{"id":46521,"date":"2011-09-16T08:14:03","date_gmt":"2011-09-16T12:14:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=46521"},"modified":"2023-06-27T13:15:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-27T17:15:10","slug":"campus-map-goes-mobile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2011\/09\/campus-map-goes-mobile\/","title":{"rendered":"Campus Map Goes Mobile"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"A<\/a>
A student uses the mobile map to find a building on campus. (Sean Flynn\/UConn Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You\u2019re in the middle of UConn\u2019s main campus in Storrs, unable to find your destination. If you\u2019re packing virtually any device that\u2019s internet-connected to a modern web browser \u2013 mobile phone, e-reader, laptop, or tablet \u2013 you now have access to UConn\u2019s comprehensive campus map.<\/p>\n

A recently launched beta version of a mobile map<\/a> for the Storrs campus offers on-the-spot assistance, saving time and reducing stress \u2013 especially at the start of a new school year.<\/p>\n

\u201cTwo weeks ago, thousands of new students arrived on campus,\u201d says Robert Chudzik, internet services manager. \u201cThese students are in the sweet spot of the prime demographic, 18-34 year-olds, for mobile smartphone users. We rolled out a mobile campus map in beta form, knowing we can improve upon it, because a) they\u2019ll need it, and b) the vast majority of incoming students have either a smartphone or a tablet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Based on information from peer institutions, Chudzik\u2019s team learned that mobile map usage spikes in the first weeks of each semester \u2013 and that these are initially the most popular of all campus websites. Since its Aug. 26 launch, more than 10,500 users have accessed the mobile map site.<\/p>\n

The University uses Google Maps for both its Storrs Campus desktop map and the mobile map. Just as on a desktop, the mobile map website offers search functionality and zoom control.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>
The QR code for the Storrs campus mobile map.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chudzik notes that the mobile map is a website that\u2019s optimized for mobile devices, not an \u2018app\u2019 that you download and install on your phone. \u201cEven technically savvy people may not be aware of this important distinction,\u201d he says. \u201cWe may create an app in the future. But then we\u2019d need to create a separate app for each of the major phone operating systems (Android, iPhone, and Blackberry), whereas now we have just one website.\u201d<\/p>\n

Using Google Maps as the underlying state-of-the-art technology for UConn\u2019s mobile website, web developer Joel Salisbury and web designer Christine Ballestrini customized an overlaying application with UConn-specific categories.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur team\u2019s work equals Google Maps with UConn value added,\u201d says Salisbury.<\/p>\n

Benefits include:<\/p>\n