<p> Digital Media Architecture Vision a draft report to ISC</p><p>2006 11 20</p><p>The Multimedia Technologies Planning Committee Paula Brauer Aldo Caputo John Cassidy Peter Conlon Ruth Gillespie Kent Percival (chair) Catherine Steeves Dave Wilson Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Executive Summary The Multimedia Technologies Planning Committee arose from a meeting of the AVPA, the Directors of CCS, TSS, and OOL, and the Chief Librarian. Multimedia communications and content are becoming valuable resources for academia, research, and administration. Evaluations of technologies and demonstrations of its use are occurring independently in many units on campus. Sharing of experience, the development of common strategies and the central provisioning of key components would improve cost efficiencies and stimulate use. In December 2004, ISC appointed a committee to explore these opportunities. Consistent with its Terms of Reference (Appendix 1), the committee reviewed technology directions, the current use of multimedia technologies on campus, and liaised with College IT Committees and other groups on campus.</p><p>Multimedia applications include everything from real-time audio/video collaboration tools, to animated visualization, through stored multimedia content. These technologies and applications are evolving rapidly. . Rapid commercialization of the technologies is reducing costs toward affordability. . Adoption is occurring in many businesses as well as innovation activity in education. . Full support of multimedia encompasses a complex set of infrastructure and services.</p><p>Multimedia applications fall into two major application groups.</p><p>1. Multimedia Collaboration - Real time communication using technologies such as telephones, messaging, video conferencing, and web conferencing. 2. Digital Media - Applications using information in the form of text, image, audio, video, or animation, stored in digital form. 3. Combination - Some applications combine multimedia collaboration with stored digital content.</p><p>The collaboration technologies are maturing in the marketplace and being integrated with Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities. Similar to telephone and email services, these services are selected and delivered institution-wide to integrate with other internal and external ICT services.</p><p>The Committee focused its attention on Digital Media technologies and, with other invited staff, participated in a 2-day Strategic Business Planning for Digital Media workshop to understand the components of Digital Media and the common business model used in the commercial sector and at some other universities.</p><p>The recommendations of this report focus on planning for Digital Media - the creation, management and use of all content stored in digital form, a scope broader than Multimedia alone.</p><p>Recommendations in summary The committee considered strategies for the effective deployment and utilization of resources and recommends next steps towards . monitoring and coordination emerging multimedia applications and innovation, . coordination among departments using or supplying Digital Media Services, . development of a Digital Media Architecture describing the infrastructure supporting multimedia.</p><p>2 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Because a campus IT governance model is just emerging, specific strategies and policies need to be determined by the more focused processes recommended.</p><p>Integration of multimedia into learning systems and the portal is more appropriated determined by their governance processes, facilitated by the development of the Enterprise Digital Media Architecture.</p><p>1. Develop the Enterprise Architecture Model The generic Enterprise Digital Media Architecture model must be adapted to suit the University. Since it is the vision and blueprint for further development, the architecture visions should be mapped out quickly with the assistance of contracted professional services.</p><p>2. Manage the IT Ecosystem Effectively Digital Media involves an ecosystem of applications, services, and infrastructure supported and delivered by many units on campus. In particular, content creation and use will occur in most units on campus while supporting services are best delivered centrally. The emerging IT governance model will facilitate decision making on architecture, infrastructure, policy, and investment for multimedia applications.</p><p>3. Appoint a Steering Committee A Steering Committee, representing key stakeholders, should provide advice to the Office of the CIO and to service units on the development of the Architecture and on projects to implement Digital Media Services. Because Digital Media technology is evolving quickly, the Steering Committee has an ongoing responsibility to monitor emerging technologies and new innovations. </p><p>4. Survey Needs and Capacity The vision of what is possible with Digital Media must be balanced with institutional need and capacity. A survey of campus needs and capacity will provide balanced input for the Steering Committee.</p><p>5. Maintain Digital Media Project Inventory Knowing about other innovative uses of Digital Media on campus and sharing experiences of technology evaluations provides the opportunity for effective partnerships for further development. An inventory of campus Digital Media projects and reports should be developed and maintained.</p><p>MMTPC printed :2018 / 05 / 11 3 Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report New Media Opportunities</p><p>Technology growth and evolution Using multimedia in teaching, research or administration used to be expensive because of specialized equipment and resources needed to create, store, manage, and distribute the media. Today, with low cost standard computer equipment and high speed networks, the lower cost and ease of use has made multimedia applications common place. Digital cameras, iPODs, desktop PC editing tools, and multimedia websites are used by many people. Office productivity tools, like Word and PowerPoint integrate images, audio, and video into documents and presentations. Multimedia content is used widely on websites.