After an in-depth discovery process working closely with RIJS leadership and Harvard University developers, ADK architected the redesigned user experience and built the application. Technologies employed in the development of the JDA web application include Solr (for search), Leaflet (for mapping/GIS), Drupal (for content), and custom JavaScript visualization tools. The result, jdarchive.org, is a multilingual, responsive, user-friendly web app that enables researchers worldwide to better study Japan’s 2011 disasters and develop new research-backed approaches to disaster preparedness and response efforts.
Harvard University
Enabling multimedia research on disasters with Harvard
Designing, building, & growing the Japan Disasters Archive.
Industry
Higher Education
Services
Technology Architecture
UX / UI Design
Web Development
CMS Integration
UX / UI Design
Web Development
CMS Integration
Technology
Drupal
VueJS
Solr
Leaflet
VueJS
Solr
Leaflet
The Objective
When the Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies (RIJS) at Harvard University sought to redesign a multimedia digital archiving and research platform that houses over 1.5 million pieces of media, they called on the team at ADK. The Japan Disasters Archive (jdarchive.org) houses media and data collections relating to Japan’s 2011 Earthquake, Tsunami, and subsequent nuclear meltdown. Frustrated by the previous platform which was unstable, difficult to update, and challenging for users to navigate, they sought to rebuild the technology from the ground up. RIJS was looking to create a platform that would allow for easy-in house management and also allow site visitors to easily search the archive, contribute new content, and create curated collections.
The Japan Disasters Archive houses media and data collections relating to Japan’s 2011 Earthquake, Tsunami, and subsequent nuclear meltdown.
1.5 million
Houses over 1.5 million pieces of media
2011
In 2011, Japan experienced Earthquake, Tsunami, and subsequent nuclear meltdown
The Solution
Japan Disasters Digital Archive is a multilingual, responsive, user-friendly web app that enables researchers worldwide to better study Japan’s 2011 disasters and develop new research-backed approaches to disaster preparedness and response efforts.
WHY ADK?
This project required a development team that was capable of integrating many different technologies in a seamless and scalable way. From the development of a custom JavaScript Bookmarklet to a highly advanced database search feature, ADK’s diverse front-end and back-end development skillsets allowed us to successfully accomplish RIJS’s goals for the redesign.