Map in an app

[rasagy]

Hi everyone,

Let’s use this issue to work on our map-in-an-app exercise. Our aim is to create a prototype for an app where a map plays a key role.

You can pick from the following approaches:

1. Redesign the map experience that already exists in an existing app
2. Add a new feature/workflow that includes a map in an existing app
3. Create a new map-based app

Document your design process:

1. Idea, target user group, similar apps
2. Brainstorm potential problems this will solve/features it’ll offer (vs it won’t offer)
3. User flow, IA, wireframes etc for the concept
4. Aesthetic/branding inspiration (moodboard/references)
5. Map style using Mapbox studio
6. Hi fid screens/prototype

Aim for three aspects when incorporating this map in your app design:

1. Custom basemap designed in Mapbox Studio
2. Overlays that focus on highlighting some info (can be added on Figma/any design tool)
3. Interactions with the map

References

• My Pinterest board with some inspiration for map-in-an-app
• Great collection of Map UI Patterns
• Mapbox’s Guide to Map Design & set of Map Design tutorials
• Create custom datasets on Mapbox Dataset Editor or Geojson.io
• Extract data from OpenStreetMap by finding relevant tags and running a query using Overpass Turbo’s Wizard
• Past examples of work done in this course: Map in an app #80, Apps with maps Assignment #31

[d-puk]

Map in an app

Ideas for apps

1. Walking guides in cities

What : An app that shows users walking routes by theme, purpose.

Who : For urbanists, tourists, guides, locals to craft recommendations and curations for others to explore.

Similar apps : All trails, Apple Maps guide feature

2. Community services

What : A simple app that shows you all the essential services you need in a short radius around you, to help community building and knowledge.

Who : For new residents, to get to know their area better and help build small businesses.

3. Borrowing stuff

What : A map where you can see the nearest person offering a tool/thing you'd like to borrow.
(Context : This was originally an app designed for my service design module where I had come up with a service that lets people share occasional-use items, like power tools/hobby materials/appliances etc, with their own friend groups)

Adding a map to a peer-to-peer sharing platform

Here's some context on the app I will be adding a map to :

This platform was designed for people who :

• want to access high quality goods for occasional use
• have products that they would like to give away
• want to collectively own/share items that the whole group would benefit from

A feature designed with maps in mind could look something like this :

Prototype of the map

I haven't styled the map as intended yet, but I used a mixture of time and place based mapping, inspired by Mapbox's prototypes on the same ideas.

Screen.Recording.2025-01-17.at.3.55.21.PM.mov

[tanishigola]

Map in a reading tracker

Idea: Connecting people with fellow readers and book clubs in their city and providing fun reading based activities around town.
Integrating this with the existing app Goodreads.

Similar apps: Storygraph, Fable (all currently missing a map element)

Who is it for?
For avid readers who want to explore the reading community in their city.

What will it offer?

• Locating book clubs in the city
• Find reading hubs and book cafes
• Locating bookstores and thrift shops

A glimpse at the current app

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Current information architecture of app

Proposed information architecture of app

Persona and User Flow

User Persona

• Avid reader, likes tracking their reading progress
• Likes to discuss about the books they read and share with friends
• Has been part of a book club before, but is trying to find a new one in their new city
• Prefers to buy books from physical bookshops and likes to explore new places

Their journey on the app (map feature) may look something like this:

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How is this feature adding value?

• Hoping to increase the frequency of use of the app (time spent on the app)
• Increasing traffic on the app through the addition of book clubs and book events (number of people using it)

Wireframes for screens

Map style iterations and stylesheet

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Final UI Screens

Prototype of the map in app

prototype.2.mov

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[Nisha10140]

Map in App

Idea for app
A new feature in event exploration app, where users can explore events and activities happening in their vicinity through an interactive map.

Target User Group

• Young adults (81-35 years old) who are socially active and frequently attend events.
• Event organizers and local business looking for platforms for promotions
• Tourist & new residents.

Similar apps

• BookMyShow : A comprehensive platform for booking movie tickets, live shows, and events.
• Meetup: Focuses on community-building and events based on interests.
• Eventbrite: A popular platform for discovering and booking events.
  

