Comparison of FADGI 3-Star and 4-Star Rating

Evaluation Parameter for FADGI Compliance

The Federal Agencies Digital Guidelines Initiative (FADGI) sets stringent standards for digitization to ensure high-quality digital versions of various materials. Achieving a FADGI 3-star or 4-star rating involves meeting specific criteria across many evaluation parameters. In this article we will take a look at 17 of those potential evaluation parameters that can influence the FADGI star rating, what they mean and what to look out for.

1. Spatial Resolution: This measures the level of detail captured in a digital image, usually expressed in pixels per inch (PPI). Higher resolution ensures finer details are preserved, crucial for documents and photographs. FADGI requires different resolutions based on material type, typically starting at 300 PPI for text documents and going higher for detailed images.
2. Tone Reproduction: This evaluates the ability to accurately capture the full tonal range of the original material, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights. Ensuring good tone reproduction prevents loss of detail in critical areas and maintains the integrity of the original material.
3. Color Accuracy: This parameter ensures that the colors in the digital image match those of the original material. It involves regular calibration of scanning devices using standardized color targets and profiles, such as sRGB or Adobe RGB, to maintain consistency.
4. White Balance: Proper white balance settings are necessary to ensure that the colors are represented accurately. This avoids color casts that can distort the appearance of the digital image, ensuring that whites appear as true white and other colors are accurately represented.
5. Noise: Digital noise can degrade the quality of an image, making it appear grainy. Minimizing noise through high-quality sensors and appropriate settings helps maintain clarity and detail, especially in low-light or high-contrast situations.
6. Sharpening: This involves enhancing the clarity of the digital image without introducing artifacts. Proper sharpening techniques improve image crispness, making fine details more distinguishable without compromising the integrity of the original content.
7. Bit Depth: Bit depth determines the number of colors or shades of gray that can be represented in a digital image. Higher bit depth (e.g., 24 bits for color images, 48 bits for higher accuracy) allows for more precise color and tone representation.
8. Color Encoding: This refers to the color space used to encode the digital image. Standards like sRGB or Adobe RGB are commonly used to ensure that colors are consistently reproduced across different devices and platforms.
9. Compression: Using lossless compression formats, such as TIFF, prevents quality loss that can occur with lossy formats like JPEG. This ensures that the digital image retains its original quality and detail.
10. File Formats: Choosing appropriate file formats for preservation is essential. Formats like uncompressed TIFF are preferred for their ability to maintain high quality and are widely supported for long-term digital preservation.
11. Metadata: Embedding comprehensive metadata in the documents can help the provenance, administrative history, and contextual information of the digital files. This metadata can include technical metadata about the digitization process, descriptive metadata about the content, and administrative metadata for management purposes.
12. Geometric Distortion: Ensuring that the digitization process does not introduce geometric distortions, such as skew or warping, maintains the true representation of the original material. This is particularly important for maps and technical drawings.
13. Modulation Transfer Function (MTF): MTF measures the sharpness and detail reproduction capability of the digitization system. High MTF values indicate better performance in capturing fine details, essential for high-quality digitization.
14. Color Management: Implementing robust color management practices ensures consistent color reproduction across all devices and over time. This includes using color profiles and calibration tools to maintain accurate color representation.
15. Lighting Quality: Using even, controlled lighting avoids glare, shadows, and reflections that can degrade image quality. Proper lighting setup is crucial for achieving accurate and consistent results.
16. Target and Object Level Metadata: Detailed metadata at both the target (general collection level) and object (individual item level) ensures thorough documentation. This enhances discoverability and management of digital assets.
17. Quality Control: Regular and rigorous quality control checks ensure that the digitization output meets FADGI standards. This involves visual inspections, automated software checks, and using test charts to verify parameters like resolution, color accuracy, and dynamic range.

FADGI 3-Star VS 4-Star Rating Comparison

FADGI 3-Star Rating:

A FADGI 3-Star Rating Overview

A FADGI 3-Star rating in most cases is the required rating when speaking about document quality and FADGI star ratings. The below parameters will give you an idea of what to look out for if you want to try and get a 3-star rating.

1. Spatial Resolution: Typically at least 300 PPI for text documents.
2. Tone Reproduction: Accurate tonal range.
3. Color Accuracy: Regular device calibration.
4. White Balance: Proper settings.
5. Noise: Minimized digital noise.
6. Sharpening: Appropriate techniques without artifacts.
7. Bit Depth: At least 24 bits for color images.
8. Color Encoding: Standards like sRGB or Adobe RGB.
9. Compression: Lossless formats like TIFF.
10. File Formats: Preservation-friendly formats.
11. Metadata: Comprehensive and detailed.
12. Geometric Distortion: Minimal distortion.
13. Modulation Transfer Function (MTF): High values.
14. Color Management: Consistent practices.
15. Lighting Quality: Even, controlled lighting.
16. Target and Object Level Metadata: Detailed metadata.
17. Quality Control: Regular checks against standards.

FADGI 4-Star Rating Overview

A FADGI 4-star rating represents the highest quality standard for digitization, requiring even more stringent adherence to the evaluation parameters:

1. Spatial Resolution: Higher than 300 PPI, often around 600 PPI.
2. Tone Reproduction: Superior accuracy, capturing fine details in highlights and shadows.
3. Color Accuracy: Precise calibration with higher-end targets and profiles.
4. White Balance: Optimal settings for exact color matching.
5. Noise: Extremely low digital noise.
6. Sharpening: Advanced techniques that enhance clarity without any artifacts.
7. Bit Depth: Typically 48 bits for color images.
8. Color Encoding: Advanced standards like ProPhoto RGB.
9. Compression: Strictly lossless formats to prevent any quality loss.
10. File Formats: Optimal preservation formats, such as high-resolution TIFF.
11. Metadata: Extremely detailed and robust metadata practices.
12. Geometric Distortion: Virtually no distortion allowed.
13. Modulation Transfer Function (MTF): Highest possible values for maximum detail.
14. Color Management: Best practices with professional-grade tools.
15. Lighting Quality: Perfectly even, with no glare or shadows.
16. Target and Object Level Metadata: Highly detailed and precise metadata.
17. Quality Control: Rigorous and frequent checks to ensure adherence to the highest standards.

Conclusion

Achieving a FADGI 3-star or 4-star rating is essential for institutions aiming to digitize their materials at a high standard of quality and preservation. The FADGI guidelines outline a comprehensive set of evaluation parameters that ensure digital reproductions are accurate, detailed, and durable. Understanding and adhering to these parameters—such as spatial resolution, tone reproduction, color accuracy, and metadata embedding—are crucial steps in maintaining the integrity and usability of digitized content.

The 3-star rating represents a balance of accuracy and efficiency, suitable for most professional digitization activities. However, the 4-star rating demands even more stringent adherence to these parameters, offering the highest quality standard for digitization. As institutions strive to meet these standards, leveraging advanced tools and technologies becomes increasingly important.

Our FADGI certified scanners and the advanced AI-driven JetStream software suite are designed to help institutions achieve these high standards. JetStream's modules—Recognition, Classification, and Extraction—provide superior OCR/ICR results, automate workflows, and ensure accurate data capture and metadata management. By integrating these solutions into your digitization processes, you can ensure compliance with FADGI guidelines, streamline operations, and preserve your valuable records for future generations. With these tools, institutions are well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of digital preservation and achieve excellence in their digitization efforts.