360 Degree View of Technology for Preventive Conservation, Maintenance and Monitoring Heritage Places (original) (raw)

Documentation is evidence or data that assists in making informed decisions for preventive conservation, maintenance and monitoring of historic places. In the past decades documentation is increasingly collected, analysed and visualized with numerous evolving technologies. The profession is already faced with complex and demanding decisions that require knowledge and understanding of a wide variety of topics. Professionals must know of appropriate materials, maintenance strategies, how to assess values as well as dissemination – along with documentation technology. But the technology is moving at a breakneck pace. So how can a practitioner keep up? The field of conservation is becoming broader and more inclusive while at the same time technology is rapidly advancing. This is further complicated by the fact that the conservation profession is often underfunded with the latest technology out of reach. Additional difficulties are that many conservation professionals work in developing regions where the technology is unavailable or unsustainable. This article will take a 360 degree view of technology for documentation and how it is related to preventive conservation of cultural heritage. 360 degrees because this will include a look back at how practitioners have incorporated technology in the past, sideways to other professions outside conservation and finally an attempt to look forward into the near future.