Techtextil Navigator is the orientation guide for visitors of Messe Frankfurt's Techtextil exhibition. Navigate over the fairgrounds, through the exhibitor directory or receive inspiration through news and twitter messages. The App consists of the following elements:
Exhibitor and product search
The full-text search finds all Techtextil exhibitors and products with names and descriptions. An overview of the hits is displayed with logo and stand number. By clicking on an exhibitor's name, details including contact information, an extensive description of the company and a product list are displayed. The list provides both images and a written description and offers a good overview of the portfolios of both the event and exhibitors. Another click allows the user to identify the exhibitor's location on the map of the grounds.
News
Thanks to news and Twitter, industry visitors and journalists stay apprised of all the latest Techtextil developments. All the current press releases and social media messages from Twitter can be directly viewed without any additional settings. News is updated in real-time and can be quickly and easily perused. A click then reveals a longer excerpt and a link in a press release then allows users to switch to the Techtextil website where the entire text is available.
Map of the grounds
The grounds and hall layout offers an outline of the entire trade fair grounds from a schematic overview. Users can control the zoom factor freely with their fingers on the touchscreen. By clicking on a hall, a level can be selected to reveal all the stands in the hall on the screen. An additional click on the trade fair stand displays the exhibitor's name, logo and stand number. A further step makes it possible to open up the exhibitor's details in the exhibitor search where the user can view the company's contact information and products. Switching between the exhibitor search and a map of the grounds is fast and easy because both are closely interlinked. It is even possible for users to display their own location with GPS. As such, all visitors can easily see on the screen if they have the right hall and what direction to go to see the next person they want to meet with. Features: Vector map display with user-friendly pinch and zoom Selection of the individual hall levels and detailed display of the stands Brief information by clicking on a stand (name, cross link, logo, stand number) Link from and to the exhibitor search to display the exhibitor's details Display of the visitor's own location Display a buddy's location (see next point)
Buddy finder
In addition to its general meaning of acquaintance or friend, the word 'buddy' is often used in internet parlance to denote online acquaintances. The Techtextil app has a Buddy finder feature to link into a network of friends, colleagues, exhibitors or customers that the user wants to stay in contact with during the trade fair. The appeal of the key functionality is the ability to communicate one's current location to the network at all times. The user clicks on a button to access the current GPS position and then makes it visible on a map only to the connected buddies. This makes it easier for visitors to coordinate with one another and, for example, indicate a restaurant at the trade fair where they could meet each other.
