Phase 0

Roles:

Project Manager: Daeshawn Bullock

Research Lead: Aaron Alem 

Design Lead: Rylie Gentile

Prototyping Lead: Byron Richards

Evaluation Lead: Jeyi Lee 

Problem Identification:

The theme of our project is travel. This theme was chosen because we think there are ways to make traveling more fun for the specific individual. Currently, travel apps make suggestions towards users based on reviews left from everyone on that app. However, these apps are being ignorant to the fact that all people are different, such that not everyone has the same interests. In an effort to resolve this issue, we wanted to create a travel app which curates its content to the user based on their interests. 

Upon doing more research into current travel apps, we realize that many of them are limited to basic functions. We wanted to add aspects which we thought would be beneficial to the user that are not frequently seen, such as a journal component that allows the user to keep track of their experiences, so that they can reminisce on all the great adventures. We also wanted to include a map component that allows the user to see potential dangerous areas to ensure traveler safety. 

Client:

The client, Kevin Conley, is the Senior Director for Alumni and Parent Travel & Cavalier Travels.  Mr. Conley is in charge of UVA Cavalier Travels, which is a program that provides students chances to travel the world by pairing each student traveler with an experienced UVA faculty or alumni. Mr. Conley is familiar with organizing trips of various sizes ranging up to 25 members as well as various types of trips such as land-based landmark, museum, riverboat cruises, and rail journeys. 

Due to the wide range of experiences Mr. Conley had, Mr. Conley was deemed the most appropriate as a client who is able to offer insights from a traveler's perspective. Mr. Conley is considered a representative of the general public group called travelers because Mr. Conley is the go-to travel expert for UVA students.

 Currently, Mr. Conley has received an email with a request to serve as a client for StreetSmart. 

If no reply returns, then the backup client is Mary Musser, the Assistant Director for Cavalier Travels.

Client Contact Information:

 Kevin T. Conley

434-243-4984

866-765-2646

kevinconley@virginia.edu

cavaliertravels@virginia.edu

Concept Statement:

StreetSmart, a mobile-phone application, allows travelers to receive customized suggestions based on their current location and preferences. Upon downloading the application, travelers will be asked a series of questions to better understand their interests. People with similar responses to the survey will be grouped together as having similar interests, and these peoples reviews will have greater weight to other people with similar interest. Travel locations will be propagated on StreetSmart via destination-type databases and the reviews will be generated from the users ratings. StreetSmart connects you with local street vendors, performances, restaurants, and sites you just can’t miss! StreetSmart includes a virtual journal where one can also upload photos of their trip. Travelers can view nearby geo-fenced danger zones to ensure their safety and avoid risky areas. StreetSmart is a home for travelers; a trustworthy community that ensures all types of people can make the most of their unique trip. 

Technical Summary:

StreetSmart will be a mobile application built on the advancing technologies of location and GPS services, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The location and GPS services will allow the application to generate travel suggestions via destination-type databases based on the user's location. As mentioned, this will make connecting with local vendors, performances, restaurants, and sites that are nearby and of interest very simple with little to no effort required by the user. This high level GPS technology will also show nearby geo-fenced danger zones to ensure safety for the users. When traveling to new places, one might be ignorant to danger zones, so this app highlights to the user places determined to be dangerous by showing a red fenced off area on the virtual map.  This map will also be integrated with the journal component of the app, such that when users upload photos to their journal, they can actually view where the photo was taken by clicking the image, which display the location where the photo was taken on the map.

Artificial intelligence and machine learning will allow customized insights and suggestions based on the user's preferences. This works by first getting the user to complete a survey upon sign-up, which records their interests. The application will continue to learn more about the user and their interests over time, by tracking which places they have rated highly, allowing to get a better idea of what things the traveler likes. This app will also provide a setting which removes the personalized suggestions, since sometimes people like to get outside of their comfort zone and try things which they might not think they like. Furthermore, with these two technologies combined, documenting your journey and finding the best experiences nearby will be as easy and convenient as possible.

In addition to the personalized suggestions, the user will also be able to filter recommendations in order to only view a certain category of places or activities. For example, if they knew they were wanting to go to a restaurant, they could just click the restaurant filter such that only restaurants were recommended to them. When these places are displayed to the user, it will include the address, closing time, rating (out of 5 stars), and a see more button which shows all the reviews left by users. The user will be able to view these reviews in two different settings; one which only shows reviews from people similar to the user, and another which shows all reviews. 

Visual diagrams as to what StreetSmart will look like for the user can be seen in the phase 1 prototype.