SPECTRUM is an open standard for collections management used by over 23,000 museums worldwide. It defines best practices for managing collections. The standard includes translations, digital asset management guidance, and resources to support its use. It aims to ensure collections are managed professionally and accountably for public benefit. Development involves a global community including national partners, champions, users, and commercial partners.

1. SPECTRUM 101
www.collectionslink.org.uk/spectrum
@NickPoole1

2. What is SPECTRUM?
• SPECTRUM is an open, and freely-available standard which defines and
promotes best practice in the management and use of collections in
museums, archives, galleries and similar cultural organisations.
• Now in its 4th edition, SPECTRUM is used by more than 23,000 museums
in 40 countries worldwide to improve the management, sustainability and
use of their Collections.

3. The core elements of SPECTRUM
• SPECTRUM Standard including translations/ localisations, SPECTRUM
Digital Asset Management, the SPECTRUM Schema and the Archive of
previous versions of SPECTRUM
• SPECTRUM Labs, including new ideas and potential applications of the
SPECTRUM Standard
• SPECTRUM Resources which support the application of the standard
• SPECTRUM Community which includes anyone who uses the standard
nationally or internationally

4. STANDARD
PDF/XML/PRINT
+ SCHEMA
GUIDANCE
DIGITAL ASSET
MANAGEMENT
COMPLIANCE
(18)
WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY (23,000)

7. http://standards.collectionslink.org.uk

8. http://www.vocman.com/cultureGrid

9. SPECTRUM Mission
• Our mission as the international community responsible for the
development, localisation, promotion and support of SPECTRUM
worldwide is to ensure that wherever collections are, they are managed
accountably, professionally and with due regard to public interest.
• SPECTRUM is an open standard, developed by, with and for the
international cultural community on behalf of the audiences we serve.

10. The SPECTRUM Community
The development,
localisation,
promotion and
support of SPECTRUM
is the responsibility of
an international
network of partners,
each of whom have a
role to play,
depending on their
relationship to the
standard.

11. SPECTRUM National Partners
• Publicly or state-funded organisations with a
charitable or public-benefit remit
• In a position to sign the SPECTRUM National
Partners Agreement on behalf of their
Community
• In a position to support the development of
SPECTRUM on an ongoing basis
• In a position to promote SPECTRUM to their
national community
• Share responsibility for the direction &
sustainability of SPECTRUM worldwide

12. SPECTRUM Champions
• Willing to commit voluntary time and effort to
promoting and supporting SPECTRUM in their
national community
• Able to lead or support translation and/or
localisation of SPECTRUM
• Able to promote SPECTRUM to the
appropriate organisation to act as the
National Partner for their community

13. SPECTRUM Users
• Willing to commit voluntary time and effort to
promoting and supporting SPECTRUM in their
organisation
• Committed to best practice and to managing
their collections accountably, professionally
and with due regard to public interest
• Able to contribute ideas and knowledge to the
future development of SPECTRUM

14. SPECTRUM Partners
• Developing and supporting commercial
products which support Collections
Management & make use of the SPECTRUM
standard
• Committed to the development and
promotion of SPECTRUM and standards of
best practice to their client communities
• Able to contribute expertise and knowledge
to the future development of SPECTRUM

15. Role & responsibilities
Sign National
Partnership
Agreement?
Download &
distribute free
of charge?
Translate &
localise (under
Share Alike)?
Distribute for
commercial
use?
Validate for
compliance (or
submit for
validation)?
SPECTRUM
National
Partner
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SPECTRUM
Champion
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SPECTRUM
User
SPECTRUM
Partner

16. Process for adoption
There isn’t one process for
adopting SPECTRUM in a
new region, but most
museums go through a
process something like
this…!
“I’ve never heard of SPECTRUM”
“I’ve heard of SPECTRUM, but I’m not sure I like it”
“It’s ok, but I don’t have time for anything new right now”
“I’ll give it a go, but only the one procedure…”
“Actually, we’re doing most of this already”
“SPECTRUM is great”

17. SPECTRUM & Museum Data standards
CIDOC CRM
Abstraction layer
Collections
management layer
LIDO, ESE, ?
Data interchange layer
By mapping up to CIDOC CRM from SPECTRUM, we can support COPE by
supporting a richer & more future-proof data interchange layer

18. Collections Management Skills Framework
• What professional skills will the sector
need in future to maximise the impact
and sustainability of their collectionsbased services?
• Developing a skills framework to
inform teaching and training at a
higher academic level and provide
employers with a structure for
professional development

19. ENTRY-LEVEL
CORE VALUES
ACADEMIC
MID-CAREER
LEADERSHIP
LEGACY
Integrity, accountability, openness, honesty, diversity, efficiency
Environment,
IPM, security,
labelling etc.
Strategic CM,
Collections
development
Organisational
knowledge
transfer,
research
PROFESSIONAL
PRACTICE
Housekeeping,
handling, packing
Collections
theory, research,
documentation
MANAGEMENT
Timemanagement
Project
Management
PPM, Risk, HR,
Finance,
Marketing
Strategic
planning,
advocacy
Continuity
planning
Broad interest
General subject
focus
Practice-based
expertise
Specialist
academic
knowledge
Subject
knowledge
transfer
SUBJECT
EXPERTISE
SOFT SKILLS
Mentoring, facilitation, negotiation, communication, networking

20. Collections Management Performance Indicators
• A framework of Key Performance
Indicators to demonstrate the value
and impact of SPECTRUM-based
Collections Management

21. SPECTRUM Digital Asset Management
• NOT a standalone DAM standard
• A guide to integrating the
management and use of digital assets
into a SPECTRUM-based collections
management workflow
• Ultimate aim is to bring the
management & preservation of digital
collections into same context as
physical ones

22. Thank to the SPECTRUM Community!
SPECTRUM is the work
of more than 3000
practitioners just like
you. It is owned and
developed by the
community, for the
community. Thank you
for all of your work
testing, evaluating &
improving SPECTRUM

23. Take it further…
http://www.collectionslink.org.uk/spectrum