Articheck

    **** Moderator's comments:  Please respond directly to sender
    and if of general interest post it here as well

With recent posts including a survey on use of smart phones and
tablets in conservation, now and in the future, a post on a central
database for conservation publications, and particularly the point
'So to create the right data we must move away from free-text and we
must promote standardisation efforts (Getty AAT, CIDOC CRM etc).'
from Dr. Velios, I thought I should share the project I'm working
on: a condition checking application called Articheck.

The very simple version is available now, but we are working hard on
the next version, which will have a lot more content for different
specialisms and generally be more sophisticated, with voice
recordings, translation features, better image quality, colour coded
annotations laid on the images, and integration with CMS systems. It
will also go some way toward creating an international standard
process and set of symbols and terminology.  This will be very
useful for future metrics, with potential for future research and
collaboration. We are creating an advisory panel to help set the
standards.

What is critical for us now, is to gain an understanding of what is
important to conservators when condition checking, so that we build
something truly useful. I am a paper conservator, so the first
version is biased in that area, but we intend to support paintings,
sculpture, objects, books, textiles and time based media, adding
more templates for archaeology and other areas in the future.

Please download and try the app (for free), and send me your
feedback, along with a sample of your own condition reports. It is
currently available on the App Store, it is an iPhone app but you
can run it on the iPad, iPod and iPadmini. We are planning on coming
out with an android version soon.

I'm particularly interested to know:

    What type of device would you use this on. Is that because
    that's what you already have, or do you think it is the ideal
    device?

    Would you use it as it is? What is missing or needs improvement?

    Is your current process for condition checking on paper,
    digital, or a combination? Do you use digital images?

    How many condition reports do you do a month or quarter or year?
    (whatever is easier for you to figure out)

    Do you think the pricing is fair? (please note the price on
    <URL:http://www.articheck.com> in will be the same figure in USD
    and UKP)

    Any other comments

Please email your replies to annika<-at->articheck<.>com

Early indicators are that this app will save a lot of time and
headaches. In a recent timed test at White Cube Gallery, the time
for a condition check was cut from 40 minutes to 10 minutes using
articheck.

Annika Erikson
CEO Articheck


                                  ***
                  Conservation DistList Instance 27:8
                 Distributed: Thursday, August 8, 2013
                        Message Id: cdl-27-8-011
                                  ***