That investigations project summarised

To sum up the idea outlined in the previous post in more detail:

The project is a game platform to help journalists collaborate on investigations. The tool makes it easier for users to pursue investigations by:

  1. Providing project management functionality with template structures based on previous investigations, which users might also explore as a way of understanding a story
  2. Providing static and dynamic resources based on previous and new investigations
  3. Providing a pleasurable competitive experience based on game mechanics, using both negative and positive feedback mechanisms to incentivise progress
  4. Providing access to – and building – a network of other investigators

The platform builds on a number of qualities of investigative journalism in the internet age. Digital technology has made collaboration and research easier but competition for attention is higher. It builds on the experiences of the successful investigative journalism platform Help Me Investigate by separating the technology from editorial, facilitating network connections by focusing on a small number of investigation templates, and providing a platform for building on and connecting others? experiences.

At the same time the game retains Help Me Investigate?s successful modularisation of investigations into challenges and updates, adding a turn-based competitive system that draws from game mechanics.

Some very exciting partner organisations are already lined up from the UK and Europe – but I know from experience that the best way to make a project better is to allow others to find out about it and comment on it.

2 thoughts on “That investigations project summarised

  1. Paul Bradshaw

    Yes, no one has yet installed the code as far as I know. We had to take the original installation off when we released it as open source.

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