How can West Chester University students maximize efficient use of their time through the usage of digital application that tracks navigational patterns of foot traffic on campus?
What West Chester Waits sets out to do:
“West Chester Waits” is a digital application project that uses open source contributions to map foot traffic on campus for the goal of tracking wait times for lines. Lines around campus to grab something simple, like coffee, can carve out crucial time in student’s day. This application gives students (as well as staff and local residents) a resource to see which location on campus has the shortest lines when they are in a crunch for time. It will include the 6 eateries in Sykes, such as Chick-Fila-A and Eco-grounds, The Main Dining Hall, Einstein’s, Juiced Up, Starbucks, and Saxby’s. Users will contribute by sharing their location with the app, using the stop watch on the app to track their wait time and commenting.
The app works based on rewards for participation, through point tracking. When users agree to share their location with the app, they will be able to see what locations on the map have the most foot traffic. When the users utilize the time tracker, it will unlock the estimations for wait times around the campus on the map. When a user leaves a comment such as “the Starbucks oven is broken”, it will grant them access to other peers’ comments. Finally, if a user shares the app with their friends it will unlock new themes to customize the app and create an avatar. The settings are refreshed bi-weekly, so users have to contribute twice a month in order to access the data. These practices encourages participation and eliminates the “free rider” problem.
Context:
Applications such as Waze, provide information to its users to avoid traffic, and allows it users to comment to share things like if there is an object on the road. Ultimately, we are trying to do something similar. Much like rush hour in Waze, there are prime times to eat around campus. This data would allow students to better plan their day and efficiently use their time.
