Social Distancing Navigation Feature for Google Maps
Project Goal
Develop and evaluate a solution to the problem of avoiding crowds while navigating public transportation. The solution needed to take into account the users’ potential emotional state which may include high levels of anxiety or panic, and symptoms of physiological distress.
To be an effective solution the tool had to also provide preventative navigation so that the user could avoid getting caught in an unwanted and stress-inducing environment.
Research Approach
I utilized several methods to discover user needs and learn about the problem space. I also investigated the product space by comparing competing navigation apps and conducting a task analysis for Google maps.
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After creating my functional prototype in figma I conducted usability testing.
Outcome
User testing showed that the feature was easy to learn, understand, and interact with. All participants successfully completed the task. Misclick data showed users had confusion at one specific point in the user flow.
In addition to addressing the friction point, I proposed that field test user testing would be ideal to perform in future iterations. These tests would produce data from users who would actually be riding on public transportation while using the prototype. Field testing would help reveal what types of uncontrolled events may need to be taken into consideration for future iterations.
Research Artifacts
Empathy Map
Competitive Analysis
Task Analysis
Prototype Screenshots
