The Pierce Map App

What is It?

 The Pierce Map App is an outgrowth of the Computer Science 559 class which I teach at Pierce, usually in the Fall semester. One of the constant problems I have observed at Pierce - since 1982 - is lost students in the first week of the semester. Even after students can find their classrooms reliably, there is confustion locating things like faculty offices, student services, and other Pierce facilities.

 The Pierce Map App is intended to solve this problem, helping students to get to the first meeting of their class on time, and to generally navigate around campus.

The Pierce Map App is an independent, not-for-profit effort, not an official Pierce College product or service.

How Do I Get It?

 Download it from the App Store! You will need an iPhone capable of running iOS 8.0 or later.

How Do I Use It?

 Click here for the How-To-Use web page.

Known Issues

 The map data used by Apple is maintained by TomTom rather than Apple. There are several inaccuracies regarding the Pierce campus roads. I have submitted the normal online requests to have the map updated.

In particular, please do not try to drive through the Student Services Building, even though the map shows a road running through it.

Is There A Version For Android?

 Not at this time. It may be implemented during the 2015-2016 academic year.

 Is There A Version For Windows Phones? Blackberry? WebOS?

 None is planned at this time.

 How Do I Complain About...?

 Comments regarding the app are welcome - email them to me at murphyjh@piercecollege.edu. Please see the Future Features list below before suggesting something new for the app.

Future Features

 The following ideas are being considered. This list is not really in any priority order.

• Add a Where Did I Park? function.
• Support larger screen size(6, 6 plus, iPads)
• Provide routing information around the construction zones
  • Provide routing guidance to Apple Watch
• Add locations of common facilities:
  • rest rooms
  • shuttle stops
  • Roundup bins
  • ...and so forth
• If a room can't be found, fix the problem of someone typing in their section number instead of their room number.
• If this is still a problem: If a room can't be found, determine if it would be in the Center For Sciences by adding a nine in front of it. (The CFS9 building seems to be confusing or overlooked by many students.)
• Handle room number input of instructional areas which are named rather than numbered, e.g. Equestrian area, Tennis courts, and so forth.
• Provide versions in the most common other languages used by Pierce students - Spanish and Farsi to start.
• Log in to the Student Information System and automatically find:
  • the classrooms for a student.
  • the nearest open classes.
  • the nearest open classes which satisfy the student's personal IGETC or transfer plan.
• Figure out the best way to handle off-campus classes.

Why Didn't You Just Use [some other map data]?

 As a consumer, you have several choices for mapping and routing data. Given the well-publicized limitations of Apple mapping, why was that chosen?

 The first reason is that Apple mapping is the easiest to integrate into the iPhone environment. But, and this will surprise some people, the competing mapping providers all have inconsistencies or inaccuracies within the bounds of Pierce College. Here are some examples:

• Google Maps lists the Sheriff's Station as "Pierce College - Learning Center". They also have the Equestrian Center located at the corner of Winnetka and Brahma Drive.
• Mapquest has the same road inconsistencies noted in "Issues" above. Additionally, Mapquest shows a hospital symbol on Stadium Way next to the Performing Arts Center.
• Bing Maps does not show any landmarks. It does have some different road inaccuracies from the other two.

 Why is this? Well, oversimplifying a whole lot, Pierce College is a public institution, but essentially maintains its own roads. Thus, when Pierce changes a road, it is not obligated to publicize that. By contrast, local road agencies have processes in place to update map information when a roadway is changed. (I believe the Census Bureau also provides this type of information as an offshoot of the decennial Tiger data set.)

 So...Apple Maps it is.

 How Do I Learn To Write Mobile Apps?

 Take Computer Science 559.

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