Query and context based visualization of time-spatial cultural dynamics

The QVIZ project (Query and context based visualization of time-spatial cultural dynamics) started in May 2006. It is co-funded by the European Union through the sixth framework program (FP6).

The main objective of QVIZ is to enhance access to digital Archival/Cultural Heritage resources for citizens of the European Union.

The QVIZ approach is a time and map based access point coupled with the possibility to bookmark resources in the archives. This enables the users to organize their findings and to share them with other users in the integrated collaborative knowledge building environment.

QVIZ has seven partners, from the countries Austria, England, Estonia, Spain and Sweden. The network is coordinated by Umeå University in Sweden.

The National Archives of Estonia and Sweden provide the archival expertise in the project as well as the highly structured content needed to develop the system. Salzburg Research Forschungsgesellschaft contributes the knowledge and technology necessary to build the collaborative environment that enables the social knowledge building functions of the system.

The Map and Facetted Query browser is essentially an amalgamation of the knowledge from three partners. The map component was developed by the Estonian company REGIO and adapted for the use in the QVIZ-portal. The facetted browser has been developed by Umeå University. Both the map component and the facetted browser are dependent on the administrative unit ontology provided by the University of Portsmouth that enables the system to follow the changes of the respective units borders over time.

The Spanish company Telefónica provides the project with high-level design competence and technical specifications for the system.

Many archives are working on digitalizing material in order to enhance access and preserve the fragile content in the archives. Most existing digital archives do not allow the user to add or bookmark information in the system. However, the information that the archives hold is often complex, which impedes the possibilities for an effective and facilitated search. As the amount of digital material steadily increases, an easier way to conduct investigations of the archives becomes a necessity.

During the first year the activities focused on underlying research, constructing a technical framework, system requirements and specifications as well as prototype design. In the second year, the focus changed to integration of the different parts of the platform. QVIZ is currently working on its third integrated prototype which involves fine-tuning the knowledge models and integral environments.

The development of the QVIZ platform is ongoing and provides new and better ways to explore the archives and to interact with content holders and researchers with similar interests. The current QVIZ prototype consists of the following software and content:

Dynamic map
Enables searching for a location by zooming in on an area of interest. By clicking on the map, the archival resources for that place or area will be displayed. The dynamic map also shows how the borders of geographical areas or administrative units change over time.

Faceted query
Allows the user to narrow down the search by predefined categories. It uses different types of data associated with archival resources sorted into logical groups or topics. This data together with the dynamic map is used to filter and display results and links to the archival resources.

Timeline
Combined with the map or the faceted query, the timeline provides an opportunity to narrow down the search not only to a particular place, but also to a point of time or time range. By using the time slider within the timeline, the borders of the map will change according to chosen time.

Social bookmarking
Facilitates linking of archival resources to the QVIZ social knowledge building environment. An archive client tool has been developed that will be provided to the archives when signing up for the QVIZ-system. It provides the users with a means to bookmark, access and organize their preferred digital material found within the archives. These bookmarks will be accessible for other users in their investigations.

Social knowledge building
The social knowledge building environment functions through its users. It allows the users to publish their results, write collaborative articles, organize their social bookmarks and interact with people of similar interest.

For more information concerning how archives can incorporate QVIZ as a means to provide added customer service, please contact Fredrik Palm at Umeå University.