Enhancing Digital Heritage Archives Using Gamified Annotations

TL;DR: It is found that gamified annotations do affect the number and quality of annotations submitted, and successful implementation of a gamified annotation framework should go a long way to improve viewership, sharing, learning and debate around the content of heritage archives.

Abstract: Digital archives have focused on the collection of information and not on the collaborative capabilities digital heritage archives could have. In this study, we look at how we can add a collaborative element to an already existing digital heritage archive and incentivise users to engage with it more. Using gamifiedannotations, we show that gamification could play an important role in giving the participants an incentive to engage with the digital archive and guide them to contribute relevant content. We found that gamified annotations do affect the number and quality of annotations submitted. We believe successful implementation of a gamified annotation framework should go a long way to improve viewership, sharing, learning and debate around the content of heritage archives.