Suburban Birmingham: Hands On
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: Historical Studies - History of Art
Abstract
The Hands On approach used a cross-sector, cross-disciplinary team to transform the M&G website data into a multi-touch (MT) version for use on MT screens. Suburban Birmingham: Hands On maximised the impact of the website dataset produced by academics, curators, archivists, and librarians working on the M&G project Suburban Birmingham: spaces and places, 1880-1960 and who are drawn from University of Birmingham (UB), UB Special Collections (UBSC), Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery (BMAG), and Birmingham Heritage and Archives Services (BHAS). The data set now includes 200-300 copyright-cleared, digitised images arranged into 6 themed 'exhibitions' with catalogue data for each object, c.500 words of interpretive text for 120+ of the objects; 9 themed essays of c.4000 words referring to the objects; c.1500 word introduction to the dataset as a research resource; 3 c. 500 word outlines of the areas of the partner collections, and related finding aids, pertaining to the project; a c. 500 word introduction to the project's working methods; a 10-minute VODcast outlining how the project's cross-sector collaborative research model informed, and was shaped by, the project; links to related web resources. The new output enabled multiple users to interact simultaneously with the data using highly intuitive hand gestures, ensuring that improved group learning takes place among the community of users within display spaces.
The project achieved a series of objectives, they were able to: develop an innovative MT interface for existing Suburban Birmingham web data, include a UGC interface in the MT output, conduct HCI and well-being testing of the MT interface outside and within display spaces before installing MT output's alpha and Formulate recommendations re best practice in MT and UGC MLA outputs for dissemination to HEIs and non-HEIs. The project was able to provide evidence-based recommendations re best practice in development of MT and UGC research outputs for MLAs and HEIs. The overall outcomes of the project are improved evidence-based knowledge and understanding among HEIs and non-HEIs of the production, testing, and implementation of research-driven digital outputs with highly intuitive MT interfaces and UGC capabilities.
The project achieved a series of objectives, they were able to: develop an innovative MT interface for existing Suburban Birmingham web data, include a UGC interface in the MT output, conduct HCI and well-being testing of the MT interface outside and within display spaces before installing MT output's alpha and Formulate recommendations re best practice in MT and UGC MLA outputs for dissemination to HEIs and non-HEIs. The project was able to provide evidence-based recommendations re best practice in development of MT and UGC research outputs for MLAs and HEIs. The overall outcomes of the project are improved evidence-based knowledge and understanding among HEIs and non-HEIs of the production, testing, and implementation of research-driven digital outputs with highly intuitive MT interfaces and UGC capabilities.
Organisations
| Description | The project led to cultural impact by allowing larger audiences to access the collaboratively produced research generated by the original Suburban Birmingham project (tens of thousands of interactions have thus far been logged by the interfaces). It also improved the 'visitor offer' of Birmingham and, therefore, had economic impact on the regional economy. Furthermore, the project had social impact because it improved appreciation among the partners of the benefits of cross-sector collaboration when developing display space interactives in partnership with UB and with SMEs; this realisation led to changes in working practices among the partners. As a result, the non-HEI partners became partners with UB on a £2.4m ERDF project that is co-directed by this AHRC project's PI and that focuses on the production of digital outputs in 'triple helix' collaborations between university researchers, cultural organisations, and SMES. The ERDF project has, in turn, has led to the generation of considerable cultural, social and economic impact). |
| First Year Of Impact | 2012 |
| Sector | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal,Economic |
| Description | ERDF 'Digital Cultural Heritage Demonstrator' |
| Amount | £1,200,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | 080/P1/002 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 09/2011 |
| End | 12/2014 |
| Description | Hand On: further funding AHRC 'Cultural intermediation: connecting communities in the creative urban economy' |
| Amount | £1,497,642 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/J005320/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2012 |
| End | 09/2015 |
| Description | Hand On: further funding AHRC 'Cultural intermediation: connecting communities in the creative urban economy' |
| Amount | £1,497,642 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/J005320/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2011 |
| End | 01/2012 |
| Description | Hands On' and AHRC-funded 'Digital CoPs and Robbers: Communities of Practice and the Transformation of Research |
| Amount | £20,679 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/J013153/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 02/2012 |
| End | 07/2012 |
| Description | Hands On: multi-touch, multi-user tables and modern language teaching |
| Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | Italanian1 |
| Organisation | University of Birmingham |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2012 |
| End | 09/2012 |
| Description | Multi-touch, multi-user software in museum and library display spaces |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The software produced by the project team allows several people to simultaneously access, by touch, 120 digital images and explanatory texts, to expand them, to gain access to the Suburban website using QR codes (where further images can and essays can be accessed), and/or enter their email addresses so that users can be sent links to the website. The software was installed in the public display spaces of the University of Birmingham's Cadbury Research library in May 2012, in BMT's 'Birmingham History Galleries' in September 2012, and in LoB in 2013. In each space, the software was accessible via a 50-inch, multi-user, multi-touch screen by visitors. The project led to cultural impact by allowing larger audiences to access the collaboratively produced research generated by the original Suburban Birmingham project (tens of thousands of interactions have thus far been logged by the interfaces). It also improved the 'visitor offer' of Birmingham and, therefore, had economic impact on the regional economy. Furthermore, the project had social impact because it improved appreciation among the partners of the benefits of cross-sector collaboration when developing display space interactives in partnership with UB and with SMEs; this realisation led to changes in working practices among the partners. As a result, the non-HEI partners became partners with UB on a £2.4m ERDF project that is co-directed by this AHRC project's PI and that focuses on the production of digital outputs in 'triple helix' collaborations between university researchers, cultural organisations, and SMES. The ERDF project has, in turn, has led to the generation of considerable cultural, social and economic impact). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |