USC Spot Check

Project Proposal

Site Overview

USC Spot Check is a community-driven platform that helps USC students quickly check how crowded different campus locations are in real time. Instead of wasting time walking across campus to find an open study spot, an available treadmill, or a shorter line for coffee, students can instantly see crowd levels reported by their peers. The site visualizes this feedback through an intuitive heat map and simple status levels.

Audience

The primary audience is people in USC, especially those students who frequently use campus facilities such as libraries, gyms, dining halls, or printing labs. It also extends to staff or faculty who want to optimize their schedules and avoid peak times.

Example Data

• User Report: 2025-09-25, 14:30, location_id = 3 (Leavey Library), crowd_id = 2 (Busy), user_id = 17
• Location: 1, “Leavey Library”, type_id = 1 (Library)
• Crowd Levels: 1 = Empty, 2 = Busy, 3 = Very Crowded
• Location Types: 1 = Library, 2 = Cafe, 3 = Fitness Center, 4 = Lab

Data Categories

- Main Reports Table: stores each crowd report (date, time, location, crowd level, user).
- Users Table: student login and account info.
- Locations Table: all spots on campus, linked to type_id.
- Lookup Tables: CrowdLevels for standard crowd terms, LocationTypes for grouping places.

Database Schema

Pitch Video