Archives and Museum Informatics Newsletter, Vol. 7, no. 2

.._...•_, --_._-------------~ Are there some rules of thumb that an institution can usc? Firsl, all large database construction projects are very complex, involve Jots of dependencies, and cannot be done :vithout step by s.tep planning and sufficiently long !cad t."11e~. Large projects need to undergo reality checkIng with lime and motion studies and allowances need to Finally, if we decide to author the multimedia in linear ~r branched stories which can be navigated by menu selectIon, use several windows to illustrate options and current locations, and bring up files of several different modalities or data at once, we will not be on shifting sand. But if we decide to allow users to author their own paths, provide networked connections over wide areas, or even implemenl thc system in a client-server mode, we are getting closc to the limits. I recently became involved in a large im<tuebase project where one of the first management q71est ions was whether we were involved in a large and complex undertaking or if we were involved in research and developmcnt on the bleeding edge. J realized that this issue is critical to many organizations considering undertaking such cndeavors, so it was reasonable to idcntil'y criteria that would distinguish betwecn the two. .