The purpose of this project is to create a web-based deliverable that will enhance community interest in local heritage. The site of interest is located in the Pinelands of New Jersey. I am still working out the details with the project partners at this time. Until a final agreement is settled between myself and all the project partners, I can not reveal the site name or location. However, I can tell you a few things about the design of the project.
Project Design
The hope is that this project will result in a web-based museum that will offer a customized tour experience for the user. Users will receive an option of completing either an archaeology tour or an architectural tour. The tour of the structure will include a series of photographs or images of the interior, historical maps and artifacts. The archaeological tour will guide the visitor through an archaeological excavation and the interpretation process. Users will complete the tour within twenty minutes and will be redirected to the second tour at the conclusion of their first tour selection. Users can return to the website and participate in the second tour at their leisure. Static pages will provide information about previous archaeology projects at the site and site specific history.
Technical Implementation
A selection of programs will be used to build the website and enhance the user’s experience. The website will consist of Twine, HTML, CSS, JAVA and GeoJSON coding, respectfully. I would like to create an interactive map of the property to show the user locations of various outbuildings that used to be on the property. Due to security reasons, the map may be restricted. If this portion of the project is approved, mapbox will be used to create an interactive map, tagging various points of interest on the landscape as they relate to the history of the tavern. Users will interact with this website on either a WordPress or Bootstrap platform. Server hosting is currently being negotiated. Project updates will be provided on various social media platforms, including: Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
Current Challenges
I have feature creep concerns, given I have never used Twine before and it seems as though I can do quite a lot design wise. This will be very tempting! I am currently trying to determine who will host the finished product. I have been told it will likely be hosted by one of the partners, although I am concerned about whether I will be granted server access or if they have enough server space to spare. This project will likely require a lot of space for video and photos. I offered Matrix as an alternative option.
Next Steps
I plan to reach out to the primary partner tomorrow and set up a meeting with the head supervisor who would be my point of contact for this project. If the primary partner approves my project-pitch then I can continue working on this project. Until then, I plan to enhance my skills in Javascript and Jquery. I will also begin building the narrative for one of the Twine tours I plan to offer. Stay tuned for developments.