Google Maps Concept: Keeping Roads Just a Little bit Safer — NOT COMPLETE
In today’s society people lead very busy lives, and are constantly zipping from point A to point B in order to fulfill the different responsibilities of life. Whether people are making a short 5 minute run to the grocery store or a 5 hour journey to another state, driving has seemingly become the primary way to carry out these duties.With the rapid development and integration of technology into our daily lives, Google Maps has emerged as a primary app people use to get directions and other information on the routes they take as they drive. Google Maps does have some
When I drive, I want to maximize my efficiency in getting to my destination while effectively optimizing safety. However, it is hard to do that well because it is unsafe to spend time navigating an app while driving.
*THIS IS VERY OBVIOUSLY NOT DONE YET*
Introduction
Understanding How the App is Used
To better understand what users thought of the app, what frustrated them, and how they used the app, I went out and interviewed some Google Maps Users. Here were some takeaways:
1. Users interact with the app most before the trip actually starts
“I open the app, I put in the location, tap ‘directions’, and I go”
2. Whether safe or not, users do use the app on the road
“Most likely I’m like… already driving down the street, so I can’t think about it too much”
3. Users are mainly focused on using Google Maps to get from point A to B, with not much interest, or even knowledge, of other features such as Explore, Saved, Commute, Contribute, etc.
“No… I just didn’t know [the Explore feature] was there until now”
“It just kind of pops up… [the Commute feature] feels a little invasive”
4. Users acknowledge the dangers of using their phone on the road
Understanding How Other Apps are Used
Market Research — A2
People Just Want to Go
From this research I’ve realized 2 things:
- Google Maps is an unsafe app due to the nature of how it’s used
- People really just want to get on the road and go. After all, in today’s world, many people live hectic lifestyles where they care far more about getting to their destination quickly than the features of the app they’re using.
Now the question is, how do we create a feature that promo safety but also minimizes the steps needed to get on the road?
Figuring Out Where to Improve
*Split screen this with board shots*
I recruited my friends Elena and Beckett to help me brainstorm some ideas. After brainstorming, we decided on 2 points of improvement:
Keeping Users More Informed — How might we better inform users of possibly unsafe conditions of the road before their journey (Weather, Road Type, Road Quality, etc.)?
Making the Process More Efficient and Effective — How might we speed up the all-important process of starting a route on Google Maps while also making the process more safe?
Thinking of Solutions
To sort out my thoughts and ideas, I began by drawing some basic flows:
Feature 1 — Pre-Route Road Condition Brief
By giving users a brief on any possible unsafe conditions that would be encountered while on the road, users would be better informed on these conditions ahead of time and therefore prepared for and safer from any possible hazard they run into. On the other hand, it does add a step between starting the route and getting on the road.
Feature 2 — Big-Button Mode
In this feature users could toggle a “Big Button Mode,” where the navigation screen would show only the most important features in larger, easier to access buttons. Though it made the
Feature 3 — Locked Out Mode
In this feature, users would be monitored on how long they were using the app while on the road. Though this feature would make the whole traveling process far more safe, it lacked the ability to keep users informed while on the road and it would be very hard to apply on a real world setting.
Feature 4 — Alerts
This feature would implement a system where it alerts the driver of any major hazardous or unsafe conditions they are immediately approaching on their route. This feature does a great job informing users of possible issues with safety, but fails to do anything to improve the starting process.
Picking a Solution
After weighing the pros and cons of each flow, I decided to go with Feature 1, the Pre-Route Road Condition Brief. Not only did it seem to have the best balance between feasibility and impact, it also most effectively keep users informed while also keeping the beginning process efficient and effective.
Moving Forward, Initial Development
To get a sense of how my feature would fit within Google Maps currently, I mapped out an information hierarchy. My added feature can integrated into the current flow of Google in the green boxes. The feature is involved with the route deciding process as well as accessible when En Route.
Other Similar Features on the Market
Google Maps’ main competitors, Apple Maps and Waze also have methods of informing users before their trip. Apple shows traffic as well as toll information on the route, while Waze uses a line to show user-reported details such as cop cars and hazards.
Medium-Fidelity Models
I further developed my idea by creating some more organized, medium-fidelity flows. I tinkered around with entry point, putting my Route Conditions Overview screen right after the route is entered or including it as an option in the En Route Navigation home screen. I also toyed with the format of the Route Conditions overview screen. To get a gauge of what worked and what didn't, I did some user testing
- **PICTURES***
I ended up deciding on a combination of Flows 2 and 3, as I wanted to include the safety benefits that came from conveying important information before the journey while also giving users the option to remind themselves once on the road.
Finalizing my Product
Now that we have the blueprints for my feature, it’s time to start building…
- INSERT FINAL VIDEO
Conclusion
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