Option to select an easier route.
google maps
Case Study
background
Google Maps is one of the top apps used as a navigation system by more than 500 million people every month. The program uses a complex algorithm to suggest routes and has quite a few options for users to customize their routes.
problem to solve
While having casual discussions about traffic in general, it was brought up many times by friends and family how Google Maps took them through very busy intersections that had no traffic lights or stop signs and directed them to make a left turn or sometimes cross it. It was almost impossible for them to make a left turn or it would take a very long time for them to find that gap to make a safe left turn or cross it.
project details
Project Type: Adding a feature to an existing app.
Role: Sole UX/UI designer
Tools: Figma, FigJam, Zoom, Photoshop
Methods: User Research, Usability Testing, Information Architecture, UI Design, Visual Design
Duration: 75 hours
the user
Focusing on Android users with Google Maps as their primary app for navigation purposes.
quick sneak peak
Route Options
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When the user maps an address, an "alternative route" option will be available along with "fuel efficient", "best route" etc.
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This option will avoid complex motorways, intersections without traffic lights, and difficult turns.
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User will also have an option to select that as a preference in their "Trip Options" settings.
the process
Discovery & Research
Research Objective:
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Find out how frequently they encounter situations where they need to cross a busy intersection without traffic lights or make a left turn.
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Discover how they handle these situations with the current map settings.
What I Already Knew Through Secondary Research:
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HERE WeGo offers route planning options that allow users to adjust preferences to “avoid U-turns” as a link that can be easily missed.
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Waze has an option to "avoid difficult intersections" but it's not easily found.
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Apple Maps normally avoids giving the route option without traffic lights when the user has to cross it or make a left turn.
Competitive Analysis:
Researching the main competitors helped me understand how the problems were currently being solved on the market, and which problems still needed to be solved.
User Interviews:
After I gained a strong understanding of the problems surrounding managing day-to-day tasks through the competitive analysis, I selected 5 users to interview. I asked open-ended questions about the driving experience using their current navigation app and how they handle coming across difficult intersections. These are some sample questions I asked my participants:
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How much do you drive in your day-to-day life and in general?
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While driving do you use navigation apps, if so which ones?
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Have you encountered a difficult intersection while driving? Can you talk about that?
How do you typically handle complex intersections when driving? Can you walk me through your process? -
Have you encountered a situation where Google Maps took you through an intersection with no traffic lights or stop signs where you had to make a left turn or go straight?
Can you tell me a little bit about that? -
What kind of intersection made it difficult for you?
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When approaching a difficult left turn, do you rely solely on Google Maps or use other resources or strategies? Can you elaborate?
Pulling Out The Key Themes:
Affinity mapping helped to organize the data from user interviews into actionable insights.
If there’s a way for me to avoid a difficult intersection without adding too much travel time, that would help.
Maybe if they highlighted a difficult intersection where it suggests different route options, then I could select the other route if I am not comfortable.
Whenever I have to take left turns without any lights and with traffic in both directions that’s difficult for me.
Apple Maps always takes me through stop signs.
When I am at the intersection I have to rely on my judgment to make sure I make a safe turn.
What Users Wanted:
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5/5 users preferred using navigation apps if they were going to new places and to get faster routes if there was traffic.
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4/5 users have updated their map settings to avoid tolls.
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3/5 users preferred either avoiding or knowing beforehand about difficult intersections.
What Made Users Frustrated And Anxious:
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Crossing or making a left turn at busy intersections without traffic lights or stop signs was difficult for 4/5 users, and 5/5 users relied on their judgment if they encountered difficult intersections.
Creating Personas:
After I compiled the findings from the research through the affinity map, I was able to create personas that represent my target demographic.
Finding Project Direction :
From here, I created "Point of View" and "How Might We" statements combining three elements: user, need, and insight to express the problem I was trying to address as well as
finding out how those problems could be solved:
POV
I’d like to explore ways to help users select easier/safer routes because not all faster or fuel-efficient routes proved by Google Maps are easier.
I’d like to explore ways to provide options for users to select easier route options because some intersections and roundabouts are very difficult to cross during busy traffic hours.
HMV Statements:
How might we allow users to select safer routes in Google Maps?
How might we provide an option to avoid difficult intersections for the elderly, disabled, and new drivers?
Define & Ideate
Identifying Possible Project Goals:
For the scope of the project, I chose to move forward with the following project goal:
A feature in Google Maps that allows users to select an option to avoid
difficult and confusing intersections.
Prioritizing Design Decisions:
In order to make informed decisions about the prioritization of features, I analyzed the information gathered from user interviews and identified the main screens and features necessary to complete the most commonly used tasks on the site. Based on this analysis, I prioritized certain features over others.
User Flows:
It was important to map out user flowsfor the key journeys within the product to ensure alignment with all project objectives.
Design, Prototype & Test
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An Easier Route option is provided along with other options when the user maps the address.
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As the user scrolls down the Drive tab, the Easier Route option is listed with the icon and description.
Creating a Prototype to Test:
Keeping existing Google maps brand and color palate I designed high-fi wireframes.
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"Easier" option is added as a route preference along with "Fuel-Efficient" which will be turned on by default and the user can change to "Easier" as needed.
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The route preferences are available before the user starts driving on the trip options page.
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The same options will be available on the maps settings page when the user is in driving mode.
Usability Testing With The Prototype:
I tested the mockups with 5 users remotely via the screen share feature. The usability test was moderated and took about 30-45 minutes per user to complete.
Key Research Goals:
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If users can notice “easy” and “moderate” route options and icons on the map.
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If users understand what those options mean.
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If users can understand the icons.
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If users understand the description provided under those options.
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If users can find those options in the “Trip Options” and “Settings” pages.
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If users can find the dropdown to go to “Trip Options” page.
Measuring Success:
I evaluated the overall success of the product and any iterations needed with the following metrics gathered from my testing:
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5/5 users located all the route options on the map but they didn’t know what the icon for easy route meant.
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Once they read the hint text they understood what it meant but they were still unsure about the icon choice.
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4/5 users were not sure if “Easier” was the correct label for it.
Some of the labels suggested were “Smooth Route”, “Straight Forward Route”, “Alternative Route” -
3/5 users liked the idea of having the option to select an easier route. All of those 3 users preferred the safer driving option in general. 2 of those 5 users didn’t care about the easier route but didn’t mind that option being there since Google already offers them route options currently and they might select the easier route if they were somewhere new and didn’t know the roads.
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5/5 users knew to go to “trip options” page to change the settings.
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5/5 users noticed the easier route option shown on the map on the driving mode.
Final Design Iterations
Route Options on the Map
BEFORE
AFTER
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Changed the icon and the description to reflect the feature presentation as an "alternative route that's easier to navigate."
Label and Desctiption
BEFORE
AFTER
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Changed the label and description of the feature on the Trip Options page as well as Maps Settings page. The description also lets the user know "Easier to navigate" route might not be "fuel-efficient".
What I learned:
While working on this project I learned…
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Even the smallest element, like an icon, can significantly impact how a feature is perceived.
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Asking open-ended questions can uncover valuable insights and discoveries about how your feature might be useful to different user types or what it could be named.