The DDHI Data Visualization Toolkit will allow users to create their own data visualizations (such as maps, timelines, and network visualizations) from encoded interviews. In developing this toolkit, we aim to provide users not only with new capabilities to analyze and explore the data contained in oral history interviews but also with new means to represent and communicate the results of their oral history research.
In its initial form, our toolkit will incorporate three common JavaScript libraries: timeline.js, leaflet.js, and sigma.js. Once a set of interviews has been encoded (through the application of the OH Encoder and the DDHI encoding schema), users will be able to deploy the Data Visualization Toolkit via an API. This interface will allow users to search, query, and filter the data extracted from the encoded interviews, and to produce their own visualizations.
DDHI users will be able to access the Data Visualization Toolkit via the DDHI Project Site. In addition, the DDHI plans to make the toolkit available in modular (plug-in) form for two content management systems. We are currently working with Agile Humanities to develop a Drupal module; an initial version of the module will be deployed on our project site during Fall 2020, and then be made available on an open-source basis during 2021. During 2021, we will also develop a similar module for Omeka Classic. These modules will enable oral historians, archivists, and other users to incorporate DDHI data visualization capabilities into their own Drupal or Omeka sites, including the ability to embed timeline.js, leaflet.js, and sigma.js visualizations.