fax
(703) 793-9694Image Worlds Process and Approach
Five Stage Process
Stage 1: Define Requirements & Parameters
Using project and analysis tools appropriate to your organization
and with involvement of appropriate personnel project requirements
are defined. Once defined the requirements are presented for
approval or adjustment. The final approved requirements become the
basis of the tailored solution developed to convert your paper to
organizational information. At minimum the project requirements will
address,
ü
actual or estimated number of documents,
ü
custody process to log and label your documents,
ü
potential requirements to access hard-copy while in our possession,
ü
turnaround time requirements,
ü
format of final electronic documents,
ü
naming conventions for files,
ü
indexing requirements for document or form types,
ü
OCR requirements,
ü
Retrieval and viewing requirements,
ü
delivery media (cd, DVD, hard drive),
ü
disposition of hard copy documents (retain for a period, return to
you, destroy).
Stage 2: Preparation
Physical files are prepared for scanning (and if to be returned
re-assembled after scanning),
ü
ensure that the order of each file is maintained,
ü
staple removal,
ü
binding removal,
ü
document repair,
ü
page orientation, )
ü any required special handling of attached notes, color images and media.
Stage 3: Scanning
During the actual scanning process focus is on,
ü
image settings,
ü
file format,
ü
page size,
ü
paper thickness,
ü
handling of blank pages, and
ü
any special processing of
o
odd-size pages,
o
color images, and
o
duplex scanning.
ü Final step is a review of the scanned files to ensure accuracy and that all imaging requirements are met.
Stage 4: Image Processing
This is the beginning of the conversion of captured images to information. Major steps include,
ü OCR of all or portions of an image, if specified
ü Indexing of key words/fields as defined in the requirements – based upon
o form type recognition
o information typed or handwritten within the image
o grouping or batching of images as per defined criteria
o (to the extent possible indexing is accomplished via sophisticated software but often requires human intervention and is always validated by human review)
ü Naming of files as per defined requirements
ü Integration of images and indices as per defined requirements
ü Loading of files into the search and viewing software structure
ü Quality review of finished product
Stage 5: Output
ü Transfer of finished product to defined output media (CD, DVD, Hard Drive)
ü Creation of finished product backup on DVD
ü Delivery of electronic product
ü Return or destruction of physical files as per requirements (note that physical files can be returned after the scanning and quality validation process if required).