Pixel Visa
Developing a website to serve backpackers as a digital guide to global adventures.
Role
Independent
Location
Austin, Texas
Tools
Wordpress, PHP, JavaScript, HTML, CSS, Leaflet.js, SVG, SVGViewer, iconmonstr, Local by Flywheel
Explore the Project
→ www.pixelvisa.net
Challenge
In September of 2023, I decided to embark on a journey across the world - a journey which has taken me across Asia and is soon to land me in Europe. To keep a log of my travels and all of my favorite places, I created Pixel Visa - a digital guide for backpackers on journies similar to mine. In developing Pixel Visa, I worked hard to craft an interface that seamlessly weaved the narrative of a backpacker's journey. This task involved not only curating and integrating online information but also in creating an intuitive and aesthetically pleasing website to convey this narrative with real on-site experiences. The goal was to strike a balance between functionality and an engaging design, providing users with an informative and visually enjoyable experience as they digitally explore the world and follow my story as I traverse the globe.
Solution
Effectively creating a website like Pixel Visa meant finding a effective way to combine simple facts and information with personal experiences. As a result, I divided up my journey into fact sheets about individual countries, cities, experiences, and restaurants, connecting them with a custom map feature tracking my journey. This solution ensures that users get a mix of reliable information and firsthand experiences, allowing them to virtually join the backpacking adventure.
Design and Development Choices
Pixel Visa's design and development were carefully crafted to offer an engaging user experience. The utilization of personally collected global images adds authenticity, allowing users to visually connect with real backpacking experiences. WordPress, with its relational SQL database, efficiently organizes information, creating seamless references between countries, cities, and activities. The decision to integrate LeafletJS for custom map creation enhances the storytelling element, providing a dynamic, real-time backpacker timeline. This interactive map feature allows users to follow the journey, keeping up with the backpacker's whereabouts, activities, and experiences as they unfold. The focus on flexible mobile interfacing ensures a user-friendly experience, optimizing the interface for accessibility across various devices. Overall, these design and development choices converge to create Pixel Visa as a visually compelling, informative, and accessible platform for backpacking enthusiasts worldwide.
Result
Pixel Visa delivers a dynamic and informative platform with a homepage showcasing captivating journey highlights, offering users a quick glimpse into the diverse backpacking experiences. The map page provides a visual journey timeline, allowing users to track the backpacker's route in real-time. Additionally, individual factual pages for each city, country, activity, restaurant, coworking space, and hostel/hotel offer in-depth information. These dedicated pages empower backpackers to make well-informed decisions, providing insights into various aspects of each destination. By combining engaging highlights on the homepage, a real-time journey map, and comprehensive individual pages, Pixel Visa creates a user-friendly and comprehensive resource for backpackers, facilitating informed decision-making throughout their global adventures.
