Google Maps Parking
Introducing a new feature for the popular navigation app Google Maps:
Parking information and availability at the selected destination
Overview
Google Maps is the most widely used navigation app worldwide. In 2021 alone, the app had approximately 25 million downloads. Apart from offering driving directions, it offers aerial photography, satellite imagery, street maps, real-time traffic conditions and route planning for traveling by foot, car, bike, or public transportation. In more recent years, it has also been helpful in finding various businesses and getting information on their days and hours of operation. This case study provides further expansion into the information provided by including a “parking” feature that allows the user to view parking types and availability at or around their destination.
I am
a Google Maps user
I am trying to
find out what parking options are available at my selected destination - street parking, lot, underground parking, valet - and prices (if any) and walking distance to my destination for each option
But
I have to plan ahead and arrive early to avoid any issues with finding parking that would cause me to be late or pay unnecessary parking fees
Because
I can’t know what parking options are and their availability until I physically arrive at my destination
Which makes me feel
anxious, particularly ahead of driving to an important event or driving during an already stressful situation
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Proposed Feature
Upon entering one's destination, there would be a feature alongside “directions” called “parking” that would show parking availability at or around that location. This would include whether it is street parking, a street lot, an underground lot, valet options, and the respective fees for each option. The feature would also ask for timing/duration at the location in order to be able to inform the user of street cleaning/different rates for paid parking/free parking during that day/time frame.
Research
My research began with a competitive analysis to understand how different navigation platforms approach parking information, if they do at all. I then conducted one-on-one interviews to gain more qualitative and emotional insight into how users interact with Google Maps and identify any key pain points.
Findings
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While there are apps dedicated to just parking information, they are mostly limited to parking lots and are only accessible in certain cities.
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Users visited a new destination at least once a week and expressed anxiety regarding not knowing what parking will be like at destination.
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Easy and affordable parking options significantly impacted users’ likelihood of visiting/frequenting that destination.
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Almost all users prioritized free parking even if it meant walking further to their destination.
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Users with electric vehicles also expressed frustration regarding finding convenient charging stations around their destinations.
Key Pain Points:
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Anxiety about not knowing what parking will be like at a new destination
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Lack of availability of free parking
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Looking for convenient parking often leading users to be late
User Personas
I synthesized the qualitative information I gathered from users and narrowed it down into two user personas. It was important to take a deeper look into understanding each user’s driving and parking experience which would help inform the journey and flow of each of these personas to accommodate for their needs and cater to their goals, while addressing their pain points and helping relieve them of some of their frustrations.
Feature Prioritization
User Flows
Initial Sketches
Rapid sketching allowed me to get an idea how this feature would integrate seamlessly with Google Maps’ existing interface. The goal was not to steer away from the way the app presents other features and options. I also use sketching as a tool to visualize the user flow and get a sense of what actions would be the most intuitive for the user.
High-Fidelity Prototype
The goal of this high-fidelity prototype showcasing Google Maps’ parking feature is to provide information about parking types and availability at or around a user’s destination, while allowing them to see parking fees and walking distance to and from their destination. Ultimately, however, it is to eliminate any anxiety or stress when a user is headed to a new destination, and to be able to drive there with more certainty and confidence.
Users found the feature to be intuitive and informative. Some suggested numbering options such as parking lots in order to be able to assess relative distances to their destination on the interactive map. Users who drive EV’s also found the charging stations option incredibly useful.
