Routes Reimagined: Research

Design a solution to your problem. Research and brainstorm possible solutions to the problem. Be creative and daring. Your first idea doesn’t have to be perfect.

Learn More

Challenge Champion Alison DeGraff Ollivierre describes her background and pathway to becoming an award-winning cartographer and certified GIS professional (GISP).

Helpful Resources

Explore these digital resources to learn more about the factors that can influence and guide the design of your product.

Understand the Problem

What are some problems that navigation apps could help address with the right criteria? 

The following resources represent a few of the many problems navigation apps could help address. Be creative and find a problem that matters to you. 

• Mental and physical well-being – Use these resources to learn more about how where you live and how you get to work or school affects your well-being.  
  • Living in a City 
  • Walking to Work (or School)

• Use this resource to learn about how the routes people take to get from place to place can have a surprising impact on childhood development. 
  • Transportation and Childhood Development
• Access to basic and essential services can be an important consideration in planning travel. Use this resource to learn about the challenge of finding a public restroom.
  • Access to Basic and Essential Services
• Use this resource to learn more about things to consider when planning travel in rural and suburban areas.  
  • Transportation and Navigation Beyond the City

Ways scientists and entrepreneurs are currently addressing the problem

What are the advantages and limitations of the navigation apps that are in the market now?

Use these links to learn about some current navigation apps, the information they provide, and the criteria they allow users to choose from.

• Top Free Navigation Apps, a list of the pros and cons of 20 free navigation and traffic apps.
• Blind Square, a navigation app designed for people with visual impairment.
• Just Ahead, a navigation app paired with an audio tour guide. 

What technologies are available to use in navigation apps?

• Many apps use GPS to help users navigate from place to place. Use this resource to learn more about how GPS works and to decide whether it would be a good option for your app.  
  • How GPS Works
• Some apps, such as Waze, incorporate crowdsourcing to find routes that meet travel criteria, such as finding the shortest or fastest route. Use this resource to learn more about crowdsourcing and to decide whether it would be a good option for your app.  
  • Crowdsourcing Navigation
• Use this resource to learn more about the importance of protecting privacy when building navigation apps. 
  • Geolocation Tracking and Privacy

Business Models

• Business Model Types

Math Resource

Use this resource to learn how to calculate distance, travel time, and estimated time of arrival using linear functions. 

• Modeling Travel with Linear Functions (click here for editable Word Doc version)

Think About It

 

After reading through the helpful resources, what ideas do you have for your solution?

What problem will you solve with your business solution?