Piotr Kasprzyk
Digital Humanities Software Developer
I offer comprehensive help with building Digital Humanities projects.
I'm a software developer with over 10 years of commercial experience, combined with a background in Classical Philology.
This unique blend of technical expertise and humanities training allows me to understand the specialized needs of scholars in the humanities and to create software solutions that align with their goals. I have worked on a variety of projects, helping with data modelling, creating databases, and developing web applications facilitating data exploration and visualization.
Selected Digital Humanities Projects
Urus: Techniques and Reception of Prints in Central and Eastern Europe ×
An ongoing project exploring early printed books, which I am developing and coordinating as an employee of the Digital Competence Centre at the University of Warsaw.
This expansive project delves into the world of illustrations in early printed books, examining their cultural significance and intricate connections. It encompasses detailed descriptions of over 80,000 physical objects, mapping out the relationships among various entities involved, including authors, printers, and illustrators. Additionally, the project explores the objects depicted in these works — people, cities, animals, plants — and traces complex chains of inspiration that connect them.
Built upon a complex data model with over 100 interlinked database tables, this project offers a web application for both data entry and in-depth exploration. The application enables users to visualize and navigate through multiple layers of data, discovering patterns and connections within.
As the lead developer, I oversee the project’s technical execution, advise on data structure, guide the selection of appropriate technologies, and I manage the small dev team (3 people including myself). The project uses Django, PostgreSQL, and various JS components, including Leaflet and D3.js.
Digital Atlas of European Textile Heritage ×
An interactive atlas of textile and textile production tools I built as an employee of the Digital Competence Centre at the University of Warsaw.
This collaborative project, developed in partnership with the EuroWeb research network, was dedicated to gathering and showcasing data on textile samples and production tools collected by EuroWeb researchers. The project’s primary aim was to make the information accessible to a wider audience, serving as both an educational resource and a tool for popularizing the rich history and craftsmanship of textiles through a visually engaging platform.
I was both the technical lead, and the sole developer on this project - collaborating with the team of domain experts on designing the data structure, selecting of appropriate technologies and executing the vision. The project uses Django, PostgreSQL, and Leaflet.
Textiles and Seals Database×
Database of Bronze Age Aegean textile seals and textile-related iconography I took part in building and coordinated as an employee of the Digital Competence Centre at the University of Warsaw.
This collaborative project, developed in partnership with the EuroWeb research network, was dedicated to gathering and showcasing data on textile samples and production tools collected by EuroWeb researchers. The project’s primary aim was to make the information accessible to a wider audience, serving as both an educational resource and a tool for popularizing the rich history and craftsmanship of textiles through a visually engaging platform.
I was both the technical lead, and one of two developers on this project - working with the researcher on the data model, and implementing their vision. The project uses Django and PostgreSQL.
Other work experience
Beyond my work in Digital Humanities, I have honed my technical expertise through contracting with a range of companies. For details, take a look at my CV.
Get In Touch
If you're interested in my work or have a project in mind, feel free to reach out at pkasprzyk@talus.pl