Finding your way in a big and growing city like Amman can be challenging for both residents and visitors, using basic city services is limited knowledge to some residents and needs some effort to get around basic needs;
At the moment there is a huge effort to change this, but what it lacks is perspective, as most of the current initiatives being developed are built on assumptions rather than practicality to the end user.
Amman link, as the name suggests, offers a platform that links various pieces of information regarding the living city with one another. It gives link to the users to local city services and information that makes life a little bit easier.
Amman link is an online database that utilizes the use of Google tools and API’s which help users locate and make use of city services available to them. It is built using SQL and developed in a simple eco-friendly platform that allows users to benefit from its features regardless of platform used.
The system can be developed into an app, although that will limit its availability to all users, as some of the target segment might still be using Symbian based mobile devices, their access could get compromised if the system is focused on app platforms.
Keeping in mind that this system is built to help people, in its core, that is its purpose. When it was built it had the following target segments in mind; pensioners who are going through the bureaucracy of following their paperwork across Amman, people seeking medical and social assistance, students looking to get to their schools and universities, unemployed people looking to get to job interviews, people trying to get to work, city-scaled e-commerce that allows for trade and service exchange, …, etc.
Main features
The main feature of the site is the public transport service map which finds a public transport near your location or destination. It has a contacts section that allows the users to find various government offices, services, and businesses. It also contains an open classifieds section that allows for small-scale trade and services.
The website does not contain too much graphics, it is focused on data rather than media, this allows for a better performance and use of online resources.
The website also allows for users to suggest edits using a web form that reviews these edits and makes necessary changes accordingly, thus keeping it alive and useful for years to come.
Public Transport Map
The system has nodes of data that are stitched together to create an actual map of the seemingly chaotic public transportation grid of Amman city.
The system collects user device location – access permission needed; this bit of data has no use to the system other than locating the nearest routes to the user.
The main node type is the Stop, it contains Geolocation data and a street address, it re presents mainly actual landmarks that exist on the ground, that the user can physically go to, this is different than the current approach of using street names as route planning. Using actual landmarks such as schools, government offices, mosques, …, etc. allows the user to identify locations better, and it also allows more focused planning of the trip.
The Stop node is displayed on the main map of the system, this will allow the user to locate the nearest stop, and what service routes are available at that location.
A stop node can easily be adjusted and edited, but permission to edit is limited to site administrators.
Contacts Directory
A little contact book that is always kept up to date, it contains standard contact information that are useful to users; telephone numbers, website, email address, …, etc.
This node type will also have a geolocation tag attached to some of its content, mainly government offices and public hospitals that will help find stops around these locations which will benefit the user to plan their trip.
All contacts are categorized, and their type allows users to custom add any business or contact number based on business type, the system automatically sorts out the nodes and categories them in appropriate pages. This will allow for the directory to be alive and always updating and growing to serve and communicate services and commercial activities in Amman.
Access to create content is given to the anonymous user, but editing permission is with site admins only.
Classifieds Section
This section is made to help people do business on small scale, as it offers a window to display products and services, it is non-graphical so the data will not contain images, but it will contain info, it can be used to rent an apartment, sell a car, buy a used table, find employees and so on.
The classifieds nodes are created by users, the node has a maximum life of 10 days after which the system automatically deletes it.
Access to create content is given to the anonymous user, but editing permission is with site admins only.
This system will benefit different groups of users, it will help residents and visitors alike find their way across the capital.
