Cloud-Based Approach to Data Collection and Project Management for Architectural Conservation

A comprehensive digital inventory of architectural conservation project data does not yet exist; however, the accumulation and management of such data - and its virtual, intelligent analysis thereafter - is possible. The first and most essential step toward making it so must be taken by those interacting with the architectural heritage; it must be taken by all professionals who are responsible for the development and protection of new and historic built environments. This thesis will present a cloud-based approach to data collection and project management for architectural conservation that is designed to help working professionals take the first step, simultaneously laying the groundwork for the gradual process of collecting and managing project information for the purpose of establishing an international digital inventory of architectural heritage information. The ultimate goal of this thesis is to demonstrate how integrated analytical, cloud-based and crowd-sourced concepts derived from information technology within all levels of architectural conservation work can help us better understand the accumulated world in which we live, and ensure that accurate, consistent records and references to the heritage conservation work we do today are preserved and made widely accessible for future generations.