Format technology lifecycle analysis

Abstract

The lifecycles of format technology have been a defining concern for digital stewardship research and practice. However, little evidence exists to provide robust methods for assessing the state of any given format technology and describing its evolution over time.This article introduces relevant models from diffusion theory and market research and presents a replicable analysis method to compute models of technology evolution. Data cleansing and the combination of multiple data sources enable the application of non-linear regression to estimate the parameters of the Bass diffusion model on format technology market lifecycles.Through its application to a longitudinal dataset from the UK web archive, we demonstrate that the method produces reliable results and show that the Bass model can be used to describe format lifecycles. By analyzing adoption patterns across market segments, new insights are inferred about how the diffusion of formats and products such as applications occurs over time. The analysis provides a stepping stone to a more robust and evidence-based approach to model technology evolution.

A Targeted Review on Revisiting and Augmenting the Framework for Technology Acceptance in the Renewable Energy Context

“…Like the DOI, Bass diffusion models [78] dynamically describe behavioral elements through empirical adoption curves. Similar to other models, the Bass model was initially applied to the consumer durables marketing context but has been applied to broader markets [79], and even to the diffusion of renewable energy [80], GHG emission reduction potential in buildings [81], the forecast of PV deployment [82], estimation of the utilization potential of PV systems for power generation [83], and the development process of renewable energy price policies [84].…”

“Garbage Bags Full of Files”: Exploring Sociotechnical Perceptions of Formats within the Recovery and Reuse of Scientific Data

“…Not all formats are created equally. Some are designed to offer a long‐term solution for preserving information (Hodge & Anderson, 2007; Park & Oh, 2012), whereas other formats function exclusively as conduit for documentation (Pearson & Webb, 2008; Duretec & Becker, 2017). The fluidity of formats only grows when working to differentiate between digital and physical, and the migration from analog to digital surrogates and from obsolete files to new digital files (Sherring et al, 2018).…”