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m social feedback on preferred routing, as
well as a way of promoting the creation
of applications on the open market
place through a developer’s challenge.
A demonstration web page was created
that simply communicated the concept
of allowing route choices depending on
specific preferences.
RIGHT
Boston Bikes® is a
simple and easy-touse app that helps
you locate the closest
Hubway docking
station
BELOW
Boston App
A developer challenge is a contest
where developers are offered prizes
for developing applications for the
web or phones based on specific
datasets and sometimes in response
to a specific challenge. Numerous
developer challenges have been held
in the past several years for the MBTA,
Hubway (Boston’s bike sharing system),
and Massachusetts Department of
Transportation (MassDOT). These
challenges have resulted in a wide variety
of fascinating and relevant tools, many
related to wayfinding. Now in summer
2014, there is a MassDOT and MBTAsponsored data challenge underway that
focuses on developing apps showcasing
MBTA’s late night service (https://www.
hackerleague.org/hackathons/the-latenight-t-data-challenge).
The Impact of Wayfinding
Tools on Public Spaces
What do modern wayfinding tools mean
for public spaces? In the past, a first time
visitor to a public space—such as a park
in an unfamiliar city—only had access to
printed maps, signage, and the directions
offered by strangers. Wayfinding tools
were supposed to work for all visitors,
were generally static/not updated, and
the information provided was selected
by a small set of already knowledgeable
persons. The visitor’s experience was
thus more structured and uniform—and
not necessarily successful. To explore
something different one literally had to
“go off the beaten path” or have anecdotal
information from a friend or relative who
had visited before.
Today, with access to modern tools like
smart phone applications, the experience
of a first time visitor to a park can be
very different. Visitors can now plan an
itinerary for themselves tailored to their
specific preferences. For example, they
can follow a path that takes them to all of
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