My PhD research focused on the role of serendipity in the research processes of historians: from those ‘a-ha!’ moments in the library stacks to coming across unexpected information online. Since completing my PhD in 2016, I have begun investigating different digital environments for navigating, exploring, and creating linked open data, and what affordances they have for serendipitous encounters with information.
This work began by user-testing digital tools, which has been an interest of mine since the early days of researching historian’s information behaviour. I have been working with the HuViz team to test this linked-data visualization tool for features aligned with serendipity. Together with Chelsea Miya at the University of Alberta, we have designed user-testing surveys and conducted one-on-one ‘speak aloud’ tests to understand how digital humanists interact with this tool.
Publications:
Martin, K., Lemak, A., Brown, S., Miya, C., and Elford-Smith, J. “HuViz: From Orlando to CWRC… and Beyond.” Digital Humanities 2018. Mexico City, June 26-29. Poster. REF.
Martin, K., Brown, S., Miya, C., and Murphy, S. “Walking the Walk: Exploring Linked Data with HuViz”. INKE 2019. Victoria BC. Jan 16.