Workshop proceeding - Labs for Labs: A participatory workshop on digital lab practices in the humanities and social sciences

Brief description

This half-day workshop was designed as a participant-led knowledge sharing platform for digitally-oriented labs in the humanities and social sciences. Individuals managing labs (e.g., directors and software engineers), those affiliated to labs (e.g., project coordinators, researchers, educators. etc.), those who make use of labs (teaching staff, researchers etc.), or who have an interest in developing a new digital lab or expanding existing ones, were welcome to participate. The workshop provided the opportunity to share experiences and learn from others on both the intellectual and operational function of labs, aiming to exchange good practices for successful and sustainable digital labs. Two existing labs of differing scales and levels of maturity led the facilitation of the workshop: The Plant (Playground and Laboratory for New Technologies) at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Maastricht University and King's Digital Lab (KDL), King's College London.

Format

Half day workshop, total: 4 hours

PART 1: Lightning papers: Sharing Knowledge, Wisdoms, and Practices 

• Lightning paper session (75 mins)
• 5-7 minutes per paper
• c.30 min discussion

Break 15 minutes

PART 2: Design Thinking Activity: Good Practices for Sustainable, Inclusive, and Collaborative labs 

• Brainstorming in small groups divided based on the above topics (60 mins):
• Break 15 minutes
• Convergence phase (60min)
• Round of Presentations of the findings per topic
• Drafting a Lab Manifesto

Closing remarks (15 mins)

List of presenters 

1. Maastricht University & King's Digital Lab - Workshop Introduction
2. Alexander Czmiel - TELOTA, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy
3. Leif Isaksen - Exeter DH Lab
4. Natalia Ermolaev - Centre for DH, Princeton
5. Sebastian Flick - Data Science Lab and Digital Humanities, Uni. of Bern
6. Fabian Cremer and Thorsten Wübbena - DH Lab, Institute of European History (IEG), Mainz
7. Michael Donnay - Digital Humanities Research Hub, School of Advanced Study, Uni. of London
8. Alison Langmead - Visual Media Workshop, Uni. of Pittsburgh