Kiven alla: Mobile application offers outdoor experiences and activates efficiently

Mobile application offers outdoor experiences and activates efficiently

Services

Kiven alla was established in 2006, at a time when geocaching was taking its first steps in Finland. The operations began with importing geocaching products and have gradually extended into educational and experience events provided to schools, companies, and other organizations.

A mobile application developed by Vincit creates all new opportunities to explore geocaching by searching physical and virtual targets with smartphone. The client, a geocaching online store and geocaching-related training, instruction, and experience provider Kiven alla Oy received a welcome support to its operations as the ongoing corona pandemic had almost entirely shut down the event operations.

Deepening the experience for a larger user group

The Covid-19 accelerated Kiven alla Oy to study the opportunities provided by modern technology on an even wider perspective. An idea about mobile application was born – that would enable more people to get acquainted with geocaching by utilizing the map and location information of their own smartphones. Traditionally, geocaching is based on satellite positioning and the investments in gps devices often set too strict limits to providing new kind of nature experiences. With the application, the experience provider can build a geocaching route with both virtual and physical targets into the chosen environment.

I am extremely satisfied with the collaboration with Vincit. The distribution of tasks was clear and the atmosphere was laid-back. During a development project such as this, something unexpected always comes up – Vincit handled the challenges smoothly and all in all, took care of the task really well. Despite ample testing, the schedule did not stretch. The outcome was what we expected: everything has worked flawlessly, and no updates have been needed. Vincit’s approach was thoroughly solution-centered, and they were genuinely on the client’s side. Extremely competent people.

Harri Hirvasniemi, Managing Director, Kiven alla Oy

Expertise used

UI design

Visual identity

Software development

A virtual experience parallel to real one

Kiven alla wanted seasoned professionals with experience in geocaching to handle the task: this would help understand the operations, which would considerably smoothen the overall process.

Vincit was a natural choice for the implementation partner. As soon as Kiven alla Oy received the support funding from Business Finland the work began. The client knew what he wanted and was able to design geocaching routes as needed. Vincit designed and implemented the application in its entirety: visual identity, user interface design and software development.

Flutter, developed by Google, was chosen for the technology for the application. It is applicable for both iOS and Android platforms. In addition, Flutter enabled prompt and cost-efficient execution while many alternative technologies would have required building more elements from scratch.

A user-friendly application encourages activity
Utilizing Flutter’s components in formulating the map data helped Vincit come up with a stylish mobile application that enables both remotely guided and self-directed geocaching experiences. The pandemic actually sped up the demand in the beginning: as the overall situation hopefully becomes more stabile the application will naturally support live events as well.

The Vincit people piloted the application to ensure it works properly and is as user-friendly as intended. At the same time, ideas about utilizing it even on a larger scale emerged. The geocaching application was introduced in the summer of 2021 at Särkänniemi amusement park, providing the season ticket holders with a dedicated geocaching route in the park area.