Digital Scholarship today spans a wide range of formats, from immersive virtual reality experiences and narrative podcasts to the digitization of cultural artifacts and interactive digital humanities projects. As technology and research practices continue to grow, our approach to planning, supporting, and maintaining digital projects must adapt as well.
This framework provides a structured yet adaptable approach to digital project planning across multiple formats, including 2D and 3D digitization, immersive technologies, podcast and media production, and interdisciplinary digital humanities research. It is designed to help researchers, faculty, and students navigate the full life cycle of digital work from proposal and development to preservation and reuse.
Grounded in principles of accessibility, sustainability, and scholarly impact, this strategy supports both experimental and traditional approaches to digital scholarship. Whether launching a long-term research initiative or producing a single digital artifact, the goal is to empower innovation, foster collaboration, and ensure that the work created is impactful, well-documented, and future-proof.
Project Categories
Projects are classified by scope, goals, and support requirements
Signature Projects
- High-impact initiatives, often supported by external grant funding, that advance digital scholarship and contribute to open knowledge. These projects require extensive collaboration and dedicated staffing for a period longer than 12 months.
Mid-Scale Projects
- Structured, modular work, which may include grant-funded projects, that can be completed in 6-12 months with moderate staff support.
Agile Projects
- Fast-turnaround initiatives on timely topics. These are designed for rapid development typically within 6 months.
Ongoing or Collaborative Projects
- Initiatives that rely on interdepartmental collaboration or ongoing student/faculty contributions.
Legacy & Maintenance Projects
- Completed projects that require periodic updates or platform support.
Project Proposal & Review Process
To ensure all projects align with departmental priorities and receive appropriate support, prospective projects undergo a structured intake and review process:
- Stakeholders submit the Digital Scholarship Project Intake Form
- The department head reviews submissions and consults with stakeholders to clarify project goals, scope, and needs.
- Projects are evaluated based on departmental capacity, expertise, and potential impact.
- The department head presents the project information to the team for discussion and prioritization.
- The team develops a project plan outlining roles, timeline, dissemination, accessibility, sustainability, outreach, subject expertise, and any applicable grant funding requirements.