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.