{"id":33,"date":"2025-02-14T17:54:01","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T17:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/hjameslouwerse2\/?page_id=33"},"modified":"2025-06-09T11:28:40","modified_gmt":"2025-06-09T10:28:40","slug":"the-practice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ncl.ac.uk\/hjameslouwerse2\/the-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"The Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cThe best laid schemes o\u2019 Mice an\u2019 Men,
Gang aft agley\u201d
<\/p>Robert Burns (1759-1796) To a Mouse, On turning her up in her Nest with the Plough, November, 1785<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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The brief for the final project of my Master\u2018s degree – OHD_RPT_0010<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

prac. 001<\/mark><\/em> The brief for the final project of my Master\u2018s degree in Multidisciplinary Innovation at Northumbria University was to set up an oral history project at the National Trust property Seaton Delaval Hall. One of the final conclusions my team came to was how archiving oral histories was quite tricky, therefore as a final output we created a brief for another project that would delve into the archiving of oral histories.1<\/a><\/sup> This brief became the starting point for my PhD research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The archiving brief made during my Master’s – OHD_RPT_0010<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The 2021 timeline – OHD_GRP_0162<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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prac. 002 <\/mark><\/em>The original approach for this project is illustrated in a timeline made in 2021.2<\/a><\/sup> It was very simple: a designer (me) was going to record oral histories and then use the recordings to design a system for making reuse easy. Seaton Delaval Hall was going to provide me with my oral history participants and be my testing grounds for my new system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This did not go as planned for multiple reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

prac. 003 <\/mark><\/em>Initially, I became increasingly sceptical that designing a “solution” would solve the problem with oral history reuse. There is a suggestion of these insecurities in what I presented during my interview for this PhD in early 2020.3<\/a><\/sup> The AI summary of the presentation script shows that I wanted to explore:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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new approaches to archiving and accessing oral histories that go beyond traditional methods. Developing user-friendly and engaging interfaces for exploring and interacting with oral history collections, [but also address] the challenges of maintaining and updating digital technologies over time.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The final slide of my presentation for my interview – OHD_PRS_0124<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Google Gemini Summary of OHD_PRS_0124<\/a>: Presentation\/Interview for CDA 
[generated 04 \/ 01 \/ 2025]

This presentation outlines the key challenges and opportunities within the proposed PhD research, focusing on the intersection of oral history, design, and heritage management at Seaton Delaval Hall.

Key Challenges:

Bridging Disciplinary Gaps: Communication and collaboration between oral historians, designers, and National Trust staff can be challenging due to differing perspectives, terminologies, and priorities. Overcoming communication barriers and fostering effective cross-disciplinary dialogue is crucial.

Defining and Achieving Project Goals: Determining the specific goals and objectives of the project and aligning them with the needs and expectations of all stakeholders. Managing expectations and navigating potential conflicts between different parties.

Addressing the \"Deep Dark Secret\" of Oral History: Finding innovative ways to ensure the long-term accessibility, usability, and relevance of archived oral history recordings.<\/mark>

<\/mark>Technological Limitations: Addressing the challenges of maintaining and updating digital technologies over time. Finding sustainable solutions that are not overly reliant on complex or rapidly evolving technologies.<\/mark>
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<\/mark>Key Opportunities:<\/mark>

<\/mark>Developing Innovative Archival Practices: Exploring new approaches to archiving and accessing oral histories that go beyond traditional methods. Developing user-friendly and engaging interfaces for exploring and interacting with oral history collections.
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<\/mark>Fostering Community Engagement: Engaging the local community in the oral history process and creating a sense of ownership over the collected materials.

Advancing Cross-disciplinary Research: Developing new methodologies and frameworks for collaborative research across disciplines, such as oral history, design, and heritage management.

Addressing the \"Digital Divide\": Ensuring that digital technologies are accessible and usable by all members of the community, regardless of their technological skills or socio-economic background.

The presentation emphasizes the importance of a collaborative and iterative approach, with ongoing reflection and adaptation throughout the research process. It highlights the need to embrace uncertainty and explore the unknown, while also acknowledging the potential challenges and limitations.<\/mark><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
prac. 004 <\/mark><\/em>I presented similar ideas over a year later at the start of my research period, only this time I emphasised how humans would have to fill the gaps of digital systems.4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Slides from one of my earliest presentations – OHD_PRS_0125<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
Google Gemini Summary of OHD_PRS_0125<\/a>: Oral History\u2019s Design: Sustaining visitor (re)use of oral histories on heritage sites 
[generated 04 \/ 01 \/ 2025]

Challenges:

Bridging the gap between oral history, design, and heritage management: Requires effective communication and collaboration across disciplines.Needs to address the diverse needs and perspectives of all stakeholders.<\/mark>

<\/mark>Developing a sustainable and user-friendly system: Ensuring long-term accessibility and usability of the system for both staff and the public. Addressing the challenges of maintaining and updating digital technologies over time.
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<\/mark>Balancing human and digital approaches: Finding the right balance between human interaction and digital technologies in the archival process. Recognizing the limitations of both digital and physical archives.
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<\/mark>Ethical considerations: Ensuring equitable access and addressing issues of power and representation in the collection and dissemination of oral histories.

Environmental sustainability: Considering the environmental impact of digital technologies and the potential risks associated with climate change.

Opportunities:

Fostering community engagement: Creating a more participatory approach to oral history collection that empowers the local community.<\/mark>

<\/mark>Developing innovative archival practices: Exploring new methods for archiving and accessing oral histories that go beyond traditional models.
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<\/mark>Leveraging technology to enhance accessibility: Utilizing digital tools to make oral histories more accessible to a wider audience.<\/mark>

<\/mark>Developing a more sustainable and resilient archival system: Combining digital and physical approaches to ensure long-term preservation and access.
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<\/mark>Conducting cross-disciplinary research: Exploring new methodologies for collaborative research across disciplines, such as oral history, design, and heritage management.

The presentation emphasizes the importance of a human-centered approach, recognizing the limitations of technology and the crucial role of human interaction in the collection, preservation, and interpretation of oral histories. It also highlights the need for a dynamic and adaptable system that can evolve over time to meet the changing needs of the community and the challenges of the digital age.<\/mark><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
prac. 005<\/mark><\/em> I also researched my predecessors, those who in the decades prior to this research project have tried to improve the reuse of oral history reuse by utilising the latest technology of the time, from CD-roms to the World Wide Web to off-the-shelf market research software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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prac. 006<\/mark><\/em> Project Jukebox<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n