Case Studies
viaPlace is a software-as-a-service and location based framework which includes a Points of Interest Registry system.

Johns Hopkins University

Explore the campus with a virtual tour guide.

Campus Tour Template | View Case Study

Orderup Solutions

Look no further for that late night, study break snack.

Restaurant Commerce App | View Case Study

TAG: The Mobile Assassination Game

Don't just play the game, live the game. Experience a new generation of gaming.

Locale Based Game | View Case Study

Sonoma County

Navigate wine country one vineyard at a time.

Tourism Info App | View Case Study

B&O Railroad Museum

Reviving exhibits and boosting interactions.

Interactive Tours | View Case Study

Yamaha

Stay connected, wherever your adventure takes you.

Yamaha Info App | View Case Study

600block

Maximize your stay, and experience the best Baltimore has to offer.

Local Info App | View Case Study

UNLV Alumni Association

Not everything stays in Vegas, UNLV can now stay connected with their alumni.

Graduate News | View Case Study

Johns Hopkins

Explore the campus with a virtual tour guide

Johns Hopkins 1

The Problem

College campuses are constantly changing - from physical changes, like new buildings, to more frequent changes, like special operating hours or events. Hopkins needed a way to more readily disseminate information to students, staff, alumni, and campus visitors. Additionally, JHU's campus of more than 40 buildings has become difficult to navigate for new students and visitors alike.

The Solution

Using the viaPlace framework, and with the consulting services of viaPlace's partner company, Mindgrub, viaPlace created a campus application with local points of interest. Visitors to the Hopkins campus can take a pre-programmed tour or get turn-by-turn walking directions from any point to any other point on campus. The app includes additional functionality which pulls in data from the JHU website and allows users to get more information about the university, such as class schedules.

The Results

The custom iPhone app and corresponding mobile web version (for Android, Blackberry, et al.), has gotten great feedback from students and their families. At the time, Student Advisor, a Washington Post company, rated JHU number two nationwide for colleges with the best social media interactivity. In Fall 2011, JHU moved to the number one spot in Student Advisor's list. Additionally, the app has won a gold Communicator Award and the Baltimore Business Journal's Biz Buzz Award for best mobile app.

Orderup Solutions

Look no further for that late night, study break snack

Orderup Solutions

The Problem

OrderUp Solutions' web platform is a licensable product designed to allow college students across the nation to view local menus, order, and pay online. In order to keep up with the growing mobile trend among the college demographic, OrderUp wanted an app to provide to its licensees in an effort to reach more students and grow their bottom line.

The Solution

Using the viaPlace software, a fully skinnable mobile application was developed for OrderUp's licensees allowing their users to view menus, place orders and pay with a credit card to all participating restaurants in each individual market. Available for iPhone and Android devices, this app simplifies the search for food and helps local businesses advertise to a huge and eager client base.

The Results

OrderUp Solutions offers its mobile platform to schools in thirty markets nationwide, including Penn State, West Virginia University, and the University of Colorado. By adding the viaPlace framework to their product, more students are able to order food from their smartphone, benefiting the wallets of local businesses and students.

TAG: The Mobile Assassination Game

Don't just play the game, live the game

T.A.G.

The Problem

The future of gaming is mobile, and the future of mobile gaming is social. To create the next big thing in mobile gaming, viaPlace needed to appeal to the huge fanbase of first person shooters, while adding elements of augmented reality, real life gamification, and social media.

The Solution

TAG was developed using the viaPlace gamification engine, allowing first-person shooter experiences by leveraging augmented reality. Players must capture a picture of their target within the crosshairs of their mobile device's camera to eliminate opposing players from the game. viaPlace periodically checks and publishes player location to other participants to orchestrate a devious cat and mouse play style. Game play is ideal for corporate events and college orientations, or just playing with friends around town.

The Results

The game was presented and tested at the 2011 SXSW conference in Austin, Texas to a very eager crowd. Hundreds of games were played at the conference, and TAG eventually went on to win a 2012 Gold Addy Award for Interactive media.

