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project details

Design a feature for Google Maps that helps women navigate urban spaces safely

Team:

Solo Project

My Role:

User Research, UX/UI Design

Duration:

2 weeks

Tools:

Figma, Whimsical, Python, Google Forms

This is a speculative project and not associated with Google Maps.

Problem

Existing location apps are not doing enough to help women feel safe travelling alone

A friend of mine wanted to explore Banksy's street art in Bristol. She followed Google Map's navigation but the app directed her to a desolate, abandoned railroad.

She is far from alone. Most location applications offer the shortest route to a destination. However, for concerned users, women in particular, the need to find the safest option has become increasingly apparent.

And existing location apps are not doing enough to help women feel safe travelling alone.

Solution

A safe mode feature which recommends travel options based on safety levels

Solution Image

Research Insights

An online survey to understand women's travel experience & expectations

I sent out an online questionnaire to 30 participants to understand:

  1. How safe do women feel when walking alone in urban spaces, especially at night?
  2. How well do existing location applications equip them to choose a safe route to a destination?
  3. What kind of information and knowledge can help women determine the safety level of a particular route?

Survey results reveal that while women frequently travel on foot, they often feel unsafe doing so:

  1. 25 out of 30 participants chose walking as one of their top two methods of transport.
  2. 20 out of 30 participants don't feel safe walking alone in their city, especially in evening.
  3. For 18 out of 30 participants, Google Maps is the most frequently used location app.
  4. 20 out of 30 participants don't believe the location app they currently use helps them get the safest travel option.

Knowing the following information can enhance participants' sense of safety:

  • Crime rate and local residents' feedback
  • CCTV coverage, lighting and population density
  • Proximity to police stations and hospitals
  • Locations of nearby pubs or nightclubs (to avoid)

the user

A fictional persona - Tina, a frequent traveller

Tina loves exploring new destinations but occasionally has to cancel plans due to safety concerns. She wishes she could receive reliable safety information about new places and share her experiences to help keep future travellers safe.

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Competitive Analysis

Existing products addressed some of the problems, but no one product did it all

I identified three existing applications designed to enhance women's travel safety. These apps consider crime rates and local residents' feedback. However, they appear to lack crucial information on street lighting, CCTV coverage, and population density.

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User Flow

User Flow for Selecting the Safest Route to a Destination

I created a user journey that addresses the issues and opportunities highlighted in the user persona. This journey aims to bridge the gaps found in existing products, as identified in the competitive analysis.

Useflow Map Image

I developed low-fidelity wireframes based on the key steps in the user journey. This process allowed me to outline the primary components and overall page structure, setting a solid foundation for the subsequent creation of high-fidelity mock-ups.

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Style guide

I determined the color palette, typography, icons and imagery after studying Google Maps's design system.

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Design Image
Design Image

High Fidelity Mockups

1. Activate Safe Mode

Upon activating safe mode, users will see a heatmap overlay that illustrates the crime rates in various areas.

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Fidelity Image
Fidelity Image
2. Get the Safest Route

After entering their destination, users receive a recommended route that considers factors such as crime rate, lighting conditions, population density, CCTV coverage, and proximity to hospitals and police stations. This ensures an optimal and safe journey based on comprehensive safety criteria.

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Fidelity Image
Fidelity Image
3. Activate Emergency Button

The emergency contacts can be reached by pressing the emergency button located on the bottom sheet.

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Fidelity Image
Fidelity Image
4. Report an Incident

Users are encouraged to report any incidents they encounter or witness during their journey. This information will be used to enhance future route suggestions, ensuring that incidents are considered in planning.

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Fidelity Image
Fidelity Image

Validation

I conducted an unmoderated user testing session involving 5 participants and collected valuable feedback

5

Users

100%

Success Rate

5/5

Satisfaction Score

  • "Its simple and easy to use. ” 🙋
  • It's what I would expect from a map app and it's very easy to read.” 🙋🏾
  • "I think that's great, but I'd also like to know about sidewalks/traffic volume/etc. That seems even more important for safety.” 🙋🏻
  • "I like it, I think it would be super useful for me as a woman who has to walk alone at night sometimes”  🙋🏼

Reflection

Next steps to consider...

Consider the emotional perspective

‍During an accident, overwhelming fear may impact the user's ability to perform a simple task, such as pressing the emergency button.

Educate users about existing features

One participant proposed adding sidewalks to the map, but I discovered that Google Maps already includes this feature. To enhance user experience, it would be beneficial to develop onboarding experiences, tooltips, tutorials, and similar resources to educate users about the existing features available.

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© Danni Zhou 2022