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Inspirations (My favourite design)

  • Writer: Grace C
    Grace C
  • Mar 27, 2020
  • 2 min read

Updated: Apr 7, 2020

I find that good design makes a world of difference, a well designed product or service can easily make your day and completely change the way we operate. A piece of design that I believe is great design is the google maps traffic reports. This simple feature makes our every day lives so much easier.


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The interface works by connecting to IOS and Android users with location services enabled for google maps. (Brindle B, HSW 2020) The individual phones send back data in real time reporting on where the user is located and how fast their vehicle is moving. (Brindle B, HSW 2020 By combining all the users Google can get a highly accurate reading of traffic at every street and intersection. It can also give us an accurate idea of how long the journey is going to take with traffic included. (Brindle B, HSW 2020 This has huge affect on the way we choose to commute. (Madrigal A.C, TA 2018) Drivers can now opt for faster routes and different modes of transport to get to their destination based on what the app tells them is best. However although convenient it does have some negative side effects. The app often directs driver to side streets and smaller streets in order to avoid traffic. However a lot of the time these streets aren't deigned to hold great volumes of traffic resulting in more roading issues. (Madrigal A.C, TA 2018) This often works in favour of the roads/city though, when accidents or road blockages occur traffic can be easily redirected as the app itself can pick up where traffic has come it a stop. (Brindle B, HSW 2020)


I think this service is good design because it provides convenience to people as well as solving an issue a lot of commuters face in their day to day lives. Good design has to fulfil a purpose that otherwise may cause problems or inconvenience. This interface uses information that google already has access to (location services) to create journeys and recommend alternative routes to avoid traffic. (Stenovec T, BI 2015) Business Insider calls google maps the best mapping app because "it has the most data, and uses that data in the smartest way.". The Google maps traffic function is a piece of intelligent design which is why I deem it one of my favourite pieces of design.



Brindle B. (2020 February 11), How Does Google Maps Predict Traffic. How Stuff Works


Madrigal A.C. (2018 March 15), The Perfect Selfishness of Mapping Apps. The Atlantic


Stenovec T. (2015 November 23), Two Simple Reasons Why Google Maps is Better Than Everything Else. Business Insider


 
 
 

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