1. Konstantin Dierks “Digital History: From Design to Construction to Management to Maintenance” Digital Library Brown Bag Series, Wells Library, Indiana University September 23, 2015

2. GENESIS I November 2011 “Globalization Before Imperialism? The Global Reach of the U.S. Government, 1775 ‑ 1869” American History Seminar at University of Cambridge (map illustrations)

3. U.S. diplomatic corps, 1818 (7 modern countries)

4. U.S. diplomatic corps, 1825 (13 modern countries)

5. U.S. diplomatic corps, 1855 (26 modern countries)

6. GENESIS II mental note: is it possible to project historical data onto historical maps? August 2012 I returned from research sabbatical back to teaching October 2012 I submitted a proposal for a collaborative grant to curate an exhibit at the Lilly Library, to collaborate with Erika Dowell on the physical exhibit and with Michelle Dalmau on a digital exhibit January 2013 We were awarded the grant; now the learning curve began in earnest....

7. DESIGN I I had to start learning how a website is designed, and how Omeka works. I assembled a website vision: not only scanned texts, but how about a historical world map? "image carousels"? "lightboxes"? (Will Cowan) For the digital exhibit, we hired a professional web designer. For the historical world map idea, Erika and Michelle unleashed library interns on the project.

8. DESIGN II I had to start learning how to turn data into a database. I.e., from multiple tables in Word, to a single spreadsheet of over 1,000 lines of data, in 15 columns. I had to start learning how to use Google Docs. I had to start learning how to set up, and use, a Google group account. I had to start learning how to design and revise a spreadsheet.

9. DESIGN III I had to start learning how to find historical world maps. I had to start learning how historical maps are georectified. I had to start learning how ArcGIS works. I had to start learning how to find someone who could georectify historical maps. I had to start learning how to hire non-IU technical consultants (bureaucracy). I had to start learning how to calculate technical expenses. ($50/hour meant a sample of only 5 historical world maps.) I had to start learning how to set up, and use, a Box group account.

10. CONSTRUCTION/MANAGEMENT I I had to start learning how to set up, and use, a Webserve group account, initially as a workspace, ultimately as a website. I had to learn more about how to use WinSCP. I had to learn, secondhand, that Omeka was a bear to install. I had to learn, secondhand, that web-based map visualization was not easy, via investigation and experimentation by library interns. We eventually discovered Leaflet 0.7 (stable release in November 2013). I had to start learning how Leaflet works, and how JavaScript works. I had to start learning how maps georectified in ArcGIS could be used by Leaflet; they have to be "tiled" first.

11. CONSTRUCTION/MANAGEMENT II I had to start learning how my database spreadsheet could be used by Leaflet; Python. I had to start learning how to describe the technical as well as historical aspects of the map visualization project for Katy Borner's IVMOOC, and then how to truncate it into a workable project for MOOC participants. September 2014 the physical exhibit opened in the Lilly Library. The digital exhibit was not done. We lost library interns to employment; we lost the web designer to a promotion. I had to start learning Omeka coding much more thoroughly. I had to start learning css coding.

12. CONSTRUCTION/MANAGEMENT III I had to learn that Omeka cannot handle Leaflet, so that the map visualization had to be detached from the overall exhibit. (Siobhain Rivera, library intern extraordinaire) I had to start learning how plug-ins work, for Omeka and for Leaflet. I had to start learning css coding much more thoroughly. I had to start learning how to manage more non-IU technical consultants, to fix Leaflet. I had to start learning how to use Firebug, to fix css. (Will Cowan)

13. CONSTRUCTION/MANAGEMENT IV I had to start learning how to describe the technical as well as historical ambitions of the map visualization project for a grant application. I had to learn how to implement url redirects, in consultation with the IU Webmaster. I had to break the entire website, and then reconstruct it: Omeka code, css, php (with help from a history graduate student). I had to learn that IU's branding bar style and code were changed, but the branding bars were hard-coded into the exhibit and map visualization code. I had to learn how to remove the branding bar from the map visualization code.

14. MAINTENANCE/FUTURE I June 2015 The digital exhibit went public. The branding bar is still not fixed for the exhibit code because the code is sophisticated, voluminous, and undocumented -- the main css is nearly 3,000 lines by itself. The scanning of exhibit texts is still not done. THE OUTCOME: http://globalization1789-1861.indiana.edu

15. constant pressing questions: ▪ how to create an open-ended interactive analytical tool -- i.e., not a mere visualization, and not one only for my own research? ▪ how to represent historical change in a web-based map visualization -- i.e., process, not teleology?

16. MAINTENANCE/FUTURE II I had to start learning about user-side and server-side back-end engineering: ▪ searchability ▪ load time ▪ code optimization ▪ image compression (I had to start learning more about image editing) ▪ compliance with UXD (user experience design) standards ▪ screen resizing (had to be fixed because inadvertently broken) I had to start learning the difference between the front end and the back end. I had to start learning about Gtmetrix. I had to start learning about "data management" and institutional resources like IUScholarWorks. I had to start learning how to use GitHub, another group account.

17. MAINTENANCE/FUTURE III I had to start learning how to use Trello (project management software), another group account. I had to start learning about how to upgrade Omeka to its latest version, without adverse effects on our custom code. I had to start learning about "engine management" for Leaflet. I had to start learning about what an API might be. I had to start learning about D3, web-based data visualization software that complements Leaflet. I had to start learning about the architectural design of data and code in lieu of web content management systems like Omeka or WordPress.

18. from an idea and research as a historian with teaching and service responsibilities........to somewhat overwhelming new set of time commitments accumulated over 2.5 years: ▪ designing websites and visualizations ▪ constructing databases ▪ learning software ▪ coding, and debugging ▪ project management ▪ budget management ▪ personnel management ▪ data management ▪ engine management ▪ architectural? management ▪ institutional bureaucracy ▪ grant applications ▪ publicity ▪ ongoing maintenance and future plans