Building applications for Tysons Corner
Posted February 4th by Jay Crossler in iPhone, Maps, Media, Web
I’ve been asked to build a mobile strategy and prototype for the Tysons Corner area of Northern Virginia. One of the problems is that Tysons is (combined between Tysons I and Tysons II) one of the two largest malls in the country. Surrounding it is the intersection of four major roads, along with dozens of the top companies in the world. Traffic is killer, and one wrong turn adds up to an hour to your transit. Four new Metro stops on the Silver Line are being installed here, and the construction is further holding up traffic.
The thinking is that a better way to get information to users would be to build one or more information services that will assist – either iPhone/Droid apps, or tailored web sites. If you could have any piece of conceivable information, what would be most useful?
This would include both the Mall as well as the surrounding area and all of the new Metro stops. We’ll be building a proposal and prototype to help out the local government. What do you think we should have in/on it?
For the Mall:
- Map of parking area with updates on available parking spots.
- Means to mark your spot on the map and some way to trace your route back to your car.
- Layout of mall. You are here identification.
- Recommendations for non-busy times.
- Senior specials. Maybe special area for Seniors: exercise suggestions; food suggestion; matinee movie suggestions;
- Movie listings.
- Special sales or activities in mall stores. Coupons would be good. A way to hold your iPhone to a store scanner for them to read your coupon. Maybe a way to have your name and phone number on your phone be scanned in by stores or sales people for drawings like for a new car or whatever.
- Holiday or special activities or presentations.
- Food Court identification and other eating facilities. Ratings on cleanliness. “Eat This Not That” recommendations (maybe tie-in to app for that.) Vegan or Vegetarian suggestions.
- Restaurant reservation system.
- Restroom locations. Elevator or handicap identification.
- Mall-walker distance and route suggestions for exercise purposes.
- Search capability for items for sale with stores that have availability. For instance “shoes” or “fondue pot”
- Feedback capability to make suggestions to mall managers and/or stores.
For Tysons:
- Traffic patterns and route planning
- Augmented Reality of bus stops, traffic directions, points of interest
- Metro delays
- Metro and construction status, dollars spent, current plans, expected benefits
- Events in the area
- Highlight businesses to sponsor key companies in the area that are supporting
- Coupons or store bonuses for reporting suggestions or road improvements (light out, pot hole, graffiti, car accident, etc)
- Carpooling recommendations
I’d love more requirements or prioritization of what would be best to build! What would you find useful in the most congested/largest Mall area of the country?
Facebook Comments
February 6th, 2010
Jasen Jacobsen
A map would be a first start, with coupons that you show to the clerk at check out. New stores opening. Mobile app only specials.
James Diggans
I’d love alerts to changes in the ever-shifting “large construction stuff sitting in the middle of your lane” fun.
Sae Avellino
New sales item alerts with option to pre-order and pick up at the store for a discount or shipped to you at a specific rate.
General information, store hours, locations, etc.
Brian Doyle
1. Heat map of people traffic in mall – using motion sensors or existing surveillance camera.
2. From the malls business perspective – some kind of geocaching or rewards to move people to less ‘trafficed’ stored for increasing foot traffic to them to help increase sales
3. Events – Santa in front of Macys today, lego building at 2
4. A game with the rewards points ive earned from all the shopping today – go get a free smoothy at TCBY
5. Discounts based on current occupancy – especially places like starting movies at the theater – if its not full, tickets reduce, same goes for food court during non rush hours, etc…
Julia High
February 6th, 2010
1. Distinguish between less busy times for shopping and less busy times for traffic (4-6pm usually pretty empty in stores, but might take an hour to leave due to traffic). Alternate entrance if you know which stores you’re going to visit.
2. The “which mall should I visit” tool. Tell it what stuff you’re looking for, it recommends Tysons 1 or Tysons 2
3. Customer feedback tools for Yelp integration
4. Kids section with activities and store/food recommendations for people with toddlers
5. A scavenger hunt app to keep kids distracted while mom and dad runs errands
6. Price checker tool?
7. A curbside delivery app for the restaurants
8. Ability to notify you when people you’ve tagged as friends are also in the mall
Mike Subelsky
November 4th, 2010
Hey Jay, I stumbled onto your blog while reading a comment you left on John Graham’s blog! Would love to catch up some time, I’m living in Baltimore now. Email me at mike@subelsky.com…later man!