College Connector is an intuitive digital wayfinding solution tailored for educational institutions.
Its primary goal is to provide users, ranging from students to parents, with a seamless experience in navigating school campuses and accessing vital information.
The software is designed to be easy to use, with a touch screen interface and a streamlined search function. It ensures people unfarimiiar wirth the campus can find their destinations effortlessly.
Designed with inclusivity in mind, this software accommodates the needs of people from diverse backgrounds and any degree of tech-savviness.
- Touch Screen Interface: Easy to use touch screen navigation, optimised for users aged 12 to 60.
- User-Friendly Design: Clear and intuitive design elements, including recognisable headers, zoom buttons, 'back' and 'home' icons.
- Interactive Map: A detailed map of the campus, with zoom in/out functionality, ensuring users can find their destinations effortlessly.
- Location Images: Images of each location are displayed on the map, providing users with a visual reference.
- Walk Time Estimates: Estimated walk times are displayed for each location, allowing users to plan their routes accordingly.
- Search Function: A streamlined search bar for quick location lookup. Non-viable search letters are grayed out to enhance user experience.
- Online Help & Documentation: Assistance is available at every step, from an inviting "Touch for Information" prompt to detailed installation guides and tutorials.
- Accessibility Features: Designed keeping in mind users with special needs, including those with color blindness, vision impairment, and language processing disorders.
- Advanced Pathfinding with A* Algorithm: The software employs the A* search algorithm to ensure users are provided with the shortest and most efficient route to their desired location.
One of the standout features of College Connector is its incorporation of the A* search algorithm for pathfinding. A* is renowned for its efficiency and accuracy in determining the shortest path from a starting point to a destination.
Here's how I've used it:
- Node-Based Map: Our digital map is based on nodes, representing walkways, locations and intersections on the campus.
- Heuristic Approach: The A* algorithm uses heuristics, which are estimates of the cost to reach the destination from a particular node. This includes weightings for hills and staircases and ensures that the search is always directed towards the most promising paths.
- Dynamic Pathfinding: As users search for destinations, the A* algorithm dynamically calculates the most efficient route, taking into account various factors like distance, obstacles, and predefined pathways.
This advanced pathfinding capability ensures that users can trust College Connector to guide them quickly and accurately to their desired locations.
- Starting Up: On the idle screen, you'll see a "Touch for Information" prompt. Tap to start.
- Navigation: Utilise the intuitive touch screen interface to navigate the map. You can zoom in/out using the provided buttons.
- Searching: Tap on the search bar to begin. You'll be prompted to "Select a letter to begin search...". As you type, letters that don't yield results will be grayed out to streamline your search.
- Accessing Help: Online help is available throughout the application. Look for the '?' icon or related prompts. For detailed guidance, refer to the packaged installation guide and tutorial.
- Returning Home: At any point, tap the 'home' icon to return to the main menu.
This software is tailored for:
- Students aged 12 to 19
- Parents aged 40 to 60
- School staff and visitors
- Individuals from diverse cultural, economic, and social backgrounds
If you encounter any issues or have suggestions to enhance this software, please reach out at [email protected].
College Connector - making school navigation simpler and more intuitive.