Digital Scholarship Tools: Selecting a Tool

Technology changes and platforms come and go. You may have to transition your project from one platform to another over time.

• What technology or tools does your campus offer?

• Are you using an existing platform for your project or are you creating a custom site or working with a previously created custom site?
  • Is the construction well-documented so that someone else can continue the work or update the technology?
  • If you are hiring someone to create a platform be sure that they document their work as part of the project.
• What programs are you using to create your project?
  • Is it proprietary or open source? 
  • How long has your selected platform been around? What kind of support is attached to it?
  • Does it cost money to use the platform (e.g. hosting or server space)? Will you have ongoing funds to pay for the longevity of the project?
• Do the licensing requirements for the platform you are using conflict with the CC license that you wish to assign your work? (ex. When hosting materials in YouTube, YouTube’s license overwrites any license you attach to your materials.)
• How easy is it to get your content (including metadata) out of the platform you select? What format is your data exported in?
• If you graduate or leave UW, can you take your project with you?
• Are there restrictions on who can view the content of your project? If so, can your chosen platform support this?