Reflecting on usability, accessibility and ethics in Google Maps
My Credentials
You can consider me a professional Google Maps user. Below is a screenshot of my app usage on my phone from a couple weeks ago. I managed to log 5 hours and 51 minutes in the app and trust me when I say, most of that was not while driving. Usually, I’m exploring.
Usability
Use Case #1: The Shopper
I can use Google Maps as a location based search tool. If I want to find a service, I often forgo a traditional google search in favor of searching through the map.
Use Case #2: The Explorer
This is my area of expertise, seamless gesture controls on mobile make this a breeze. And search filters results by location based on what area I’m currently viewing before considering results that are further afield. Different map styles like terrain and satellite imagery facilitates finding new places.
Use Case #3 The Navigator
This is the most traditional use case for Google Maps users: I need to get from Point A to Point B. Once I route has begun in the mobile app, the interface transforms with fewer controls and bigger buttons to make it easier to safely interact while driving. Google also offers overlays for traffic, bike routes and transit connections to allow users to navigate no matter their preferred transportation method.
Use Case #4: The Planner
When preparing for a longer trip or vacation, Google includes tools to facilitate this including the ability to add stops and even directly edit the route on desktop. You can create custom labels and save Once you’ve planned out a route, you can share it with your fellow tripmates.
Use Case #5: The Local Guide
Google allows users to contribute, identifying incorrect or missing information and leaving reviews. Google now dedicates one of it’s 5 tabs across the bottom bar to making contributions.
Accessibility
Google Maps can be accessed on any device — including on Apple products while Apple, it’s closest rival in the all purpose mapping application game, does not allow users to access outside of Apple hardware devices.
They’ve also accounted for common limited accessibility scenario’s like driving, where voice commands replace typing and limited signal scenario’s in which maps stay pre-loaded and GPS data is collected separately from cell signal for those who might’ve gotten themselves lost.
Learnability
While it’s been a while since I went through the initial onboarding process for Google Maps, when they introduce an organizational update for the app’s content or a feature update pop ups will quickly brief me on what’s new.
Memorability
When clicking the search bar the results box populates with recent search results. When zooming out, recently viewed place tags are often the last to disappear.
Satisfaction
Satisfaction may be hard to grasp, but just look at the market share Google Maps has managed to amass. 67% of navigation app users, despite the popularity of Apple’s iPhones. (Waze, the #2 app is now also owned by Google)
Ethics
The Google Maps platform comes with it’s own set of questionable ethics due to it’s very nature. The ability to zoom in where-ever you want on the planet and see Street Views taken by car mounted cameras. But in terms of ethics as it relates to the design, Google has done an acceptable job making sure their users understand what they’re agreeing to, and being transparent about what business place tags are paid promotions.
Google has made changes recently to eliminate potential dark patterns, like labelling advertised places with a square icon rather than circles so that the user can quickly see which place tags are paid promotions.
Conclusions
Google Maps is the most mature mapping platform we have, and one of the most mature platforms in the entire Google ecosystem.
It’s evolved into more than just a map of the planet. It’s a shopping tool, navigation tool, planning tool and social media site.