Boston Expedtion
Client Personal
Role Designer
Discipline Service Design, Research UX/UI Design
Boston Expedition is an anytime and everyday adventure. This smart phone application game, embarks the user, on a multi-faceted walk to interesting, beautiful, and historic sites all around one of the Americas oldest cities.
The Objective
To reveal Boston in a fun and interactive way. To provide navigational guidance without absolute direction. Exploit the human natural tendencies of competition and the allure of curiosity. Utilizing existing technology and photographic archives to provoke an opportunity for learning. Inspire users to explore on their own and get users to share information.
Website
In addition to the application there is also a website where you can view your achievements and rankings. The website and the application are similar. The major difference is that you can re-visit the places from home. Instead of finding and standing in the exact location to compare the then and now photos from street views you can do it by fading the old photos over the more current street view document through google maps.
Inspiration/Curiosity
While analyzing Boston I wanted to learn more about it’s history. I began by asking several questions. Has the shape of Boston been physically modified over time? Were there any important (must see) landmarks? Is there anything fun to do in the area? These questions were my inspiration, to better understand the user of my application, and to find ways to cater to their potential curiosities and make for a worthwhile experience.
Augmented Reality
Once you have successfully located a destination from the Beacon Expedition’s map, you are rewarded by being provided a window through time. The app presents one or more historical pictures of the site in which you are standing. You are encouraged to hold your phone up and attempt to align your present location to the area that the photograph was taken. Not all the historic images can easily be deciphered, but when they are it’s a gratifying experience. Want to know more about the images? Simply tap the information button for historical facts. Whether visiting the state house for the first time or learning something new about your favorite sites,there are many locations to be found, with documented images that showcases momentous occasions of Beacon Hill’s history.
Smart Phone Application
By leveraging technology and the connections it facilitates, the application I’m creating, provides an augmented reality of time and space allowing users to navigate streets as they appeared in the past and present.
Boston Expedition
Gives the user a unique perspective of old and new Boston. This non-traditional tour, is non-linear and can be started at any point within or in close proximity of the neighborhood. The goal is to find a chosen location
Revisit
There are endless expeditions to gone on. In order to recall facts and photos about a specific site that you have already visited, you can simply select the badge for that site in either the ‘badges case’ or on the map itself. The badges represent your achievements within each category and will permanently remain on your map as you continue to explore Boston. The badge remains on the map as a marking, to help track where you have been, and provide context for further exploration.
Personalize
Most expeditions are designed by other users. As a user, you have the opportunity to contribute to the expedition experience of others by developing your own expedition. Upload old photos, add information and make your own hint for the location.
Compass
The compass points you in the direction of your location. It changes color from a light blue to a bright red as you start to get warmer (closer) to your destination.
