The new Brock University Wayfinding app will provide instant guidance and feedback for those navigating the hallways of the University.Brock students and visitors have a new virtual tool to help them find their way around the University’s main campus.
An app to assist in campus navigation has been released to the Apple App Store and Google Play in time for the start of the Fall Term.
The Brock University Wayfinding app is part of the University’s larger digital signage strategy and uses the location settings on students’ smartphones to help them find classrooms, labs, services and food and drink locations across campus.
After months of development, David Cullum, Associate Vice-President, Information Technology Services, and his team are hopeful that the app will be useful to several key audiences.
“It enhances the first-year student experience as well as that of visitors and parents,” he said. “Also, some people are afraid to ask for directions and the app will help them feel more comfortable while finding their way.”
To provide live feedback for users, the app connects to wireless access points spread throughout University buildings. When users enter a classroom or other location in the search bar, or select one from a list, they will be guided in real time using arrows on a map and additional text commands to get them where they need to go.
Of particular interest to Cullum was navigating the Mackenzie Chown Complex, which spans across a large portion of the main campus.
“Once you learn how to navigate Mackenzie Chown, you can do the whole campus,” he said. “Thanks to the app, that’s now a really simple thing to do.”
With Phase 1 of the app complete, Cullum hopes that users will try out many of the features and offer feedback on what works well and what can be improved. The feedback will be incorporated to further enhance the user experience going forward.
In addition to the Brock University Wayfinding app, the University has previously launched Brock University, Brock Safety and Brock Sports apps — all available in the Apple App Store and Google Play. Questions and comments about any of the apps can be submitted in to the Brock apps website.