</p><p>Digital content is widely accessible. Internet companies are developing digital media applications to store, mange, and share images and video. Companies like National Geographic are putting much of their image content online. Multimedia-based training materials are used by many companies. </p><p>Digital Media is spawning a very competitive industry with a broad range of technologies and services. Selecting individual components is relatively easy. Choosing an integrated institutional architecture is much more difficult.</p><p>The evolution continues Being relatively new, innovation is driving rapid changes in digital media technology (e.g. the iPOD is now doing video). Technology upgrades and replacement will continue to be frequent.</p><p>Several standards have been developed to define multimedia content formats, designed by various requirements (e.g. small size vs. high resolution), driven by competing vendors (Microsoft, Apple, Real Networks, …) and supported by different segments (motion picture, television, web, …). </p><p>Multimedia applications on campus With the assistance of CCS support, a representative list of campus uses of multimedia technologies developed. Much of the investigation and innovation with multimedia is being done by individuals and is often not shared widely. These projects tend to last only a few weeks but the investigations are ongoing. Therefore there is no definitive list. Appendix 2 lists some of the activities which CCS was involved in or aware of.</p><p>Collaboration A number of departments have purchased their own room-based video conferencing systems and various faculty and staff use desktop video conferencing (e.g. MSN Messenger) to communicate with distant colleagues. Some staff use internet telephony (e.g. Skype) for low cost telephone service. Web conferencing services are being used by various groups.</p><p>Digital Media Innovation includes use of streaming services, like podcasting, to distribute content through external content stores (e.g. iTunes). A number of events, such as the President’s Dialogue were recorded and made available on the internet. Multimedia course content, such as music, is being made available through WebCT. Some units are converting their large 2x2 slide collections for digital repositories.</p><p>4 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Issues</p><p>Ecosystem Model – distributed value; distributed governance An institutional approach to Digital Media is complex. It is an ecosystem of numerous technologies, services, and applications, with a wide range of requirements. The evolution of this ecosystem is driven by interacting decisions in many departments and at many levels. For example, the decision to include digital multimedia content in a course involves decisions on . Course design and content selection . Instructional design and authoring . Content creation and post-production toolsets . Acquisition of digital content, including purchase or scanning . Information management tools for cataloguing and retrieving . delivery devices in classrooms and/or on student workstations . Storage, WebCT and media server, and network capacities . departmental, service unit, and central funding for innovation</p><p>It will be cost-efficient to provide central facilities and services for some of these activities. Effective decision-making is needed to manage central services to coordinate and support departmental application decisions.</p><p>Complex Architectural, Process, and Business issues In general, the Digital Media ecosystem requires the management of a number of complex issues.</p><p>Data Integrity / Archiving Digital Rights Management Control Access Rights / Security Privacy Management / Regulatory Compliance Media Types Standards Metadata / Taxonomies / Harmonizing Capturing, managing context information Acquisition/creation Process Curation / Searching and retrieving Workflow / Digital Approvals / License fees Quality, Resolution, Performance Throughput / Capacity / Scalability Learning Systems Integration Integration Delivery Technology in the classroom Inter-institutional sharing</p><p>Evolving technology and application innovation The rapid evolution of technology and associated standards will expand opportunities and require technology renewal. Continuing innovation is the use of multimedia will modify tactical plans and priorities. Continual monitoring of the applications and technologies is necessary to maintain viable resources for learning and research.</p><p>MMTPC printed :2018 / 05 / 11 5 Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report While component costs are low, frequent upgrades to newer technology inflates the total cost of ownership (TCO). Although the standards are coalescing, this variety creates compatibility, transmission and re-use problems, increasing the effort to repackage content for different applications.</p><p>Continued Funding of Digital Media development Although funding is required to create the first deployment of the Digital Media system, funds must also be made available  Continuing innovation in multimedia applications  Content Acquisition - purchase of content and scanning of non-digital content  Technology replacement due to rapidly evolving components and standards  Classroom upgrades providing more multimedia teaching sites  Content re-formatting due to changing standards</p><p>6 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Vision: A Digital Media Enterprise Architecture At the Digital Media workshop, the Committee considered an enterprise framework model. At the application layer instructors and researchers are interested in the use of digital content for a variety of applications. These applications are supported by the Service Layer. A Digital Media Architecture describes the functional processes for creating, delivering, and delivering the digital media content. These functions are delivered by the underlying IT infrastructure.