Discover what we’ve been up to with DCD Discover
Five LiveLabs in and what’s been happening with DCD Discover? What’s new? What’s changed?
What is DCD Discover?
DCD Discover is the open, accessible archive of DCD material, and with your involvement will become the open and accessible go-to source for material from the DCD.
Development so far.
Central repository and an ark …One of the points that has come up in the LiveLabs again and again is the desire that DCD Discover becomes THE central repository for performance archives in Canada including non-dance archives such as cirque and theatre. Could DCD Discover become an ark for endangered performance related archives? Such a central repository is needed now more than ever with the threat of permanent closure for arts organisations due to Covid-19. It’s a tragedy to lose the companies but the tragedy would become a catastrophe if we lost all of their archives too.
Add your own items …
You can now add your own items to DCD Discover. This could be one photograph of you in a childhood dance recital or your entire archive. Just click on add and see what happens. DCD Discover
Multiple items …
At the moment, DCD Discover is only able to upload one item at a time. Feedback from the LiveLabs shows that you want to be able to add a number of items at a time. Work is underway to enable you to do this.
Another area that you have highlighted around multiple items is the possibility of including more than one image for an item. You may want to include the front and the back (where descriptions are usually written) of photographs; the front and back of costumes; multiple angles of an object and images of original boxes and sleeves which often include notes. This will be coming very soon.
Analytics
One curveball request was for access to the analytics. (This is why it’s so great to work with you. You ask for features that we haven’t thought of. Together we are developing DCD Discover into what you want and need it to be.) So why the request for access to the analytics? The questioner wanted to know whether, if they uploaded their archive, whether they could have access to the analytics to see who was using it, what they were viewing and where they were based? They added that this information would be really useful for them in planning future work and tailoring their work to the needs of those using it. This prompted a very interesting discussion amongst the development team. The short answer is, that there is no reason why you can’t have access to the analytics so long as personal data is protected.
Coming soon …
- A feature which allows you to develop/curate your own “collections.” All of your favourite items, your most useful and your most used items in one place. You will be able to share this with others (like a Spotify playlist).
- The ability to upload video and audio files
Questions
- Do you think that DCD Discover should become the central repository for performance related archives in Canada?
- Would you find access to the analytics useful? If yes, what analytics would be useful to you?
- Are you interested in a feature which would allow you to curate your own collection?
- What would you like to see added to DCD Discover? Send us your wishlist. Don’t hold back. Be as imaginative and as free as you like. You ask and we deliver!
Send your answers to lorraine@dgen.net
Our next Live Lab is on Thursday 26th of November, 10.00 PST, 13.00 ET and 18.00 GMT. You are very welcome to join us. Come along for play and experimentation. Here’s the link: LiveLab. 26th November
