SIDEQUESTS

DESIGN PROCESS

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Ideate

We established that in order to revitalize the brand, we would have to come up with a solution that is counter to traditional navigation. Some of our initial ideas included:

Turning MapQuest into a travel game, where users are encouraged to take longer routes to unlock prizes.
The Scenic Route: Adding a feature to MapQuest where, if you were stuck in traffic on a busy highway, you’d receive a push notification. This notification would ask if, instead of waiting in traffic, you’d like to see "______," providing a way to experience nature instead of just sitting in traffic.
Local Awescapes: A feature that shows users the magic of their nearby nature that they don't often pay attention to.

We liked elements of each feature, but ultimately, we found flaws in all of them.

Solution

We decided that simply adding a new feature wouldn't help out MapQuest. After all, how will users take advantage of the feature if they aren't using the app in the first place?

So, MapQuest would take a definitive stance as the anti-efficient navigation app, transitioning from a simple navigation app to a new platform that prioritizes experiences over efficiency. Instead of providing the fastest route from A to B, MapQuest would intentionally avoid it, curating a journey that transforms a dull drive on I-95 into a full-blown adventure.

Initial Design Phase

With a general idea in place, I needed to determine how the app would function and what the user experience would be like. We knew that we wanted to send users on an adventurous road trip, but what would that look like? Would they have personal input on their destinations? Is there a social element?

With countless ideas and questions, I decided that the best way to clarify the app’s functionality was to create a journey map.

Journey Map

Wireframes

Although the wireframes weren’t visually polished, they served their purpose. I was able to show them to my group, users, and professor for feedback on the overall feel of the app so far.

Key Insight

One major problem remained, and I had to figure out how to solve it:

Users need to specify how long they want their journey to last.

What might seem like a simple fix for other apps—just adding a timer or mileage dropdown—wouldn’t work for SideQuests. I determined that users wouldn't want to take a trip without knowing how long it was going to take, at least a rough estimate.

However, if we showed users the exact time it would take to complete the journey, that would go entirely against what we are trying to accomplish: Enjoy the journey; don't worry about time.

After a few brainstorming sessions (enjoy my frantic whiteboarding)...

…I created a slider with a corresponding route line. This turned out to be the best of both worlds. Users can still enjoy their trip without worrying about a timer, but they also aren't flying blind and are able to ~roughly~ tell how long the journey will take.

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