Beth Fischer

You will need a prototype or wireframe both for the internal structure of your content and for any interface or output where your content will be used

While you may go back and forth at a few stages in this process, you do not want to return to the earlier stages after you have moved into developing a dimensional model in a specific tool.

When choosing tools for an archival project, it is easy to jump to a system you are already familiar with or to assume you need a custom solution, but there are other factors that need to be considered.

Archival project timelines are dependent on the amount of material and the process you use, but there are often ways to automate or improve processes to deal with large quantities of material.

The individual types of expertise you will need for a project will vary, of course, and in many projects a single person will have more than one role.

What do you need money for and when do you need it?

The tools needed to acquire and process content for a dimensional project will be very different if you’re starting by making a digital version of an extant object using photographic processes.

Dimensional projects require a close connection between content and technology. Different tools for building and viewing models have very different features and limitations, and because different tools require different skill sets.

For both photogrammetry and modeling, you need to anticipate spending time troubleshooting and correcting your models.

A professional-looking dimensional model can be made entirely with tools you already have, using programs that are free for educational use. Complex dimensional projects can run into thousands of dollars, though, if you need to acquire equipment, hire experts, or pay for software

you need to find a way to keep your source files, your model, and your output in formats that can be viewed and manipulated, even if the original program you used is no longer available.

Dimensional projects do not typically have a prototype process that is similar to most other projects.

Even if you are working alone, dimensional projects can be particularly opaque to revisit as you troubleshoot, and it is especially frustrating to make a model work and then not remember what settings you used to get there.

Temporal projects place one or more objects into context based on the passage of time. Typical projects include timelines, as well as narrative projects where temporal intervals play a key role.

Many temporal projects have no direct upfront costs at all. The most common programs used for temporal projects are free and many are entirely open source, though some have paid options for hosting large amounts of content online or providing advanced services.

Temporal projects rarely require new capital equipment, although you may have sub-projects embedded in them, like video footage or archival materials, that require special equipment.

For temporal projects, you are likely to need both a wireframe and prototype for different parts of your project, but each is often fairly simple in itself.

Temporal projects are sometimes built by a single researcher working within their area of expertise, though occasionally they will need to consult or work long term with research assistants, designers, IT experts, or programmers.

The timeline for a temporal project is closely related to how much content you want to include and how much that content needs to be altered before you can use it.

Most of the documentation for a timeline project will likely be included in the timeline itself, either in the code (for technical details) or in the content itself.

Many of the most accessible timeline applications have you create and store your timeline on their site.

To determine the scope of your project, consider the following questions. These will give you the information you need to develop a budget, choose tools or programs, and create a workflow for building your archive.

Documentation for an archival project should cover at least three areas.

Here are some common issues that arise in archival projects, and some ideas for helping improve your workflow.

Narrative projects often follow other types of research or writing projects, but sometimes they stand on their own.

Most people who begin a narrative project already have an idea in mind for the general format they will use. Even then, though, you will have multiple choices for most tools.

Narrative projects can be done using primarily free resources, especially if you own the media content (or use materials in the public domain) and you already have the skills you need to produce a project. There are many sources, both within and outside academic institutions, tha

A narrative project often has a temporal or spatial component. At some level, it always is a way of creating a path through a more complex set of information. Creating a storyboard helps you map out this path, and also decide what visual or other media elements along the way will

To develop a workflow and estimate a timeline for your project, think through the requirements for each stage of your project.

As with many digital projects, you can make a narrative project on your own, but you will have an easier time and a wider choice of tools if you build a team.

In many cases, a narrative project is itself a form of documentation that expresses the outcome of other research. However, you will likely need additional documentation that explains how the narrative project took on its final form, what resources it used, and who was involved.

Digital storytelling tools can produce projects with a long life, but it is important to consider both the format for viewing/experiencing the narrative and the format for editing the narrative.