practice
Hardware requirements and best-practice
System sizing and best-practice
Workflow implementation and best-practice
Room layouts and logistics best-practice
Staff sizing and labor division best-practice
Timeplan consulting

Budgets

Digitization projects take diverse forms tailored to the financial constraints of archive holders. NOA recognizes the importance of accommodating varying budgetary possibilities and stands ready to offer solutions ranging from full-scale implementations to proof-of-concept initiatives or phased-out project stages.

All-In Projects

Typically, securing funding for a one-shot digitization project necessitates that organizations seek necessary resources in special funds or through partnerships, requiring thorough planning and flawless execution. NOA has successfully undertaken all-in digitization projects at multiple customers worldwide.

Proof of Concept Projects

A proof of concept can be the starting point for every successful project. Successfully transferring a renowned collection of representative archive footage is sometimes the key to understanding how to secure a larger budget from decision-makers.

Phased Projects

Even with a well-defined vision, archives may find it necessary to extend projects over multiple years, allocating only a portion of their annual budget to archiving. A systematic, step-by-step delivery spanning several years can aid organizations in realizing their objectives.

Project Delivery

NOA's commitment to flexibility in project delivery translates into a host of benefits for clients worldwide.

This adaptability allows NOA to deliver its cutting-edge systems to diverse locations across the globe, ensuring that organizations, regardless of their geographical setting, can access and leverage advanced archiving solutions.

Software-only delivery: NOA provides the software along with NOA-manufactured hardware and an exact list of requirements for locally purchased hardware items.
Complete project delivery from Vienna: The entire project can be delivered directly from Vienna after a successful factory acceptance, providing a turnkey solution.
Project development through accredited system integrators: NOA partners with accredited system integrators who have undergone necessary training to deliver the project locally.

Managing Success

NOA prioritizes the success of projects at every stage, emphasizing a commitment that extends throughout their entire duration.

Our specialized tools are designed to support service providers, archive and project managers in their roles, providing robust functionalities for monitoring, evaluating, and actively steering projects.

Multiple quality gates with clear state definitions
Thorough journaling of all tasks and workflows
Custom reporting of any data in the system
Real-time workflow monitoring and management
Local and remote system monitoring
On-demand on-site visits by NOA experts

Product documentation and knowledge base
User and admin trainings and training plans
Operator and archivist trainings on-site
Service and maintenance contracts
Seamless scaling of all digitization setups
Clear upgrade paths and long-term vision

For NOA, our commitment to our clients does not stop after initial kick-off or project hand-over. Every project marks the beginning of an enduring partnership!

NOA's commitment extends throughout the entire lifecycle of our solutions, offering comprehensive support through tailored trainings, service and maintenance contracts, and access to our know-how. We aim to be a reliable partner, ensuring our clients' ongoing success in their digital preservation journey.

Starting a Project...