Indoor Mapping - The Local Grocery Store

Today's Indoor Mapping challenge - The Local Grocery Store

While chatting with a friend about The SharePoint Mapper he said "You know what I hate, not being able to find stuff in the grocery store...you should make an app that does that."  

I said great idea, as a matter of fact I think I can map a grocery store (or multiple stores) with the SharePoint Mapper right out of the box.  So I made that my mapping challenge of the day.

Warning:  I am graphically challenged...

Step 1 was to create a custom map that resembled the local grocery.  For me this is the hardest and most time consuming part.  I spent about 2 hours trying to make something that people could interpret as a grocery store interior.

Step 2 was to cut my map in to tiles.

Step 3 was to map the areas within the stores and add some context (name and description).

Total time spent:  ~3.5 hours

Wallah...

  

Indoor map of the local grocery store on The SharePoint Mapper.

Remember the above warning, but you should also know that everything on the page can be styled with css and jquery.  In fact, the form in the image can be entirely replaced with injected html via capturing a javascript event.

Feel free to leave you idea for a mapping challenge in the comments section below. 

Free Beer!!! Ok, not really...Free SharePoint Mapper Account!

The free trial offer has ended.  Thank you everyone.

So I can't actually give everyone free beer, sorry, but I can give you the next best thing:
A free trail account to use the Pdoc Tech SharePoint Mapper using Bing Maps!!!  I know you are excited now!

The Mapper is in Beta, somewhat ready to use and still ready for some more refinement.  So I want to give everyone a chance to play on the hosted version and see how easy it is to build great Bing Maps that are hosted in the SharePoint Mapper.

How to get your free Mapper trial:

1. Either go to http://www.pdoctech.com/mapper and follow the links to subscribe or send me an email support@pdoctech.com.

Pretty simple.

Gratuitous image Pdoc Tech Bing Maps SharePoint Mapper.

Now remember, this is a free trial of a product in beta.  Feedback is encouraged, ask for help or guidance if you would like to try something or would like to know about extending the Mapper to accommodate custom functionality.

This offer is valid until it is no longer valid.

Live Demonstrations of the SharePoint Bing Mapper!

I have opened up a site with two live demonstrations available.

It is available for a limited time at: PdocTech.com.  Please drop in and take a test drive.



Demonstration #1: The Ranch

 

Demonstration #2:  Adventure Works Headquarters

Please leave feedback on this post.

New Demo: Self Storage Management on the SharePoint Bing Mapper System

This is a brief webcast to highlight a few features of the SharePoint Bing Mapper System.  The scenario created for this webcast is a self storage company with multiple location.  The demo shows the map of the locations, selects a specific unit from the map, a custom form is opened from the map and the users fills out and submits the form.

As always, thanks for viewing.

Trade Show Management on the Mapper

Trade Show Mapping on the SharePoint Bing Mapper

This webcast demonstrates an application added of the SharePoint Bing Mapper platform.  In this scenario I will demonstrate reserving spaces for a trade show on the mapper.

To keep the video moving I have omitted some detail as well as repetitive actions like switching users.

Points to remember:

1. Registering trade show participants is only a small part of what can be accomplished with this tool.  The map and data created can also be used for payment tracking, setup instructions for facilities and as a public map for attendees to navigate around the grounds.
2.  It is completely extensible.  The base configuration can be added to or taken away from.  If there are additional data points that need to be collected it is a simple matter of configuration.  In the event that a new feature is required but isn't available through configuration (such as data transfer to an external system) custom code can be added with minimal effort.
3. It is easily styled.  I know, shame on me for not taking the time to do some extra UI customization, but I only have so much time.  The application can be customized through the use of CSS and JQuery giving complete control over the look and feel.

Thanks for viewing!

Personnel Directory on Bing Maps

Personnel Directory on Bing Maps

In this webcast a directory of personnel working in a corporate headquarter is demonstrated.

The scenario is a single building with 3 levels being used by Adventure Works for their corporate headquarters.  They have decided to implement the SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System on their internal corporate portal.  

Although the mapper can be used to map multiple locations and map items, in this scenario it will be used to map employees within the Adventure Works headquarters building.  

The video gives an end user perspective of employee locations.  Though the video shows what The Mapper looks like in action it doesn't cover possible uses for the information.

1. Human Resources can use The Mapper to manage employee locations.  
1. The task of assigning cubes and desks can be managed and tracked from a central location.  
2. When employees are assigned or moved, updates to locations can be tracked through workflow to ensure location information is kept current and that all concerned parties (human resources, managers, facilities, etc) have access to it. 
2. Reception - Using The Mapper, guests or other employees can quickly locate or be given directions to employee location or to meeting rooms.
3. Security - In the event of an emergency, locating an assigned area become a quick and simple task, no longer relying on a key person to be able to give directions.

I hope you enjoyed the demonstration.  I have a couple of upcoming posts I will be putting up when I find the time.  I plan on doing a blog dedicated to the 101 Top Uses for The Mapper and another blog demonstrating using the blogger for a trade show registration.

Thanks Again!

SharePoint Bing Mapper Webcast!

SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System Demonstration Webcast

I've created a webcast to demonstrate the Mapper.  The webcast show the Mapper in action.  Three demos are included in the video.  The first is a corporate campus with building interiors mapped.  It shows a sample of directory components that can be used to navigate around a map.

