Augmented Reality
Google AR
Geospatial AR experiences for Google Maps
ROLE: UX Designer
COLLABORATIONS: Staff UX Designer, User Researchers, Product Managers, Engineering
DURATION: August 2024 - Now
TOOLS: Figma, Lottie, After Effects
SUMMARY
Two months into the pilot program testing third-party Geospatial content within Google Maps, Google had launched 35 AR experiences across 50 points of interest In Paris and Singapore, reaching 30,000 monthly active users.
PROPOSAL
Based on findings, it was suggested to make the following adjustments for the remainder of the pilot program:
• Easier Content Access: Reduce friction and steps before showing the content
• More Helpful: Improve existing content and create new, more useful content
• Improve Retention: Help users find more content, and increase the content density in existing launched Singapore and Paris neighborhoods.
OUTCOMES
While the feature hasn't officially launched yet, intercept studies and user testing have yielded great and positive results.
RESEARCH INSIGHTS
We identified key user problems impacting metrics.
CURRENT
The current, live experience of how a user would enter an AR experience.
THE BEGINNING
The journey began with a series of exploratory efforts to strike the perfect balance between leaving users awe-stricken and meeting technical and business constraints. Through an easy, medium, hard framework, I navigated the spectrum of possibilities, uncovering opportunities for both near-term wins and long-term impact.
THE RATIONALE
To meet business goals, we prioritized leveraging pre-existing components for faster execution. Through an easy, medium, hard framework, "easy" proved too simplistic, and "hard" lacked foundational support. While I didn’t directly leverage the designs, the "medium" exploration hit the sweet spot, laying a robust foundation for design and engineering to grow cohesively.
THE DECISION
During reviews, we chose not to fully adopt the “medium” approach designs. However, I leveraged the horizontal scrolling design pattern from this exploration to seamlessly expose users to more AR experiences, enhancing discovery within the interface.
DESIGN RATIONALE - REDUCING DROPOFF
Every moment a user waits is a moment we risk losing them. By removing the Welcome Screen and integrating key details into the AR info card, we transform idle time into a meaningful experience. Enhanced loading visibility ensures users stay engaged, absorbing crucial information during the load and beyond—seamlessly bridging the gap from initiation to immersion.
DESIGN RATIONALE - PERSISTENT INFORMATION
A creator’s context is currently lost after entering the experience. By moving it to a persistent info card with expandable text, key details remain accessible, allowing for richer storytelling. This design also sets the stage for future features like a media gallery, enhancing audience engagement.
DESIGN RATIONALE - EASILY FINDING MORE
Finding additional content isn’t intuitive for users seeking more. By introducing a carousel of curated AR experiences at the bottom of the info sheet, we make discovery seamless. This enhancement is expected to significantly boost key metrics, increase project exposure for creators, and deliver stronger ROI.
USER TESTING
The cohort spanned an age group likely to travel frequently and engage with AR technology. We also factored in variations across devices, apps, and countries to ensure a well-rounded understanding of user needs.
HIGH-LEVEL RESEARCH QUESTIONS
An overview of the key questions we aimed to answer during user testing sessions, focusing on usability, efficiency, and overall operator experience.
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The new loading screen, AR Info Card, and "More AR Experiences" feature were all well received, reinforcing their effectiveness in enhancing user engagement and discovery.
HYPOTHESES
These hypotheses guided our evaluation, ensuring the design aligned with user expectations and behaviors.
DETAILED RESULTS
A deep dive into the insights uncovered from our cohort, revealing how the AR Info Card, immersive AR experiences, and the loading screen collectively shape user engagement and redefine interaction.
TAKEAWAYS
The insights uncovered through user testing with the cohort became more than just findings—they evolved into guiding principles, extending far beyond the scope of this study.
Intuitive Content Discovery:
Introduced a carousel of curated AR experiences at the bottom of the screen, allowing users to explore new landmarks with a simple tap.
Increased AR experience density in high-traffic areas like Paris and Singapore to meet user expectations for more discoverable content.
User-Centered Iteration:
Insights from 30,000 monthly active users revealed pain points around accessibility and content discoverability.
Refined navigation pathways and interface elements to make experiences easier to find and enjoy.
Enhanced Experience Quality:
Enriched existing AR content with more meaningful, contextually relevant narratives.
Ensured AR overlays were clear, responsive, and visually harmonious with real-world environments.
Frictionless Engagement:
Simplified user flows, reducing the number of steps to access and interact with AR content.
Optimized performance to ensure smooth transitions between experiences without lag or confusion.