The Big Picture: Selection and Design Issues for Image Information Systems

A digital image is just one visible part of an image information system. What takes place behind the screen in order to display that image is the focus of this discussion. Many factors influence the planning and design of an image information system including its purpose, types of images, users and use, desired functions and features, and equipment and software. Also to be considered are file conversion and preparations in case of disaster as well as many social and ethical issues in the use of the system. Relatively new techniques for access and retrieval by image content are being explored with some systems now available. While these new mathematically oriented computer-based systems might, in time, help to alleviate some costly human processing, text documentation will still be necessary to identify the image and to describe such elements as the historical context or the social environment in which the image was createdpublished or submitted for publicatio