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Harnessing the Power of Alteryx for National Park Week
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Data-as-a-Service
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - API Integration & Management
Applicable Industries
- Software
Applicable Functions
- Product Research & Development
Use Cases
- Predictive Quality Analytics
- Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
Services
- Data Science Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
The Challenge
The team at Continuus Technologies identified a need for a search engine that could provide information about National Parks and Monuments based on a user's location, the features of the parks, and the expected weather conditions. Existing solutions, such as the National Park Service's 'Find a Park' feature, only provided state-level location information and did not offer accurate or updated weather forecasts. Google Maps' success varied depending on the quality of data in each zip code, which was inconsistent. The team sought to leverage their expertise as Alteryx Partners, data enthusiasts, and conservation advocates to create a solution that would empower others to preserve and admire the United States' natural resources.
About The Customer
Continuus Technologies is a company that specializes in business intelligence and data management solutions. The team is composed of data enthusiasts and Alteryx Partners who are passionate about leveraging technology to solve complex problems. In this case, the team was inspired by National Park Week 2018 to create a solution that would help users find parks and monuments near their location. The team includes Business Intelligence Engineer Jake Van Hecke, and collaborators Chrystal Kingstad, and Rachel Burge. They are also advocates for conservation and believe in using their skills and technology to help preserve and admire the United States' natural resources.
The Solution
The team at Continuus Technologies developed a solution using Alteryx Designer that incorporated the National Park Service Data API and Dark Sky weather API. The solution has three main components: API development, data blending, and application design. For API development, the team configured a batch macro that utilized an API call to the National Park Service (NPS) website and the Dark Sky website for weather data. The data from these APIs was then blended together, with park and campsite data combined and matched to the weather forecast by latitude and longitude. The team also used a formula tool to tag information from the park descriptions that a user may want to search by. The application interface was designed to be a simple search tool, with a dropdown and text boxes for the user to enter information and preferences.
Operational Impact
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