Pros-Eleusis is an ambitious project. Success depends on the close collaboration between three partners, who will contribute their particular strengths and competencies. The schedule is also fairly tight; the ecomuseum and the app must be ready in less than two years. It is, therefore, essential that there is a firm plan of action laid out, so each member of the team will know what is expected and when. There are many crucial issues that require our attention, many decisions to be made at an early stage, to ensure we will end up with a product that is both useful and appropriate for the requirements of its eventual users.
The project’s kick-off took place on September 3rd, 2018. Our ambition is to enable residents and visitors to discover the town of Eleusis in a fundamentally new and exciting way. So it made perfect sense to select a unique venue for our very first meeting. “Rakoun”, a tsipouradiko across from the sanctuary of Demeter, provided us with everything we needed: tables, chairs, electronic equipment, lots of light, spectacular views of the archaeological site, and tasty delicacies, when everyone was just too hungry to even think straight.
Each partner (Athena, CITE, Mentor) made a concise presentation of the deliverables, timetable, milestones, and methodologies. We reviewed the concept of the ecomuseum and good practices we may be able to emulate. There was a vigorous debate on the role of the residents of Eleusis in the project. Their active involvement is crucial for the success of Pros-Eleusis, so we agreed to pursue a close and honest collaboration with local heritage groups, unions, and associations. At this early stage, it is also important to determine the best methodology for collecting information and material on the project’s three major themes: the labour movement, internal migration, environment and industrialization. A questionnaire was recently sent out in an effort to collect some basic information about the potential users of the application.
A good part of the meeting was dedicated to the development of the software for the app. We considered the characteristics of our target audience, as well as the possibility of including video, audio, and images to the final product. We established the importance of accessibility for people with mobility limitations or other disabilities. We also deliberated on the best way to incorporate local businesses in the app, since one of our major goals is the invigoration of the local economy. Additionally, we discussed various options regarding the future use of the app in other cities, and issues pertaining to copyright and GDPR.
The inaugural meeting concluded with a note of creativity. Our graphic designer presented us with a series of logos for Pros-Eleusis, and we were called upon to each cast a vote for the logo we preferred. The purple winner has been in use for some time now, and we hope that you approve of our selection.
