Web 2.0: The Wiki of Intangible Web 2.0: The Wiki of Intangible Cultural HeritageCultural Heritage

Web 2.0: The Wiki of Intangible Web 2.0: The Wiki of Intangible Cultural HeritageCultural Heritage

David Hill, ResearcherInventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage Project

• Aim: To show how the Wiki format has been ideal for meeting the aims of the project

• Background: In 2008, Edinburgh Napier University received an award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council to establish an online inventory of Scotland’s Intangible Cultural Heritage

Aim & BackgroundAim & BackgroundAim & BackgroundAim & Background

ICH project undertaken in collaboration with other organisations. The inventory required a technical format that would:

• allow the information to be entered into the inventory by individuals working for different organisations in geographically dispersed locations

• Not necessitate significant training requirements• allow the information entered to be easily

amended/updated when required

Problem: What Format for Inventory?Problem: What Format for Inventory?Problem: What Format for Inventory?Problem: What Format for Inventory?

• What is a Wiki?-A collection of Web pages designed to enable anyone with access to contribute new content or modify existing content. Format often used to create collaborative websites and to power community websites. Can also be customised to create database

• Main Principles of Format-New information can be entered into the wiki from any web-connected computer-Users can both add new data to the wiki and edit existing information(even that not added by themselves)

Solution: The Wiki Solution: The Wiki Solution: The Wiki Solution: The Wiki

Advantages of Wiki FormatAdvantages of Wiki FormatAdvantages of Wiki FormatAdvantages of Wiki Format

• Ease of data entry: limited training required • Attractive and easy to navigate for end users;

ensures inventory as widely accessible to public as possible

• Very flexible: can accommodate changing priorities in a project

• Cost effective: free software, just requires setting-up and web space

• With some wikis (e.g. Wikipedia), anyone can amend any article which means that vandalism does sometimes occur.

• However, this possibility can be minimised by only allowing registered users (who are not anonymous)to add/amend articles to the ICH Scotland wiki.

• In any case, any unwanted amendment can be easily undone

Disadvantages of Wiki FormatDisadvantages of Wiki FormatDisadvantages of Wiki FormatDisadvantages of Wiki Format

What Does the Wiki Look Like? What Does the Wiki Look Like? What Does the Wiki Look Like? What Does the Wiki Look Like?

Date Entry PageDate Entry PageDate Entry PageDate Entry Page

Date Entry PageDate Entry PageDate Entry PageDate Entry Page

• The Wiki is one of the best known, and increasingly popular, forms of Web 2.0.

• It is ideal for powering web projects that require collaborative efforts.

• Cost-effective in terms of the software required• Simple to use: will require only limited training

for the end-user.

http://www.ichscotlandwiki.org

ConclusionsConclusionsConclusionsConclusions