Websites are only one part of an organization’s digital infrastructure. Nonprofits also work with databases, spreadsheets, photographs, documents, research collections, mailing lists, project records and information held across several platforms. As this material accumulates, keeping it organized and making it useful can become a substantial undertaking.
Our Arts Incubator develops digital tools and systems for organizations that need to do more with their information. Our work includes data processing, custom web development, digital archives, content management, visualization, publishing systems and selected applications of artificial intelligence.
We work on practical technical assignments. That might mean cleaning and restructuring a dataset, building a WordPress plugin, creating a searchable online collection, developing a visualization or setting up a process that turns an approved collection of content into a static website.
Working with large collections of information
A collection of documents or web pages is not automatically a usable information resource. Material needs to be organized, processed and presented in a way that allows people to work with it.
We help organizations handle substantial collections of digital content, including text, code, images, documents and structured records. Projects can involve extracting information, removing duplication, standardizing formats, classifying material and preparing collections for analysis or publication.
We also develop automated processing and publishing workflows. In one area of our work, this has involved generating static archives from large collections of approved web content, with thousands of project pages produced through automated generation. Other work has involved processing millions of words of code and content and developing visual systems for examining relationships across large information collections.
The right approach depends on the material and what the organization wants to do with it. Sometimes a well-structured spreadsheet is sufficient. Sometimes the project calls for a database, a searchable archive or a custom application.
Custom tools, plugins and web applications
Off-the-shelf software does not always fit the way an organization works. We develop custom digital components when a specific requirement cannot be handled effectively by an existing platform.
This includes WordPress plugins, browser-based tools, interactive applications, custom data interfaces and connections between different information systems. We can work within an existing website or develop a separate application for a particular project.
Examples include tools for managing content, processing information, presenting data and supporting digital activities. We also work with interactive visualizations that allow users to examine connections between projects, topics, resources and other entities. These systems can make complicated collections easier to navigate and provide a useful starting point for further research.
Digital archives and online collections
Many organizations have years of material that deserves a more permanent and accessible home. This might include photographs, oral histories, exhibition records, publications, community stories, research outputs or documentation of funded projects.
We develop digital archives that organize this material into structured online collections. The work can include preparing files, establishing categories and metadata, creating publication templates, developing search and navigation features, and building the website or archive itself.
A digital archive can be designed for public access, internal organizational use or a combination of both. It can also be developed in stages, allowing an organization to begin with a manageable collection and add material over time.
Mapping, visualization and knowledge systems
Some information is easier to understand when relationships can be seen rather than read in a long report. Network graphs, timelines, geographic maps and other visual systems can show how people, projects, resources and ideas connect.
We develop data visualizations and mapping tools for research, community development and organizational projects. This can involve preparing the underlying information, deciding how relationships should be represented and building an interactive interface for viewing the results.
Our work includes three-dimensional network visualization and time-based representations of connected information. These approaches can help organizations examine patterns across large collections and see how projects, themes and relationships develop. The visualization is built around the available data and the questions the organization wants to investigate.
AI and automated workflows
We work with artificial intelligence where it has a defined role in a project. Possible applications include text processing, classification, information extraction, research assistance, speech generation and matching descriptions of needs or opportunities with relevant resources.
A useful workflow needs more than an AI model. It needs organized input, a clear task, appropriate review and a way to use the output. We can help develop that surrounding system, including data preparation, processing scripts, interfaces and human review steps.
Not every digital problem requires AI. We also build conventional software, improve databases, develop publishing systems and automate repetitive tasks using established programming methods. The technology is selected according to the work, not the other way around.
Digital publishing and static archives
For organizations with large collections of stories, articles, publications or project pages, the way content is delivered matters. A conventional dynamic website may not always be the best way to serve thousands of relatively stable pages.
We develop static publishing workflows that generate web pages from approved content. These systems can reduce the work required to publish large collections and provide fast, lightweight pages that can be hosted independently of a live content database.
The process can include content preparation, template development, automated page generation, sitemap creation and quality checks. We can also help organizations maintain the underlying publishing process so that new material can be added without rebuilding the system manually.
Projects and indicative pricing
| Project | Indicative contract value |
|---|---|
| Digital systems assessment | $750–$2,000 |
| Data cleaning and processing | $1,500–$5,000 |
| Database or information system | $3,500–$8,500 |
| Digital archive development | $2,500–$7,500 |
| Custom plugin or web application | $3,000–$10,000 |
| Data visualization and mapping | $3,000–$9,000 |
| AI workflow development | $2,500–$10,000 |
| Advanced technical development | $5,000–$12,000+ |
| Ongoing technical support | $150–$750/month |
Pricing depends on the size of the collection, the condition of the source material, technical requirements and the expected functionality of the finished system.
Technical work for organizations with practical needs
We work with nonprofits, charities, arts organizations, research initiatives and community projects. Some clients need a specific tool built. Others need help making sense of information they already hold or finding a better way to publish and maintain it.
We can work with an organization’s existing systems, develop a new component or take responsibility for a defined technical project from planning through delivery. Where a project needs ongoing maintenance, documentation or staff training, those requirements can be included in the contract.
Tell us what you are trying to organize, build or automate. artsincubator.ca can help define the technical work and develop a suitable approach.
