Interactive Digital Map
Background
This project is making an attempt to digitally map Antigua’s sugar plantations, their history, and the history of the region around them. The goal is to make an interactive map that acts as an introduction into this history. For these purposes you could use a modified google map, or a paper map representation, that then allows a user to click through each location and bring up a window displaying all relevant information. This map would act as the homepage and navigation bar of the website which would then branch off into the other pages which would be necessary to convey as much information as is required. There is a large amount of information that must be conveyed in a meaningful way, to this end the site has to be easily navigated and understood while still being interesting to the user.
Executive Summary
An interactive map would be a good plan to keep a user interested while still letting them achieve the goal of education. This solution would allow the user to navigate a detailed map, either decorative or realistic via google maps, that would let the user navigate to each point of interest and learn about its significance to the local area. These points could be marked via symbols or dots to represent what their significance is, then upon clicking on the marker the user would see a popup that displays minimal information with the option to go to a location specific page to read a more in depth summary. Such an implementation would allow the users to get drawn into exploring the map and make the act of learning an interesting experience. For easier navigation at a later date there could also be the option to lookup locations by name, or by using a list of all points organized by historical purpose.
Viability Analysis
Through either satellite imagery or a decorative map it would possible to overlay a second click map that scales based on screen size to ensure that any users could navigate over both maps and click into the points they are interested about. The basic information and the expanded pages could each be their own individual resources, meaning that an external database would not be necessary for initial implementation. Each point would simply be edited in turn if new information is required. This alleviates the need for a robust backend and instead allows for full dedication to a purposeful front end to fully accomplish the goals of this project.
Risks and Rewards
This map would allow many people to learn of the history of Antigua through a fun and interactive manner. There is some possibility of error about the history. However, this would be left to those maintaining and updating the website, not the initial builders. Impact from this service would be more niche than widespread, but would still provide useful tools to someone interested in learning about Antigua and the surrounding areas.
Closing
A project as important as preserving history needs to have careful attention paid to it. A solution such as that listed above would allow growth later in the sites life, it would allow for continuing expansion of facts and corrections of data as the need arises. It would provide the owner with a set of tools that would fully meet their needs and allow them to have full authority of how the history is represented in the most meaningful way possible. This project would be an interesting challenge to build and make sure that the user’s interface and experience meet the highest expectations of the client.
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