Heritage Explorer: AI-Enhanced Genealogy Platform

Open
Viking Roots
Gimli, Manitoba, Canada
Diana Bristow,  CIM® FCSI®
Entrepeneur
3
Project
Academic experience or paid work
120 hours of work total
Student
Anywhere
Advanced level

Project scope

Categories
Product management UI design UX design Software development Artificial intelligence
Skills
aesthetic design facial recognition codebase control systems conversational ai authentications user interface (ui) timelines html generation laravel
Details

To have a team of at least 2-3 people work together to develop a dynamic, AI-powered genealogy platform where users can upload and tag family photos, interact with conversational story prompts, and build visually rich timelines. Photos appear in a vintage-style viewer, while smart prompts and data appear beside them—creating an elegant, interactive way to preserve and grow family histories.

Deliverables

1. Front-End Developer

Build the interface for displaying photos and collecting user input, inspired by Typeform and Apple Photos.

Skills:

HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React, Vue, Laravel, Tailwind, UI, UX, Accessibility, Figma, Git

Estimated Hours: 80–100


2. AI & Data Developer

Create the tagging system, generate smart prompts from tagged data, and help construct backend structures for story-building and timelines.

Skills:

Python, Laravel, SQL, APIs, GPT, AI, NLP, Metadata, Prompting, Git, JSON

Estimated Hours: 100–120


(Optional) 3. Security/Privacy Developer

Implement secure user authentication, photo permission layers, and custom terms-of-use logic.

Skills:

Security, Privacy, Laravel, Auth, Tokens, Firebase, Encryption, Consent, Git

Estimated Hours: 60–80

(optional) 4. 3. Marketing/CRM

Implement a CRM system to integrate with the website.

Skills:

Security, Privacy, Laravel, Auth, Tokens, Firebase, Encryption, Consent, Git

Estimated Hours: 60–80


(Optional) 4. CRM & Contributor Experience Intern

Set up a lightweight CRM to manage user data, track contributor input, and support future community engagement, including form submissions and family tagging workflows.

Skills:

CRM, Airtable, HubSpot, Zapier, Google Workspace, Forms, Data Entry, Automation

Estimated Hours: 40–60


(Optional) 5. Social Media Marketing Intern

Develop and schedule marketing posts, reels, and story content for Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to promote the project, feature family stories, and drive traffic to the platform.

Skills:

Social, Instagram, Canva, Meta, Content, Scheduling, Hashtags, Writing, Engagement

Estimated Hours: 40–60




📦 Outcomes & Deliverables:

  • Photo Viewer + Tagging Interface
  • Elegant UI to upload, tag, and explore family photos
  • Conversational Prompt System
  • Smart panel displays facts, asks questions, and builds stories
  • Timeline Generation Feature
  • Creates visual life events and family trees
  • Email-Driven Tagging + Invitations
  • Tag users by email and invite them to join securely
  • Privacy Controls & Permissions
  • Users control who sees what and consent to global story use
  • Contributor Consent Logic
  • Clear terms allowing photos to be used for books, social media, and digital museum—with opt-out options
  • CRM for Contributor Tracking (optional)
  • Social Media Campaign Plan + Sample Posts (optional)
  • Clean Codebase & Documentation
  • With setup notes, future ideas, and feedback summary
  • Final Walkthrough or Demo
  • Showcase all core functions and visual progress


Mentorship
Tools and/or resources

Providing access to necessary tools, software, and resources required for project completion.

Regular meetings

Scheduled check-ins to discuss progress, address challenges, and provide feedback.

Supported causes

The global challenges this project addresses, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Learn more about all 17 SDGs here.

Partnerships for the goals

About the Community Partner

Community Partner
Gimli, Manitoba, Canada
0 - 1 employees
Non-profit, philanthropic & civil society
Representation
Women-Owned Disabled-Owned Community-Focused

🏛️ About Us – Bristow Community Foundation
Bristow Community Foundation is a Canadian nonprofit dedicated to preserving and celebrating community heritage through innovative, inclusive digital experiences.

Our flagship initiative, Viking Roots, builds on the legacy of the original Gimli Saga book—a community-published genealogical collection from Gimli, Manitoba. We are reimagining it for the next generation through a dynamic, AI-powered platform that allows families to tag photos, share stories, and build interactive timelines.

The platform empowers users to contribute their own family histories while maintaining control over privacy and data-sharing. Our goal is to create a living, multilingual archive that honors the past, connects the present, and inspires the future—for Icelandic Canadians and communities around the world.