Lost in a MapUnderstanding the Direction of Your Campus Map

Nick Catto@NickCattoNick@nucloud.com #TNT4

Nick CattoCo-founder and CIOnuCloud (nucloud.com)

Web DeveloperUniversity of South Carolina Upstate

Owner/Consultant/JanitorMrCatto.com

Ask Yourself This…

• Why are you doing this to yourself?• What are you trying to achieve?• Who are your audiences?

Map Empathy

“How can you help someone get to where they’re going without knowing where they’re coming from?”

-me

Get into Someone Else’s Shoes

• Prospective Student• Current Student• Alumni

Let Tell You a Story All About How

• My life got twisted upside down

End User – Prospective Student

• Will Smith

Will’s Story

• Lives in Philadelphia (born and raised)• Researching potential colleges• Narrowed results down to a handful of schools• Cannot visit each campus, must choose 2 or 3

finalists• Cost of travel (single mother)

Research Includes

• College Website• Social Media• College journals? (US News and Reports)• Family and Friends

College Website

• Branding• News and Events• Academic Information• Pictures• Maps

Driving Map

Interactive Map

Interactive Map

Interactive Map

• Used to attract interest to the campus• Help families control visitation costs• Drives the campus Visit

• USA Today advises students to take virtual campus tours to control campus visitation costs, which can easily top $3,000.

• http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/college/2008-08-13-control-costs-of-college-visits_N.htm

• “For students who can’t afford the trip, many universities are trying to bridge that gap electronically. Harvard College, Cornell University, the University of Chicago and many other top-tier universities offer virtual tours on their Web sites.”

• http://thechoice.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/08/11/summer-visits/

Mapping for Prospective Students

• Media Rich• Reflect the culture of campus• Don’t go overboard with information– Popular buildings, not every building

Beware too much information

Mapping for Prospective Students

• Measure interest using Google Analytics• Add “Request Campus Visit” Form Link • Include your map in Facebook and microsites

Congratulations

• Will enjoyed the environment of your campus as shown through your campus map and chose to visit the school

End User – Current Student

• Frodo Baggins

Frodo’s Story

• No university near the Shire• Junior at an out-of-state college• 100 Buildings on campus• Spends most of his time in his major’s

buildings• Needs to find the student store

So His Journey Begins

• Looks to Website for Map• Finds visitor’s guide map and PDF maps

PDF Map

• Typical Facilities Map• No visual landmarks• No way of seeing current location

PDF Map

Rule Number 1

“Don't carry around a campus map even though the O'Colly provided you with an excellent map in our last issue. Instead, download Oklahoma State's application on your smart phone. It will provide you with an interactive map that will guide you around as you wander through campus. If you don't have a smart phone, then learn where your classes are beforehand.”

http://www.ocolly.com/rules-of-freshman-survival-1.2550406#.Tn8-ftRYRc8

We’ve all been there: there is nothing quite as embarrassing or frustrating as getting lost and having to ask someone for directions or stop and take out a map when you’re new at school!

How Can We Help?

• By building a better map of course• Way-finding Map (Google, Bing, etc…) – Especially good for larger schools with

many roads– Provides walking, transit, and driving

directions to buildings– Built-in mobile functionality

Google Maps

http://www.google.com/mapmaker

Interactive Maps

• Design can be useful for directions while still appealing – Design elements should be unobtrusive – Make sure important buildings are marked– Building stops can provide images and addresses– Mobile integration depending on vendor

Tips

• Mobile maps should be accessible from all mobile platforms

• Design elements are unobtrusive• Building pictures, videos, and descriptions• Walking, transit, and driving directions• Building codes, addresses

Congratulations!

• Frodo found the student store with help from your mobile map.

Josten’s Return Center

End User – Campus Visitor

• Grandma

Grandma’s Story

• USC alumna• Wealthy actress, very self-reliant• Doesn’t “do computers”• Advancement has asked for a gift• Grandson is playing his first game• Flying in from California to visit campus

Finding the Stadium

• She plans on finding parking and stadium by using the USC map

• Must find it first• http://www.sc.edu

Too Many Roadblocks

• Map link should be easily visible on homepage• Operating the map should be intuitive• Road names, addresses, and landmarks should

be visible

Grandma Gets Lost

• Heads to campus early• Finds the wrong stadium• Slips and falls on muddy field• Has to ask for directions

No One Likes Asking for Directions

“Poor dirty grandma, look at what our web team has done to you… our school’s campus map stinks, but here is the stadium on Google Maps.”

Visitor Map

A visitor map should do two things1. Get the visitor to campus2. Help them find their way around campus

Multifaceted Approach

• Interactive Map• Google Maps• Ability to Print Directions• Mobile Friendly• Way-finding and Signage

Mobile Maps

• 35 percent of the adult population in this country owns a smartphone

• Make sure you have a mobile map

http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2011/Smartphones/Summary.aspx

Congratulations!

• Your bad map just cost the school a potential donation!

Tips and Tricks

Start a Committee

• Be a mean silo-crossing machine• Consider other departments’ involvement• Bring key players into the project

Start a Committee

• Keep members objective about map design• Create a project timeline• Allocate tasks to appropriate groups• Assign single point of contact for outside

agencies

Determine Map Style

• 2D – Usually least expensive– Ability to incorporate into Google Maps

• 3D– Highlight buildings, landmarks, and surroundings– Provide visual markers for viewers, not just street

numbers• Map Perspective

Map Design

• Vector– Information above all, easily labeled– Easy to make additions and changes

• Raster– Offers more detail– Many style options

• Hand-Rendered– Usually time-consuming development– More expensive– Hard to make changes

Map Resources

• Pictures speak louder than words• Use the best photography at your disposal• Emulate campus experience– Campus grounds– Building exteriors and interiors– Student Life

Map Resources

• Video has become an important component of the online experience

• Students interested in videos about student life

• Parents watch more content about academic programs

• “Using real student members of a campus community to serve as virtual tour guides is an impressive, effective, and genuine approach to recruitment.”

• http://www.nucloud.com/blog/5-more-design-ideas-interactive-virtual-campus-tour-stand-out/

Show Some Pride

• A beautiful map is a perfect wonderful framed gift for any current or past student. Schools can include order forms for their maps in their alumni gift donation packets.

• Thank you cards• External communications• Future planning

Test the Map

• Don’t set it and forget it

Test the Map

• Usability Testing• Check regularly with facilities for updates• Fine tune content based on analytic feedback

Thanks!

• Nick Catto• nick@nucloud.com• @nickcatto