Exercise # 1

Database Usage: Create new connections

Let’s get acquainted with the database and learn how it works by using it. In this exercise, the team’s goal is to assess whether the database provides the appropriate and related items when one performs a search. In other words, are you finding related items that are appropriate to your search? By related items, we mean language and heritage materials associated by format, theme, or a culturally-relevant topic. We encourage your team to determine relevance. We also want to relate media items (audio, video, images) with a collection item record for this exercise.

Teams can also use the GRASAC Simplified Vocabulary List.

1. Answer the following questions:

   1. 1. 1. When you do a search, are you finding objects and media related to each other?

         2. How does the database search filters help you find those relations?

2. Improve record completeness.

   1. 1. 1. By including related materials to the selected item, the record should gain better descriptions and contextualization of itself.

Output Exercise #1

1. In a spreadsheet take notes of the language item title, ID, and the heritage item title and ID.

Create 20 new connections.

Exercise # 2

Data Cleaning: Finding Issues

For this second exercise, we are now going to engage with the controlled vocabulary of the database. Please use the following documents: GRASAC Knowledge System (GKS) Taxonomies spreadsheet, GRASAC Simplified Vocabulary List, Notes on Taxonomies document; located at the Google Drive folder.

As a supplement, the team can use the GKS database. For this exercise, select a vocabulary list and check for the following.

1. Term Accuracy & Completeness

   1. 1. Improve the accuracy and completeness of the terms in the Taxonomy spreadsheet. Do this by identifying missing terms, repetition/redundancy, inaccuracies, or outdated terminology. Propose more appropriate terms that may improve or better represent database items.

         1. 1. 1. Example: Review the controlled vocabulary of place names for repetition, or to provide Indigenous language spellings of place names.

      2. Using the spreadsheet and the database, seek out words that may be difficult to understand for a first-time user and propose a definition for it (How would you explain X term to a first time user?)

      3. Using the spreadsheet and the database, determine related, broader, and narrower terms.

         1. 1. Look for vocabulary terms that are either too narrow or broad and propose terms that can help expand the topic or make it specific.

            2. You can use the following terms for classifying your vocabulary list:

PT: Preferred Term. Terms are PT by default.

NP: Non-Preferred Term (terms with no hierarchical relationships but which may have Related Terms). Examples include alternative spellings. As a rule, Non-preferred Terms are not entered in the Object Name field, but should be present in the Description field.

BT: Broad Term (a PT may have more than one BT).

NT: Narrow Term (a PT may have more than one NT).

RT: Related Term (as a rule, terms are related to record unexpected associations).

*Hint* If you need an example or resource to do this part of the task you can visit the British Museum Object Names Thesaurus.

Output Exercise #2:

1. Create a copy of the provided (GKS) Taxonomies spreadsheet, identify 20 terms that can be improved, and comment on the document the proposed modification(s).

2. A spreadsheet with 25 words that your team thought were hard to understand and the team’s definition. If you use any source for the team definition you may cite it.

3. A PowerPoint or Slides Presentation that includes a tree graph with examples of control vocabulary words that go from broader to narrower and from narrower to broader. Remember that you should classify each term using the terms PT, NP, BT, NT, RT. Select only 8 examples to present.

Exercise # 3

Information Architecture Design

Explore the GKS Database and reflect on the representation and search of Indigenous knowledge in the database. How can we improve the search and filtering features of the database? Reflect specifically on what and how seasons and waterways relate, describe, and connect Indigenous heritage items. Attempt to answer how the GKS can implement information retrieval of items using seasonalities and waterways as metadata terms on the database.

Answer the following questions:

1. What components of the database do you think need to be improved before implementing your proposal for Indigenous knowledge representation (seasonalities and waterways)?

2. In contrast with the GKS database metadata tags, what new metadata tags will your proposal require? How will they relate to the item? How the metadata tag created will link the item with other materials?

3. Does your proposal use, or is inspired by, any standardized metadata schemas (e.g, RDF, Linked Data, others)? If not, why did you not use such a metadata schema, and what helped you develop your proposal?

Output Exercise #3

1. A PowerPoint or Slides presentation explaining your team’s proposal.

2. Make sure to explain the team’s reasoning behind the decisions made.

3. Using the GKS as a base, create a mock-up of your proposal.

   1. The mock-up should be related to any visual modifications that your team will do to the GKS database as a way to implement the team’s proposal.

   2. We suggest taking photos of the parts of the database that the team would like to modify and draw over it.

   3. Make sure to explain the team’s design decisions.

   4. Include the pros and cons of your design.