The Carousels of New York City project will collect, analyze, and visualize data on 14 carousels across the city and include analysis on neighborhood demographic data. Data collection will include observational metadata gathered through Google Forms, demographic data sourced from NYC Open Data, and geospatial data visualized using ARCGIS StoryMaps. The project will use Google Drive for data storage and organization, following standardized file naming conventions. Final datasets will be publicly shared via WordPress and ARCGIS Living Atlas under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. Security and privacy concerns are minimal, as no personal or confidential data will be collected. Long-term data preservation will be maintained through Google Drive, with additional archival options considered for institutional repositories. The project will conclude in mid-May 2025, with periodic monitoring by the project lead (Kelly). Adherence to this plan will be monitored by data lead (Carla) and project lead (Kelly),

Overview

The first phase of the project serves to deploy a minimum viable product of the site. Over the Spring semester (roughly mid-February to early-May 2025), the team will launch the website on GitHub Pages containing two program pages and pages for each song within those programs. An About section will also be provided with a brief overview of the project, any necessary historical or cultural context, names of the contributors, and links to the WBENA site for any relevant information such as the instrument’s history (subject to approval from the ensemble).

The second phase of the project involves adding the rest of the programs and their songs into the already existing framework. The Project Lead will add the rest of the Program PDFs and songs to the framework, not including the context. This phase is intended to be completed by the end of May 2025.

The final phase of the project will include adding the rest of the context to the Song Pages. Only the Project Lead will be working on this phase of the project with 14 additional programs containing songs to research; however, the Ensemble does often keep most of the same repertoire from performance to performance. Given these factors, this phase will likely conclude by 2026.

The Project Lead will stay on to aid the Ensemble in running the site after these phases end. The Ensemble will also have full access to the site’s GitHub repository.

Below are the steps to Phase 1 of the project:

Ongoing Responsibilities

Throughout the development process, we will have weekly check-ins with our liaison Teryn, and we aim to meet with the Ensemble Board at least once per phase / month. We will defer to the Ensemble Board’s schedule as they are preparing for a show in April. We also have a standing agreement with the WBENA outlining expectations for both sides. In addition, the Ensemble will have full visibility into all documentation.

• Weekly syncs between team members on Thursday evenings.
• Weekly check-ins with Teryn, to be attended by the Project Lead and any other available/interested team members on Tuesday evenings before class.
• Team Meeting with outside advisors to consult on research approach, sources and history of women in bandura.

February to March 2025 – Song Research and Development Education Design

The first month of the project is dedicated to compiling notes for the two programs and approximately 20 songs, split amongst the two researchers. For programs, the researchers will record the name of the concert, its location(s), the date(s), any collaborators if applicable, the performers’ names, the song titles, any other notes, and the PDF file path. For songs, the researchers will record where available the title, composer, original year or period, language, location of origin, genre, themes, tempo, description, YouTube link, lyrics, and soloists. The researchers will also be free to record any other relevant or interesting information that they find for the song. The WBENA has generously offered to share their records available on Google Drive with the team which will be an invaluable source for research. The wireframes will be created, the group agreement will be shared and the team will seek approval from WBENA within this period.

February 24 – March 2

• Researchers begin research on the first thirteen songs from the Boston program provided by WBENA. Additionally, researchers will flag any information found on women’s bandura history.
• Frontend Developer gives a walkthrough of wireframing to the team.

March 3 – 9

• Frontend Engineer and team members who want to shadow/share work draft highest-priority wireframes (home, program, and song pages)
  • Deliver to WBENA for feedback
• Research on the first song set continues.
• Submit data management plan by 3/5.

March 10 – 16

• Researchers will switch songs assigned from the first round of research and do an additional round of research
• Frontend Developer drafts a walkthrough of Wax to go over with the team
  • share with Backend Developer for feedback and planning
• Team submits group outreach and social media plans by 3/12.

March 17 – 23

• Backend and Frontend Developers deliver Wax walkthroughs to the larger team.
• Frontend Developer and team members who want to shadow/contribute draft lower-priority wireframes (about pages and search page).
• Adapt wireframes for submission of Project website draft (basic landing page, about page; methods; social media) by 3/19.
• Choose a second program and assign individual songs to the researchers.

 

March 24 – 30

• Researchers will switch songs from the second program and do an additional round of research.
• Team finalizes logo design
• Social media specialist create outreach content and copy editor review it.

