Likeways

Tired of walking the same boring routes? Recognised worldwide (FastCo, Wired, The Atlantic, Citylab) as an innovative pedestrian navigation app that gives users control over route selection by recommending more pleasant alternative routes (compared to shortest path). Try Likeways and explore the city in ways you haven’t thought about, it’s not about when you get there, it’s how you get there.

The Likeways application offers a novel approach towards wayfinding to its users. Instead of suggesting the quickest (and often most boring) routes between a point A and B, Likeways generates exciting routes through interesting places instead, respecting the built environment and its venues. Interesting places, such as a cozy coffee shop or a neat art gallery, can be very close by (…like in a side road for instance!) but stay usually in the dark, as long as they are not on the shortest route. With the aim to support the pleasure of walking and exploration, Likeways offers an alternative to its users to discover such hidden gems, so that their paths rather than the destination becomes the reward!

Likeways defines interesting places by their presence on social media. The number of Facebook likes indicates public popularity of a venue, that influences the route generation: The more Likes a venue generates, the more the route gets pulled towards it, hence the more likely it is that the user will discover it!

How it works:

1. Select what you want to see on you walk: Swipe in the menu (red swipe-button at the right edge of the screen) and select the type of place you are interested in. Types include: 1. restaurants, 2. pubs, 3. shops, 4. museums and 5. art galleries. After selection, confirm and go back to the map.
2. Define where you want to go: Write your destination in the input box on the top end of the screen and confirm your choice.
3. Route generation begins (this can take up to 30 seconds, so chill…)
4. TATA! There you go! The map shows two route options - in grey the shortest route and in blue the Likeway, leading through areas with high density of interesting venues. These venues are marked as pin which can be switched on/off in the menu. (if there are too many venues please reduce your walking distance)
5. Enjoy the Walk!