</p><p>Application Layer</p><p>Applications: Information / Content WebCT Owners & Developers Information D2L Consumers MyPortico</p><p>Services Layer Information Media Instructional Management Production Design </p><p>Resource Resource Electronic Event Discovery Acquisition Publishing Production Digital Media Architecture Create Manage Distribute Render Catalogue Media types Acquire Manage Web Edit Rights Devices Animate Access Plugins Search</p><p>Infrastructure Layer Common Campus Media Classroom Software Tools Servers Facilities Reliable Identity Internet STORAGE Management Network</p><p>IBM’s generic Enterprise Digital Media Architecture is further detailed in a diagram in the Appendix 3, illustrating the components and their linkages. </p><p>MMTPC printed :2018 / 05 / 11 7 Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Process: Managing the Digital Media Ecosystem The Digital Media workshop identified that an Enterprise Digital Media Architecture will control costs by optimizing resources, maximize content sharing and re-purposing, and improve alignment with learning and research activities.</p><p>Recommendation 1. Develop the Enterprise Architecture Model The generic Enterprise Digital Media Architecture model should be adapted to suit the University. Since it is the vision and blueprint for further development, the architecture visions should be mapped out quickly using contracted professional services.</p><p>The generic model can be refined into a University of Guelph Architecture by matching elements of the architecture to functions in the University. Some Digital Media Architecture components exist in the University today and are delivered by a variety of departments. To realize a campus Enterprise Digital Media Architecture, the IT governance process must make policy, architectural, infrastructure, and investment decisions.</p><p>Recommendation 2. Manage the IT Ecosystem Effectively Digital Media involves an ecosystem of applications, services, and infrastructure supported and delivered by many units on campus. In particular, content creation and use will occur in most units on campus while supporting services are best delivered centrally. The emerging IT governance model will facilitate decision making on architecture, infrastructure, policy, and investment for multimedia applications.</p><p>Architecture and Strategy Development To continue Digital Media Services development, a Steering Committee, representing stakeholder groups on campus interested in participating in the development of Digital Media Services, would assist in strategic design and development by  Recommending a Digital Media Architecture for the University of Guelph  developing business cases to define funding/resource requirements,  prioritizing and recommending evaluation, pilot, and deployment projects.</p><p>Recommendation 3. Appoint a Steering Committee A Steering Committee, representing key stakeholders, should provide advice to the Office of the CIO and to service units on the development of the Architecture and on projects to implement Digital Media Services. Because Digital Media technology is evolving quickly, the Steering Committee has an ongoing responsibility to monitor emerging technologies and new innovations.</p><p>Funding and Resources Campus units that participate in the Steering Committee would contribute funding and resources to the develop Digital Services. This would cover the work of the Steering Committee and evaluation projects recommended by the Committee. </p><p>New services will be partly funded by units participating in the service development. Using this commitment as a signal of the value of the service, additional funding would be leveraged for major </p><p>8 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report project sources (PIF, LEF, …). By developing a business case, the Steering Committee could attract additional external funding.</p><p>While smaller pilot projects could be done by developers seconded from stakeholder units, it is unlikely that units on campus have the resources to second to major projects. The business cases would identify adequate funding to support contract development teams.</p><p>Multi-unit projects are not usually efficiently managed or conducted by joint committees. Projects recommended by the Steering committee will be funded resourced and managed with line management oversight. Smaller projects can be managed within a primary unit. Project Management for the larger units would be coordinated through PMO of the Office of the CIO.</p><p>Tactical: </p><p>Steering Committee Initial Projects To support the Steering Committee work, two initial projects are recommended.</p><p>Needs assessments While various innovations and technology pilots were identified on campus, this did not define the requirements nor the level of interest in innovation. Particularly for the academic enterprise, the level of interest and capacity to develop multimedia applications for teaching and learning needs to be better understood. The impact of program changes and introduction of hybrid courses on the requirements for multimedia content needs to be investigated.</p><p>Recommendation 4. Survey Needs and Capacity The vision of what is possible with Digital Media must be balanced with institutional need and capacity. A survey of campus needs and capacity will provide balanced input for the Steering Committee.</p><p>Coordination of projects / information sharing Much of the innovation and piloting of new technologies will happen in individual departments. The experience should be shared across campus. Visibility of innovation will provide opportunities for departments to cooperate on common evaluations pilots.</p><p>A “clearinghouse” of Digital Media / Multimedia project on campus should be maintained and accessible online by faculty and staff. Innovators would be encouraged to report on their work to share experiences and lessons.