Attributes of Personal Electronic Records

Matt Balogh; William Billingsley; David Paul; Mary Anne Kennan

doi:10.37683/asa.v50.10421

Matt Balogh Computer-Science – School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3045-4014
William Billingsley Computer-Science – School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1720-9076
David Paul Computer-Science – School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2428-5667
Mary Anne Kennan School of Information and Communication Studies, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1342-9853

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37683/asa.v50.10421

Keywords: Archives, Metadata, Personal electronic records, Personal information management, Records

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to identify the key attributes of personal electronic records in order to develop systems that may enable people to manage them in the home. As more personal information becomes electronic, this is increasingly necessary. Personal electronic records were identified and categorised using interviews and virtual guided tours. Three main attributes were identified: primary user-subjective categories; attributes which identify the circumstances that give rise to the records; and attributes which describe the legal validity of each record. In addition to providing an improved understanding of personal electronic records in the home, these attributes are developed into a set of potential metadata fields.

Author Biographies

Matt Balogh, Computer-Science – School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

Matt Balogh is currently a PhD candidate. He has 35 years’ experience conducting research, including as general manager of Quadrant Research, 2 years as vice president of the Gallup Organisation, followed by 17 years as managing director of McNair yellowSquares. Matt is a fellow of The Research Society (TRS), was the Best Practice trainer for TRS, has been a member of the Professional Conduct Review Committee and is currently on the Qualified Practicing Researcher assessment committee. Matt has overseen the implementation of over 5,000 research projects, including the NSW Health survey, surveys for the Department of Prime Minister and the Cabinet (PM&C), Finance, Human Services, The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and more.

William Billingsley, Computer-Science – School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

Dr William Billingsley is an associate professor in Computational Science at the University of New England. William’s research interests broadly include human–computer interaction, software design, and applied computer science: ‘smart useful systems’. He has particular interests in computing education, smart and social educational technology, and computer-supported cooperative work. https://twitter.com/wbillingsley.

David Paul, Computer-Science – School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia

Dr David Paul is a senior lecturer in Computational Science at the University of New England, Australia. David’s research interests include computer networks and distributed systems, security and privacy, and applied computer science in areas such as health and agriculture. He has experience with nation-wide research projects such as the Australian Schizophrenia Research Bank, the QuON Web survey system, and the ASKBILL farmer prediction system.

Mary Anne Kennan, School of Information and Communication Studies, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, Australia

Dr Mary Anne Kennan is an adjunct associate professor in the School of Information and Communication Studies at Charles Sturt University. Mary Anne’s research interests focus broadly on scholarly communication including open access and research data management; the education of, and roles for, librarians and information professionals; and the practices of information sharing and collaboration in various contexts. She is the editor of the Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association (JALIA). http://twitter.com/MaryAnneKennan.