Google Maps Reimagined
Google Maps Reimagined
Where navigation meets self-expression.
A conceptual collaboration project with Google and SCADpro to reimagine Google Maps for young urban users. Some concepts included in this conceptual design have developed and integrated into Google Maps.
View more working details
Project Type
Conceptual exploration of a redesigned app for Gen Z
Duration
10 weeks, Fall 2018
Tools
Figma, Illustrator
Team
SCADpro x Google
Design Digest
Design Digest
My SCADpro team and I partnered with the team at Google to develop a conceptual redesign of Google Maps—tailored specifically for urban youth aged 13–24. We set out to reimagine Maps as more than a navigation tool: something that could empower young people to move through the world with confidence, connection, and curiosity. Through in-depth research, iterative design, and user testing, we explored how location-based technology could evolve to support independence and identity in meaningful ways.
Introducing Google Maps for a Gen Z audience
Click to view the vision video
Discover
Discover
We began by immersing ourselves in the daily lives of our target audience: Gen Z users navigating urban environments. Through a combination of primary and secondary research, we uncovered how young people relate to mapping tools—and where those tools fall short. We conducted interviews, surveys, and diary studies, gathering insights from over 120 participants. This phase surfaced recurring themes around autonomy, digital fatigue, safety, and self-expression—laying the foundation for the design challenges ahead.
Define
Define
From our research, we synthesized over 900 data points to identify three distinct user archetypes and five core experience pillars. We reframed the product opportunity through the lens of these archetypes, asking:
How might Google Maps become more personal, supportive, and socially aware—without overwhelming the user?
This phase helped us clarify key needs around exploration, control, contextual information, and peer-driven discovery, forming a strategic blueprint for our design directions.
Research
Research Implementation
Want to learn more?
Full process details are included in the book.
Design
Design
Guided by our user insights, we moved into exploration and prototyping. As a team, we collaborated on concept sketches, task flows, and interaction models, iterating on ideas that could bring clarity and personality to the Google Maps experience. I contributed to both the visual and interaction design, helping develop features like a customizable home screen, socially-driven map layers, and intent-based journey planning. Our approach balanced practical UX principles with a deep sensitivity to how Gen Z users express themselves and interact with technology.
Deliver
Deliver
We presented our conceptual redesign as a polished interactive prototype and case study to Google and SCAD stakeholders. Our final solution included a redesigned mobile interface, personalized onboarding flow, and enhanced features that emphasized social navigation, safety cues, and contextual decision-making. While the product was not intended for development, our work demonstrated how Google Maps could adapt to better serve young, digitally-native users in a way that reflects their values, routines, and sense of self.
Debrief
Debrief
This project challenged us to think beyond functionality and consider how emotional resonance and social context shape navigation experiences. I left with a deeper understanding of designing for scale, balancing user needs with platform constraints, and advocating for inclusive, age-relevant experiences. Most of all, it reinforced the power of collaborative, research-driven design to rethink even the most familiar products in fresh, human-centered ways.