</p><p>Recommendation 5. Maintain Digital Media Project Inventory Knowing about other innovative uses of Digital Media on campus and sharing experiences of technology evaluations provides the opportunity for effective partnerships for further development. An inventory of campus Digital Media projects and reports should be developed and maintained.</p><p>MMTPC printed :2018 / 05 / 11 9 Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report Breaking through the complexity – getting on with it The development of a campus Digital Media Architecture and its business processes requires better understanding of . IT governance processes to make strategic decisions . Scale of Funding available for innovation and for infrastructure development . Architecture options that fit the campus environment . Technology solutions that fit the planned use of multimedia . Innovation opportunities to use Digital Media</p><p>Experience will grow by getting the right people together! Cross-department collaboration and working groups investigating new technologies and innovating new applications will increase department expertise and provide input to the Steering Committee. Departments should get on with innovation. Besides speeding innovation these projects will identify additional policies and architectural components</p><p>Key Core Services being developed The generic Enterprise Digital Media Architecture Model describes infrastructure components more effectively delivered as enterprise resources. The Library and CCS will continue to build these infrastructure services, ensuring the flexibility to integrate then into the new architecture. Important are core services are . A Digital Repository with a suite of Information Management tools . Media Servers which can be integrated into application services such as WebCT</p><p>10 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report Appendices</p><p>Committee Terms of Reference</p><p>List of some representative applications on campus</p><p>The IBM Digital Media Architecture Charts</p><p>MMTPC printed :2018 / 05 / 11 11 Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Appendix 1 Multimedia Technology Planning Committee Kent Percival 2004 12 01</p><p>Terms of Reference Multimedia technologies, including video conferencing and video streaming, delivered over the high speed internet, provide a powerful communications tool for academic, research and administration. The technology is maturing and being deployed by the commercial sector. This deployment is beginning at the University in various departments and projects.</p><p>The Multimedia Technology Planning Committee will review technology directions, the current use of multimedia technologies on campus, and liaise with College IT Committees and other groups on campus. The committee will recommend</p><p> policies for the cost effective development and delivery of multimedia communications technologies for academic, research and administrative use,</p><p> strategies for the effective deployment and utilization of resources such as o monitoring and coordination emerging multimedia applications and innovation, o coordination among key multimedia support departments, such as the Library, TSS, Open Learning and CCS, and o implementation of central infrastructure components to support primary multimedia applications, and</p><p> strategies to coordinate the integration of multimedia communications into online learning systems and the campus portal.</p><p>Membership</p><p>The multimedia committee will report to the chair of the Information Services Committee (ISC).</p><p>The committee will consist of representatives from the service units who will support the technology and user representatives.  CCS Kent Percival (chair)  Library Catherine Steeves  T S S Aldo Caputo, Ruth Gillespie  OOL Dave Wilson, John Cassidy  OVC Peter Conlon  Research Paula Brauer, Family relations and Applied Human Nutrition  CCS Tony Mackay (resource person)</p><p>12 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>Appendix 2: List of some representative applications on campus OVC CANARIE Project - video-conferencing course delivery at OVC/AVC Radiology - planned Picture Archive and Communication System (PACS) for high definition radiology images for hospital, research and teaching. Pathobiology - creation of a repository of pathology images for teaching TSS multimedia content in authored in WebCT Digital video editing facility in TV studio Fee-for-service Video Conferencing room Video conferencing in Guelph-Waterloo Link classrooms and Rozanski Hall Multimedia classroom technologies Library Dspace - open source digital media repository Publishing Electronic Journals Electronic Reference Desk Learning Centre - Accessibility tools CCS Webcasting – supported research communication to national dietitians association (500) Video conferencing and webcasting of ITSIG meetings to regional colleges. Supported President’s Dialogue webcast to the public. COA CASP - multimedia repository of Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare. Music - licensed music provided to students via streaming servers. OR Spark - creation of short multimedia “spots” to communicate research and extension information to the public. OAC LA - Streamed licensed video content anytime to students rather than just view in class. Plant Agriculture; Animal Science - video conferencing rooms; using desktopVC. CPES Engineering Professor Downy podcasts his own lectures to students.</p><p>Guelph-Humber Student created multimedia content streamed to the internet</p><p>Student Affairs Web-based Video conferencing for Cooperative Education Services interviewing Adobe Flash Video content on website AA&D w/ OVC Web conferencing with the Adobe Breeze communications servers MaRS Landing Video Conferencing for research and business development collaboration</p><p>MMTPC printed :2018 / 05 / 11 13 Multi Media Technologies Planning Committee Report</p><p>APPENDIX 3: IBM’s Enterprise Digital Media Architecture</p><p>14 printed :2018 / 05 / 11 MMTPC</p>