The second demo shows and event center and how the SharePoint Bing Mapper can be utilized in that scenario.

The last demo shows a university campus mapped on the system.

Upcoming demonstration will include mobile solutions for the SharePoint Bing Mapper and a scenario using it for convention center reservations.  The convention center solution will demonstrate how it can be used for reserving and assigning booth spaces, setup by the facilities workers and as a public facing page for a directory of vendors and their locations.

Building Information Management vs. Building Information Modeling

Building Information Management vs. Building Information Modeling?

Personnel location information on the 
SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System.

Recently I’ve embarked on creating this blog largely to discuss my latest project, the SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System (“The Mapper” as I will refer to it in this post).  I want to be able to share my ideas on the concept of placing organizational information on a Bing Map.  Exploring the ideas behind The Mapper has led to some interesting quandaries.

 My big question is how to classify this application.  I have done a lot of research lately at looking in to the field of managing information around campuses, buildings, locations in general.  I keep finding myself looking the concept of building information modeling.  Building information modeling is an all-encompassing science that models in an architectural context of a building or buildings.  Different versions of BIM(odeling) include everything from the beginning of a project to cost and time information to full lifecycle and demolition planning.

That’s great, but how is that going to help the person sitting in the lobby of an office building filled with 1,000 workers?

How will it help the I.T. personnel charged with tracking equipment throughout the organization?

How will it help a HR person in locating a person in a building they’ve never seen before or to assign and track who sits at what desk, cubicle or office?

What about flexible spacing such as at trade shows?  Is  BIM(odeling) the answer to RAD style applications for managing those types of spaces?

This brings us to The Mapper and the concept of Building Information Management.  Might I be splitting hairs with the naming? Sure.  The concept I have worked through and created The Mapper to address is the stuff where we get down to usability type information.  This type of information is what an end user would consume.  This type of information relies on BIM(odeling) for accurate physical details (floor plans, site layouts, etc.) but is intended to convey business centric information coupled with building detail visualized on a web enabled map (in this case Bing Maps).

 Floor plan of the CSU Administration building on the SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System.

BIM(anagement) is intended to be more service oriented, to provide answers to general users and to allow easy management of information related to people and items in relation to location.  The platform is designed to be extensible, making RAD development possible for information to be visualized on a map.

Envision this scenario:  An operator of a complex that hosts multiple conventions each year would like to automate the registration process for each convention.  By combining BIM(odeling) with a layout of the convention and making it available through a web browser the process can be streamlined.  The host can place booth availability, size, location and cost information on the map.  A registration form can be provided directly over the space on map, once the space is reserved it can be instantly marked as taken and provide the name of the occupant.  Using this same information, the show layout can be displayed on a public site as a directory for those attending the show.  The same information can also be used by maintenance crews for setup and teardown.  This is Building Information Management, the combining of the model with business scenarios.

And since this is The SharePoint Mapper, a more SharePoint centric example:  SharePoint, for those who have not been initiated, by default contains people information and a search based profile tool.  When combined with The Mapper, you can retrieve a list of people with a link that can display where the persons assigned office/desk is located.  Okay, that is not a big deal if everyone in the company is sitting in the same building, however in a large organization with many campuses and many buildings it is a nice tool to have.  In this way The Mapper goes beyond BIM(odeling), combining multiple campuses to provide a map based contextual setting easily shared across an organization.

Geez, there you have it, my concept of Building Information Management…Perhaps it should be Organization Location Management…

SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System Video Demo

SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System

I have created two quick demos to give an idea of some of the basic functions of the system.

This first video demonstrates navigating around the map using the breadcrumb control and dragging the map. It also demonstrates how detailed information about an area can be provided in a popup.

This video demonstrates how navigation can be tied to a table control.  

These two demos give a small insight to how the system can present an end user with information on a Bing Map.  In the future I will put together a more comprehensive webcast about the Mapper.

Introducing SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System

SharePoint Bing Mapper Directory System

Personnel directory information
 visualized on a Bing Map.

Okay, the application name might need to be re-worked.  It is however a tough nut to put a name on.

It performs the following:

• Building Information Modeling
• Personnel Location Tracking
• Asset Location Tracking
• Interior Route Management (in development)
• Directory Service for People
• Directory Service for Buildings
• Directory Service for Assets and Equipment (locate the printer with all the features you need or the conference room with that certain projector).
• Facilities Management

To sum it up it is an Enhanced Bing Maps Enterprise Application.  

A big bonus?  Once the application is installed and configured almost no developer interaction is required.  Now that doesn't mean you can't have developer interaction.  The application allows for advanced styling (css and jQuery) and extension.  Tying map objects to additional pages or even integrating with outside applications via web services are both easily achievable.

In upcoming additions to this blog I intend to create demonstrations for a few of the applications described above...for now, I will leave you with a few screenshots.  

An office interior with personnel and office equipment combined on the map.
The popup is easily configured to show information specific to the map object,
in this case a printer has been clicked and the printer features are shown.

The Larimer County Fairgrounds building interiors mapped.
Notice the slide down menus provide a directory of rooms
by category.

A conference room has been select, centering the map over the
room.  The room has been clicked, opening a popup describing
the room and the rates to rent it.

So how to name something with such broad capabilities?  That is my quandary...feel free to ponder with me in the comments section.