PickPath Launches Innovative Platform For Immersive Digital Experiences

PickPath, an innovative New Zealand-designed technology platform which helps creative individuals and organisations better connect with their audiences, is officially open for business.

PickPath allows organisations including galleries, museums, performance makers, festival organisers, tourism operators, and educators to create immersive and interactive digital experiences which audiences can access through their smartphones.

Experiences created on PickPath can include "pick-a-path" audio tours, geo-located adventures for families, or a pocket guide for an exhibit or live performance.

The story of PickPath began with Joel Baxendale and his Wellington-based theatre company Binge Culture. They sought to integrate app technology into their shows in order to guide audiences through their outdoor, immersive performances.

Frustrated by the high costs of bespoke apps and limitations of jerry-rigged solutions, Baxendale saw the need for an entirely new digital platform where creatives, storytellers or experience designers could create and share their own app-based experiences without specialist coding skills.

Joel Baxendale says: "We needed a platform that allowed us to exercise our creativity, that allowed us to iterate and test easily, and crucially, was affordable – which led us to create PickPath."

With over 15 years of experience in theatre making and experiential design, the creators of PickPath have a deep understanding of how to make truly engaging, audience-centred experiences.

“We’re interested in what digital tools can enable us to achieve as storytellers - increasing access and providing deeper, more engaging experiences which connect audiences with the world around them,” says Joel.

Using simple drag and drop tools, creators can build journeys which offer limitless ‘pick-a-path’ avenues, geo-location, any kind of multimedia, and features which enable audience interaction.

"Our mission is to empower creators by giving them control over their projects, reducing the need for external developers, and offering greater flexibility and creative freedom.”

PickPath has been tested over the last nine months with a diverse range of organisations from across the arts and culture sector, including Auckland Pride, Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Creative Waikato, Barbarian Productions, Arts Inc Heretaunga, Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, Auckland Writers Festival and independent musician Geneva AM.

Through this testing process, PickPath has proven to be of use in a wide variety of situations, including as a platform for immersive audio experiences, a public art guide, an educational exhibition experience, and a storybook adaptation adventure for whānau.

Local musician Geneva AM even used PickPath to create a geo-located music mixtape experience to release new music. Geneva says: “PickPath offered an amazing opportunity for me to enrich the release for my latest single ‘Pikipiki’ in a fun, new and interesting way for all ages to enjoy.”

Along with opening PickPath up for use by organisations throughout New Zealand, PickPath is also providing their creative expertise and support services to design and craft captivating experiences for a wide range of situations.

PickPath offers customisable service options, allowing creators to choose the level of support and creative input they need.

According to co-founder and Director Richard Aindow, PickPath’s versatility is one of its greatest strengths: "Our aim is to make this technology accessible to everyone, allowing creators to develop unique experiences that deeply engage their audiences, without needed coding expertise or deep pockets."

“Creating engaging experiences that connect with audiences is at the heart of what PickPath does. We’re excited to see how creators will use PickPath to bring their visions to life."

© Scoop Media