Inspiration
One of our team members, Ryan, had an unfortunate living situation when moving into Rome from Buffalo. Since he did not have access to the community information that we would provide through Move Helper, Ryan was unable to prevent this situation and eventually moved out of the Rome area. We set out to build a product that would allow people to feel confident and informed when moving into a new area, such as Utica / Rome.
What it does
Move Helper will present the user with community specific data based on the address that they input. Our site will also present user with a checklist to keep track of tedious things to do when moving that they may have otherwise forgotten. In addition, our site features a geographical map to help users navigate their new neighborhood remotely. All things considered, our site is the one-stop-shop for all things needed once moving, including data otherwise available only through mining.
How I built it
We used HTML, CSS, and Bootstrap to develop the landing page and HTML, CSS, and ArcGIS Javascript API to develop the results page.
We used 4 datasets from DataCuse - Syracuse’s Data Portal: code violations, lead violations, water main break, and weekly crime to visualize to the users. We used MongoDB and Python to extract, transform, and load the data. Then, we used Javascript to call the data onto our website.
Challenges I ran into
The data used only latitude and longitude coordinates which are geocoding references that are not commonly inputted by the user. Therefore, we had to try to convert latitude/longitude coordinators to an address or convert an address to latitude/longitude. We were unable to implement an algorithm that converted the coordinates to a more commonly used geocoding reference.
Accomplishments that I'm proud of
Creating a functional product that actually does something, vs recreational coding activities, is eye-opening. Coming together as a group to pool knowledge, experiences, backgrounds, and ideas in a friendly environment can yield inspiring results.
What I learned
Coming together as a team to create a project of any kind, in any situation, regardless of timeline, is difficult to execute. The result, however, is a completed project that all members are proud of. This is my [Tyler] first hack-a-thon, or mass coding experience altogether, so getting a feel for a real-life coding environment is a tremendous opportunity I’m proud to have participated in. We learned that we should not hesitate when the next opportunity to participate in an event like this comes my way!
What's next for Move Helper Application
In the future, our team would implement data for Upstate NY cities beyond Syracuse, and eventually nationwide. While prioritize heavily populated areas, to reach the greatest amount of people with the least amount of work. Places like NYC, Chicago, LA, would all be on our radar. Other categorizes would become available as well, such as snowfall/plow rates, and brand new information such as the nearest gas station, local restaurants, grocery stores, etc. Common amenities one might not remember to be aware of while moving.
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