Late March to Early April 2025 – Backend Development

Towards the end of the Research step, the Backend Developer will begin assembling the CSV structure that will provide the data for the site. Towards the end of the Backend Development period, the Backend Developer will work with the Frontend Developer to confirm the information provided and needed for the user interface. The Developers will also generate and briefly deploy sample pages at this time to ensure that the csv is connected properly.

March 24 – 30

• Backend Developer assembles a rough draft of the program CSV and the song CSV from the existing research notes and presents them to the team for feedback / group code review.

March 31 – April 6

• Backend Developer to finish filling in the CSV’s with current research data and work with Frontend Developer on sample pages to ensure all necessary data is provided in the correct format.

April 7 – 13

• Deploy sample pages to test csv format. Make any necessary changes to csv.

Mid-March to April 2025 – Frontend Development and ongoing Development Education

As a part of research and development, in coordination with the WBENA, the Frontend Developer and Project Lead will produce wireframes for the WBENA liaison review. On receipt of the wireframe approvals, some tasks of the Frontend development will be initiated and run parallel to the Backend development, with use of placeholder data.

 

Towards the end of the Backend development step, the Frontend Developer will add higher-fidelity to the site UI/UX, with the Researchers aiding in finding images and other material for site content. The Frontend Developer will also collaborate with the Backend Developer to ensure that all the information required for this design is available to them. The Frontend Developer will then collaborate with the Content Editor to incorporate the content for the site. The Frontend Developer will work under a model of deploying often to production, to ensure that the site behaves as expected.

March 24-30

• Frontend Developer will ticket out work for implementing the draft version of the wireframes in GitHub.
• Frontend Developer will develop a workshop and/or written resource on use of GitHub, git, and version control
  • Share with Backend Developer for feedback and planning

March 31 – April 6

• Frontend Developer deliver GitHub/git/version control resource to the larger team
• Frontend Developer and team members who want to shadow/contribute can start picking up tickets that are not reliant on data from the backend
• Team will implement feedback from WBENA on wireframes
  • Deliver an updated draft to WBENA

April 7 – 13

• Frontend Developer and team members who want to shadow/contribute can begin working on tickets that involve dummy data from the preliminary CSV structure.
• Based on the work ticketed thus far, Frontend Developer will compile an ongoing, collaborative resource document for frontend coding concepts that may be useful for other team members.

April 14 – 20

• Development work continues, and team members will update the collaborative resources document
• Frontend Developer continues to create tickets that respond to updated wireframes and project requirements as-needed

April 21 – 27

• Researchers aid Frontend Developer in finding images for site content.
• Frontend Developer will consult with Researchers and Content Editor to incorporate higher-fidelity copy into the site and make adjustments

April 28 – May 4

• Team to conduct final testing and prep for project launch dress rehearsal.

April 2025 – Women’s Bandura History Research

At this time, the team will turn their attention to researching the history of Women playing Bandura to publish on its own page at the request of the WBENA. This time has been chosen since the WBENA will have finished their March concert series, and the team will have assembled the back-end for the song pages. This research will be inserted into its own static page featured in the About tab.

Mar 31 – April 6

• Researchers to interview WBENA representatives to collect information on the history of women playing the bandura.

April 7 – 13

• Researchers to continue with WBENA representatives interviews.
• Researchers draft history content..

April 14 – 20

• Researchers collate information with any history flagged from academic sources during the research phase.
• Copyeditors review and finalize history content.

April 21 – 27

• Frontend developer deploys the text in the relevant section of the About tab.
• Conduct final test runs.

 

May 2025 – Revisions, Testing, and Deployment

After the completion of Frontend Development, the team will take the WBENA through the MVP of the site and resolve any edits provided. Once the WBENA is comfortable that the outcome has stayed true to the approved wireframes and okayed any minor deviations, the team will test all pages and links locally before deploying the site and testing all pages and links publicly for bugs or errors.

April 29 – May 13

• Team gives WBENA walk through of site for final approval.
• Incorporate necessary edits recommended by WBENA and test run by May 5.
• Project launch dress rehearsal on May 6.
• Team incorporates feedback from rehearsal, makes necessary edits and retests.
• Public project launch at the GC Digital Showcase on May 13.

Work Plan/Management Timeline

Feb 4 – 18 (Phase 0)

• Pitch Proposal, assign roles, supervision/guidance (MB)

• Documentation and Research of Necessary Historical Content, Start Upcoming Group Blog Post(CM)

• Creating WordPress, Creating Links, Create Social Media Accounts (Reddit and BlueSky) (EN)

• Install Tableau or any software that will be used for data visualization, and look at samples of data visualization. (MW)

• Establish a form of group communication and a Google Drive.

