HIKEArmenia: Hiking App Development
About
Created in 2015, HIKEArmenia is a non-profit NGO committed to the promotion of Armenia as a hiking and ecotourism destination for international visitors and locals alike. HIKEArmenia connects everyone to all that Armenia has to offer in adventure tourism, starting from beginner-explorers to seasoned nature enthusiasts. Their efforts are aimed at the primary goal of rural development, helping local communities by bringing in new opportunities and building a holistic ecotourism system.
To ensure hikers have a great experience, they have helped to develop over 70 hiking trails accessible for free through HIKEArmenia platforms, all of which adhere to internationally recognized trail development guidelines.
They have also curated a growing database of 75 accommodations, 20+ recommended guides, and 100+ points of interest which give hikers not just practical information but also historical and cultural information along every trail.
The Challenge
HIKEArmenia already had a hiking website, and a trail app ran smoothly. However, they came to a need of reorganizing specific goals and objectives, so started to look for a tech partner to help them with hiking app development and tour management software enhancement.
As a travel planning tour, they had three main challenges when making a partnership with Milies:
- Revamp the website with added features and user interface improvements.
- Improve the website speed and functionalities.
- Enhance the website database for improved performance and SEO optimization.
the solution
Milies undertook a comprehensive scope of work to transform HIKEArmenia's website into a user-friendly and technically sound platform. The collaboration focused on resolving existing technical issues of the hiking platform and implementing new features that would support HIKEArmenia's mission of promoting adventure tourism in Armenia.
The project encompassed several key deliverables, including:
- Resolving Core Disfunctions: The HIKEArmenia platform had some technical issues affecting the core functionality of its hiking software. Our team conducted a thorough audit to identify and address these problems. This process involved debugging, code refactoring, and implementing best practices to stabilize the platform.
- Plugin Management: The existing website relied heavily on various plugins, many of which were outdated, broken, or incompatible. We systematically evaluated the functionality of each plugin, removing those that were no longer viable, replacing them with more robust alternatives. We also developed custom plugins to introduce new features that aligned with HIKEArmenia's goals.
- Design Enhancements: We worked closely with HIKEArmenia to refine the website's design components for upgrading both aesthetics and usability. This involved establishing a consistent visual language, improving the platform's usability and accessibility for a wider audience, and modernizing the UI/UX to be more intuitive. User surveys and data-driven insights served as our guides for making design changes.
- Mapping System Update for Mobile View: A critical component of the project was upgrading the hiking map app system. We overhauled the existing system to provide more accurate, real-time mapping data, enhancing the overall hiking and trail maps experience for users. This update included integrating advanced mapping APIs.
- Content Expansion: To enrich the website's content and improve user engagement, we developed new pages that provide valuable information about hiking trails, navigation app, safety tips, and community events. This expansion was designed to keep users engaged and informed, encouraging more interaction with hiking platform.
- API Development: Our team created new API calls to facilitate seamless communication between the website's database and the HIKEArmenia mobile applications. In order to ensure customers received the most recent information immediately on their devices, we worked simultaneously on better data synchronization, faster speed of the mobile app, and RESTful API design and implementation.
The project's success was demonstrated through measurable outcomes, including:
- Improved Website Performance: The website's performance metrics significantly improved after the revamp. A 40% decrease in load times made the user experience snappier and more responsive
- Enhanced API Efficiency: The new APIs optimized the overall speed of the app by reducing API request response times by 30% and enabling improved data flow between the website and mobile hiking software.
- User Experience Upgrades: With all bugs and issues resolved, the trail and navigation app for hiking now provides a flawless experience for visitors. The integration of new features and pages has increased user engagement by 25%, demonstrating the value of the new content and functionalities.
- Technical Robustness: By addressing the hiking platform's technical debt, including resolving plugin dependencies and stabilizing the core functionality, the site is now technically sound, with a sustainable architecture that supports future growth.
Milies' partnership with HIKEArmenia was one of our largest experiences in providing travel software solutions to big players in the market. Our partnership resulted in a robust, user-friendly, and technically sound trail and hiking platform that not only meets the needs of its users but also sets a new standard for adventure tourism websites. This successful transformation demonstrates Milies' expertise in tackling complex technical challenges and delivering solutions that drive measurable results.
Client feedback
Ardag Kosian
Executive at HIKEArmenia NGO
“Impressed with their professionalism and flexibility. Thanks to Milies, our website works without issues. They completed tasks on time and led truly productive meetings, providing great technical suggestions. Numerous technical problems were addressed with creative solutions.“