The Assessment Tool uses two sets of dimensions. The first set pertains to the users, uses, suppliers and content of the records. The second set addresses the access program structure and organizational context. Each dimension can be thought of as a continuum ranging from low cost/low risk to high cost/high risk characteristics.

The users-uses-suppliers-content dimensions are:

• Characteristics of users
• Predictability of uses
• Sensitivity of content
• Frame of reference needed to interpret and use content
• Status of meta data
• Uniformity of information sources
• Degree of integration among information sources
• Usefulness of content over time

The access program dimensions include:

• Structure of relationships with information suppliers
• Structure of relationships with information users
• Involvement of access provider in original data collection
• Extent of data analysis or other manipulation conducted by the access provider
• Nature of data flows
• Suitability of existing technology
• Relationship of the access program to overall organizational mission

In this phase, each dimension is considered independently. The collection of independent ratings produces a profile of characteristics that must be taken into account in program design. (Later tools consider the relationships among the dimensions.) Each dimension is briefly described on the pages that follow.