• Discuss Gender Disparity and Professional Wrestling

• All members should provide any input before the revised proposal pitch due date. They should also add additional writing to the group blog post.

• Possible Zoom meet-up on Feb 18 to discuss anything essential and provide updates for upcoming Phase 1.

 

Feb 19 – Mar 4 (Phase 1)

• Data Extraction, Creating assignments on Airtable, Discussing and Provide Essential Interpretation of Data, Supervision/Guidance, Floater (MB)

• Provide Sample Data Visuals, Sort Through Data, Assist Front End (MW)

• Provide Sample Data Visuals, Start WordPress Web Design, Sort Through Data (EN)

• Research Any Additional Information, Documentation Crucial Information For Group (CM)

• All Members should keep posting their weekly group and solo blogs and should reach out for any concerns.

 

Mar 5 – 24 (Phase 1.5)

• Oversee All Progress of Current Roles, Provide Any Feedback, Update Timeline if necessary, Float (MB)

• Begin a Paper Outlining and Drafting for the Final Group Paper (CM)

• Create Data Visuals; Provide a summary of why you chose these visuals (EN)

• Create Data/Map Visuals; Provide a summary of why you chose these visuals (MW)

• We will vote on which Visuals to use moving to Phase 2

• Everyone should be thinking about what they want to include in the final paper and possibly start writing About Us page

 

Mar 25 – Apr 11 (Phase 2)

• Float, Supervise, and Begin Discussion of Outreach Implementation (MB)

• Writing Drafts/Documenting and Working with the Project Manager to Determine What Written Information Will Be Added to the Site (CM)

• Upload and Submit Final Data Visuals to Google Drive and Assist the Front End with Web Design(MW)

• Upload and Submit Final Data Visuals to Google Drive and Commence Implementing Web Design (EN)

• All members should check in from April 8 -11 to see if everything is in order, provide any concerns, request feedback, and ask or check if anything else needs to be done before moving on to Phase 3.

 

Apr 12 – 20

• Spring Break! Enjoy It!

• Do reach out to the group if anything

 

Apr 21 – May 5 (Phase 3)

• Supervise and Commence Outreach Implementation (MB)

• Begin Adding Visuals to the Website and Finalizing Web Design (EN)

• Write Up and Summarize What The Audience Should Be Thinking When Looking At The Data Visuals and Assist Front End (CW)

• Commence Outreach on Social Media and Establish a Presence; any documents/drafts and updated Docs should all be on Google Drive(CM)

• All members should start drafting and/or writing their portion for the final and solo papers.

• In addition to that, personal information should be included on the About Us page.

• Everything should be completed at this point on the weekend leading up to class on May 5.

 

May 6 – 18 (Phase X)

• Dress Rehearsal (May 6)

• Last Minute Fixes, Additions, and Project Polishing (May 7 -12)

• Showcase! (May 13)

• Finalize Project Reports and Submit individual papers (May 20)

 

Summary

The first couple of weeks consist of the proposal pitch and acquiring a group of participants. The project manager’s task during this stage is to pitch and assign roles to the new participants based on their strengths and the comfortability of each member. We will be using AirTable to delegate tasks and keep deadlines. No one is to be assigned a role or task requiring learning a new skill or software that may add additional time to this project. During this time, the new participants will provide any further input for the project that will be considered and documented if anything is to be added or altered. Lastly, the last step during the first couple of weeks is to establish a standard method of communication for contact and opening Google Drive that everyone in the project has access to and provide any information/documents that will be crucial to the project. 

The project manager will serve as a floater for the project. It will be necessary to assist all members when they require assistance and to lessen the workload. All members should refer to the Timeline for details and requirements for those dates and phases. The project manager can elaborate on any specific information and, at any time, is welcome to add or change any task they feel is cumbersome to their assigned role. The role of front end and back end have also decided to split the data visualizations and mapping creation, in which the project manager has extracted and provided two separate files of Excel data that will be available for both members to decide the data visuals they will create. Please remember that any due dates and assignments for the class are not listed in this Timeline. It is for group project management only, so we all know where we should be and if there is any work you will need to catch up on. Don’t hesitate to contact the group or project manager for any days you may miss. Please also refer to the Notes doc on Google Drive for any information. 

Lastly, for reference purposes, the initials in parenthesis refer to the name of team members and depict what each task/assignment is due in that phase.

 

PS: I have invited the professor to our AirTable. We are using AirTable, and although this Workplan has bi-tri weekly timelines, through AirTable, I am personally setting weekly tasks and deadlines to accommodate my team and their schedules as well.