Click to view Prototype
Google Maps
Improve user retention and experience with a new feature.
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Introduction
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Google Maps,
Improve user retention and experience with a new feature.
I was recently given an opportunity to expand on one of the most well-used or popular mapping apps in the world. The challenge I was presented with, was to add a completely new and/or potentially needed feature to Google maps in hopes of improving the user experience in an exciting new way.
The Roles and Responsibilities
This solo project was set to be completed in 1 month or 4 weeks, fortunately for me most of the icons, colonography, and branding were already created, tested, and implemented by Google. My role was focused solely on ideating, designing, and creating the new feature and flow with any needed Icons or elements necessary to fulfill the project.
The Problem and Solution
In the last 22 years, Google has expanded its company from a basic search engine to a tech industry leader. To maintain its position as an industry leader, Google is constantly reinventing itself, which has been one of the key factors in growing its brand. But how has Google managed to stay on top of the competition and continually create new and exciting products?
By its Employees! As big as Google is, and even though it uses many forms of algorithms and even artificial intelligence in its products, Google doesn’t have an official innovation department. Every employee at Google is encouraged to be creative and to contribute their ideas for new products. As a result, employees’ ideas actually get heard and are welcomed by the company which is a direct correlation to its success.
So now that we are seeing signs of the pandemic starting to loosen up, how can we, Google help connect people with their local friends and family in person? Only if there was a way to locate my friends and family while we are all bustling around a busy city. To meet up with loved ones for a cup of coffee or lunch without weeks of back-forth planning. Or even for families to keep track of their young people without a new app or costly service.
The proposed solution is to augment Google maps with two new features, first a better way to locate friends and family on the Map app. Secondly, a quick and easy way to navigate all parties to a convenient central location in hopes of fulfilling the connection and saving time and effort.
Discover
The Process
The Goal
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Creates a new “Friend and Family Finder” feature that can be seamlessly integrated into the Google Maps App.
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Save App users wasted time trying to locate people in their group if they get separated.
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Create intuitive features that will eliminate any previous pain points.
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Ensure security and privacy with this new feature to google maps users.
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Create brand-specific Icons and buttons for new features.
Key Features
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Friend and Family Finder Locate and see available friends and family on google maps
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Meet in the middle — Give multiple groups the ability to meet in one central location
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Come to me — Live one-way directions to a stationary or moving person or group.
Target audience
All persons or groups (Couple’s, families, friends) that need to find friends or family members exact location, on and off of public streets, that may not be familiar with the area.
The Competitor Analysis
The Survey
Research Survey : Summary of findings
We found this survey to be super insightful, each of the six participants provided multiple answers and or recommendations that justify proceeding with the augmentation and addition of the proposed features to the Google Maps App.
Wile google maps does currently have a friend and family finder, locating the feature in the app is quite difficult at best. To improve this feature, I propose a new friend and family button to be located on the bottom navbar. This will also include a completely new “meet in the middle” feature. “Meet in the middle” in an AI-based, integrated, multi-way instruction to each of the group participants.
Key Findings
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Over 66% of participants would like a better way, to locate and connect, live and in-person with local friends and family, while out and about.
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83% of participants have lost a friend or family member in a busy place. And agree this new friend finder feature could have been used to quickly locate the missing loved one.
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83% of participants found value in an app to help coordinate a group of people to all meet in a central location without a series of text messages...
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Over 33% of the participants have young people in their lives and would like an easy and convenient way to look after their safety.
The Persona
Meet Nora, our user persona who is a very busy insurance broker and mother of three teenagers.
The Site Map
The insights gained from the user interview’s helped us to formulate our initial sitemap
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Define
Design
The Wire frames
This set of wireframes depicts the start to finish “meet in the middle” flow. Beginning with participant A, locating and connecting with participant B, at a central restaurant location.
The Branding
Most of the Branding material was provided by Google, Only a few icons and elements were needed to complete this project.
Click to view Prototype
The Final Product
“Seamless integration, Time-saving and Convenient”
Creates a new “Friend and Family Finder” feature that can be seamlessly integrated into the Map App.
Save App users waste time trying to locate people in their group if they get separated.
Ensure security and privacy with this new feature to google maps users.
Create brand-specific Icons and buttons for new features.
Deliver
The Finishing touches
On final completion of the high fidelity mock-up and prototype, I conducted the usability testing with the six participants that volunteered. The data and input collected from usability testing were very insightful. 100% of Participants said they would use the added “meet in the middle” feature on google maps and wished it already existed. They also provided necessary feedback to refine this new feature to its highest potential.
In the current design rendition, it was apparent after usability testing that the chat feature was unnecessary and a way to
Previous Design
This current rendition is an example of progress made from usability testing, a full keyboard or full texting capability was redundant and simple quick responses were needed.
Previous Design
This current design rendition, depicts the lack of need for the next button, as well as the chat feature being available this early in the flow.
Previous Design
The Reflection
What’s next?
Now that phase one of augmenting Google Maps has successfully been completed, it's time to continue user testing of current iterations, followed by necessary iterations. Also, I would like to continue working on expanding new potential features that Google may offer.
Secondly, I would like to standardize my designs patterns to be used on other projects that involve location finder feature
What I gained from this project!
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I am a long-time big fan of Google and Google products, so I found this project personally rewarding and hope to continue contributing to its success.