Going with Google
“What’s going on with Google Maps?” I asked this question multiple times over the course of two weeks. The paragon of internet navigation, with hundreds of developers and designers on hand, was still causing users to become frustrated. Why was this happening?
Drivers are struggling to access real-time directions while on the road due to discrepancies between the on-screen information and the intuitive interface they anticipated.
Project Kickoff
I kicked off the project by conducting a contextual inquiry with 8 Android users. The goal was to get a better sense of how they navigated their drives with Google Maps. I discovered three pain points:
Driver Confusion
Users struggled to quickly access the key information they needed, like routes and highways when they put in the directions for their drive.
They often had to open step-by-step directions and scroll through the list to find what mattered most to them. Users wanted a faster and more efficient way to know which of the major roads they would have to access during their drive.
User Safety
While driving, many users had difficulty understanding their current position within their overall trip, leading them to check their devices while behind the wheel—an obviously dangerous behavior.
Although there is a shortcut for getting a better idea of where they were, by swiping left on the directions screen, only 1 out of 8 participants were aware of this feature. The problem is that there’s no clear indication/affordance to make users aware of this feature.
Street View Distractions
Lastly, whenever the user opened up the steps page to get a better understanding of the directions, they would be met with a bunch of street-view pictures. This caused clutter and distracted users from getting the information they needed most.
“It always takes like three steps to get to the freaking directions that I asked for!”
User Survey
58% of survey respondents reported difficulty finding their directions in google maps while they were behind the wheel.
To deepen my understanding of how drivers interacted with Google Maps, I conducted a survey with 12 participants to gather data on the habits and features that users prioritized during their drive.
I learned that the majority of drivers were still struggling to access directions when they were en route to their destination. When asked: “How difficult is it for you to access directions while you are driving en route to your destination?”
User Profile
I aggregated all of my research results to create a user profile based on key patterns and behaviors observed during the discovery phase. The profile helped to define the core needs and challenges faced by users while interacting with Google Maps.
Journey Map
I furthered the define phase by creating a journey map based off of my user profile to capture all the different stages of their interaction with the app. The journey map established critical user interactions, highlighting pain points such as difficulty accessing real-time updates and confusion with certain features. This allowed me to better understand user expectations and focus on improving the interface's clarity and functionality.
Create an easy way for drivers to immediately locate the main roads that they need to access from the start of their journey?
Rethink a safe and accessible way for drivers to access next-step directions while they are in drive mode?
Have a condensed list of step-by-step directions that give a clear and clutter-free overview of the driver’s journey?
Sketches
The sketching phase was challenging. The difficulty lay in striking a balance—finding a way to incorporate new features that were subtle, while ensuring that the most essential elements remained prioritized.
Modal Windows &
Visual Hierarchy
Based off of my user interviews, drivers complained about being on the road and not being able to easily access the directions they needed. The clear takeaway from these interviews was the need to prioritize safety.
I relied a lot on incorporating pop-ups, listings, and iconography. Utilizing these features would enhance scannability while also reducing driving risks such as taking your eyes off the road during when looking for directions.
Mockups
The first iteration included text of the main highways that the driver would need to access. However, the section contained too much text which resulted in a lot of clutter.
To distinguish itself from the rest of the text, I incorporated icons of the major interstates to balance between the text on the top and the buttons on the bottom. These icons also helped decrease cognitive load.
Dropdown Menu
Users’ biggest pain point occurred while they were on the road. They wanted to quickly view their next steps but were unaware of the swipe feature due to the lack of a clear affordance. This led them to zoom out on the map, which posed a safety risk. Introducing a drop-down menu, where you could tap on a plus icon, would provide a faster and safer way to access their upcoming directions.
Reduction
During my task analysis, users expressed frustration with the overwhelming number of images that appeared in street view. Through numerous conversations, I concluded that the most critical images needed were those of the starting point and destination.
Usability Testing
In order to have a firm belief that my design decisions would compliment Google’s current interface, I conducted a usability test with 4 individuals.
Active State
In the initial sketches and mockup, I designed the interface to highlight the user's current location with a green box. However, during usability testing, all four participants expressed confusion about the green box’s meaning. To resolve this, I redesigned the interface to include a radial button that progresses with each new direction, providing a clearer visual cue of the driver's current location.
Next Steps
During the contextual inquiry, I noticed that two users zoomed out in order to see where they were in relation to their overall drive. I attempted to address this with the drop-down menu but I know that there are other solutions that can be implemented. With more time, I'll be able to discover, design, and A/B test solutions that work best for users.