Sonoma County

Navigate wine country one vineyard at a time

Sonoma County

The Problem

Sonoma County needed a way to effectively distribute information to mobile users to improve the quality of tourism. They also wanted to be able to promote events, specials and local businesses. The information needed to be timely, accurate, and able to direct people who were unfamiliar with the area to different locations.

The Solution

We compiled data on attractions such as vineyards, golf courses, spas, museums, and nightlife, then created the only app a Sonoma County tourist needs. With one click, users can find hundreds of events, specials, and places; create their own custom visit based on distance, or activity preference; and receive turn by turn directions to each location. After they enjoy their time, they can share their experience via the applications' social media integration.

The Results

The app received thousands of downloads and hundreds of positive reviews. Users have commented on the usability and practicality of the information, especially the listing of lesser known spots, and ability to receive directions. Tourists are also using the app to plan their weekends in advance, in addition to receiving information on the fly.

B&O Railroad Museum

Reviving exhibits and boosting interactions

B&O

The Problem

Opened in 1953, the B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore is one of the oldest train museums in the country. With centuries old artifacts on display, the B&O Museum wanted a way to improve the experience of visiting, and make exhibits more interactive for patrons, both young and old.

The Solution

viaPlace created a mobile application with an Augmented Reality gaming experience using historic content from B&O exhibits. The children's version of this product has the B&O mascot, Choo Choo Blue, read introductions, facts, and the historical significance of the exhibits users are studying. An adult version was also developed to appeal to older museum goers.

The Results

The B&O Museum now has a unique product they can market to set themselves apart from other museums in the area. With this interactive edge, the B&O Museum has found a new way to attract and engage visitors of all ages.

Yamaha

Stay connected, wherever your adventure takes you

Yamaha

The Problem

Boaters are always revving to go, but the very things that keep them on the go - their motors - need regular maintenance and care. Yamaha Outboards needed a way to help keep boaters connected with their dealers, so that they could find a dealer no matter where life or their Yamaha motor took them.

The Solution

Yamaha's network of over 2000 dealers nationwide was imported into viaPlace's online registry to feed their dealer locator iPhone app. Users can now search by dealer name, ZIP code or state. The application was extended to produce a way for users to track their time spent in engine break in, find answers to frequently asked questions, and access maintenance schedules associated with their Yamaha outboard motor.

The Results

Yamaha has gotten positive feedback from dealers and from its initial set of users. The app successfully launched at the Miami boat show in mid-February 2012 with hundreds of downloads on its first day and provided Yamaha outboard motor customers an extra sense of comfort and confidence when choosing a motor for their boats.

600block

Maximize your stay, and experience the best Baltimore has to offer

600Block

The Problem

600block had an existing web service to provide reviews, information, and specials for venues throughout Baltimore. They needed a way to make their data more accessible to mobile users.

The Solution

Using the viaPlace framework, we created an app to display 600block's existing data, with some additional functionality, on the go. Users are still able to search Baltimore's hot spots, read and write reviews, but the app also provides real time information and deals based on where the user is located within the city.

The Results

The 600block app has driven mobile users to local restaurants and entertainment venues, and has helped both tourists, and locals on the go find specials to pay less for better experiences across the city of Baltimore. The app also allows users to bookmark their favorite spots, and write reviews to guide others to hidden gems.

UNLV Alumni Association

Not everything stays in Vegas, UNLV can now stay connected with their alumni

600Block

The Problem

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas has an active alumni community engaging with their Alumni Association. They keep their graduates up-to-date with news and events, as well as able to stay connected with other alumni through their web-based portal. The Association also offers discounts and deals, and other benefits to alumni. All of these perks are great but keeping alumni informed on the go was a concern.

The Solution

Using the viaPlace framework, UNLV built iPhone and Android apps to show the deals, discounts, and benefits available through the Alumni Association to members while they are out on the town. Benefits are sorted by category and can be filtered based on the distance from the user's location. Additional features on the app allow alumni to view campus events and connect with classmates over social media.

The Results

TThe Alumni Association at UNLV is now able to better connect to their alumni, and inform them of the benefits of staying involved. Because of this they are seeing better conversion and greater retention of alumni participating in their programs.


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