A day planer for the FichtelApp: From 3.000 options to a perfect day

The daily planner is the result of close collaboration between UX design, development, and the district’s project team. To ensure the feature was human-centered from the very beginning and to precisely understand the district’s expectations, we kicked off with workshops using methods like "How Might We?" questions and Problem Statement Maps.

Technically, the daily planner combines two approaches: AI-driven recommendation logic to categorize and pre-select suitable POIs (Points of Interest) from the database — fed by Strapi, the FichtelApp’s CMS, and the Social Knowledge Graph — and a rule-based planning algorithm that fills the day step by step.

Users start by filling out a short form, designed with a strong focus on clarity and a low barrier to entry. Their answers form the basis of the daily plan: starting with the largest block of time until every gap is meaningfully filled. An animation plays while the plan is being generated, turning the brief wait into part of the experience.

• Personalized Daily Planning in Under a Minute: Based on just a few inputs, the planner generates a complete, realistic daily itinerary tailored to interests, willingness to travel, weather, and time of day.

• Smart Gap Filling: If an entry is removed, the system detects the resulting free time and automatically suggests suitable alternatives, eliminating the need for manual adjustments.

• The Database as a Foundation for Quality: The combination of the Social Knowledge Graph and the app’s curated editorial content provides the planner with key information, such as realistic visit durations and up-to-the-minute daily events.

• Focus on the Local Economy: The planner guides tourists directly to regional offerings, structurally strengthening the local economy.

The Wunsiedel i. Fichtelgebirge district has set itself the goal of improving the quality of life, living, and working across all 17 of its municipalities—and is communicating this new sense of regional pride far beyond the borders of the Fichtelgebirge through initiatives like #freiraumfürmacher. The district was recognized by an expert jury in the federal competition "Smart Cities Model Projects" under the category "Inter-municipal Cooperation Projects and Districts." The FichtelApp—and along with it, the daily planner—is the physical expression of this development: a digital service that grew organically from within the district and actively carries forward the region’s positive, pioneering spirit.