Ideation and elements

[kokoberry21]

Komal

Map in an app: Map in Learning network platform

Enhancing UrbanPro’s Learning Experience with a Map-Centric Feature

UrbanPro is a learning network platform connecting students, parents, and professionals with verified tutors, trainers, and institutes across a wide range of categories. The platform offers both online and offline learning opportunities, allowing users to find tutors for home tuitions or attend classes at tutors' locations nearby.
https://www.urbanpro.com

Idea (map integration): The core enhancement focuses on creating a two-way discovery system where:

1. Students and Parents can browse the locations of available tutors in their vicinity
2. Tutors can identify students nearby, understand their subject demands, and expand their teaching network.

USP: (Two-Way Discovery) Empower tutors and students/parents alike to find the right match with ease.

Target group: Tutors and parents (of students upto class 10th)
Why this app will not work: Online learning- Map's value diminishes where proximity doesn't matter

Creating app for Superprof

Superprof is another Learning & Networking Platform that connects tutor and students

Initial Wireframes: Student dashboard

[animesh-bajia]

Map in App

Ideas for App

Concept-1:
A new feature in a Running and Cycling app, where the raider can host a trip which will be visible on the map, and other raiders can request to join for the collab. Every raider will also have a rating given by other raiders.

Why: This will allow people to build new friends and community where people will also make new friends.

Similar app: Starva. Adidas running tracker, Nike run club, Relive run.

Concept-2:
A map feature which will help the chess enthusiast to see the people around them who are playing chess, where they can challenge each other. Connect with them and decide a place to play chess together. People can build a community and host a tournament among them.

Why: In this last few years we are seeing a growth in Indian chess players and lot of people are starting to play chess. This will allow people to meet and play chess, learn new gambits, moves and shares each others experiences.

Platforms: chess.com, lichess,

[DhvaniJ]

Map In Railway Apps

Concept: 1
Live Map monitoring of Railway tracks for safety controls to prevent accidents caused due to hindrances in railway tracks.

Concept: 2
Freight Management System App

• Real time tracking of freight wagons & consignments
• Optimise track usage

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Safe Rail App

Concept: Design a safety application that provides real-time train tracking and utilises advanced GPS technology, cameras, and sensors for hazard detection on railway tracks. The app will proactively identify and address potential safety risks, prevent accidents, and enhance operational efficiency, ensuring the highest standards of railway safety.

Target Users:

1. Indian Railways Authorities
2. Train Operators

Key Features:
Real-time visualization of all Indian Railway routes.
Live Train Positions: Show trains in motion with speed, direction, and ETA using maps
Dynamic Color-Coded Tracks: Green: Clear tracks. Yellow: Caution (e.g., weather issues). Red: Hazard detected.
Point-of-Interest Layers: Show nearby stations, maintenance depots, and crossings.

Real-Time Hazard Detection:
Integration with IoT sensors, CCTV cameras, and drones for track monitoring.
AI-powered image recognition to detect: Obstructions (fallen trees, debris, animals), Track damage (cracks, displacements), and Unauthorised movements (trespassers, vehicles stuck on tracks).

Alerts:
Immediate notifications to railway operators and nearest trains.
Automated messages to maintenance teams.

Ref: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Railway_network_map_of_India_-_Schematic.svg

App Screens

Login/Signup Screen

• Role selection: Railway Authority or Train Operator

• Username, password

• Onboarding screens

Dashboard Screen
• Live railway map view with (toggle for satellite view & transit view)
• Alert Markers on Map
(On click opens details of the alert )

• Train information
• Distance from danger - in kms and time
  Actions
• Option to confirm danger after live inspection - No | Confirm
• Emergency call option to maintenance dept. of the nearest stations.
• Send alert option to respective authorities.

Maintenance Screen
• List view of confirmed danger - with details
• Status updates of assigned authority
• Progress status of the maintenance ( In Danger | Under Maintenance | Resolved )
Actions

• Assign the issue
• Alert the Train operator
• Assign a New route to the train
• Alert to Divert to the new route

Alerts/Notifications
Automatic AI-generated alerts based on any dangers found

• Verify the alert by checking the map view
• Confirm the danger

Menu

• Profile
• Settings
• Alerts
• Language
• Support
• FAQs
• Terms & Policy
• About Us

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Dashboard UI Screen for Railway Authority Management

Mapbox Link:
https://api.mapbox.com/styles/v1/dhvani09/cm5zwheqy002w01qwdyjihp2c.html?title=view&access_token=pk.eyJ1IjoiZGh2YW5pMDkiLCJhIjoiY2x2YXZnNTBxMDJhZTJpcnNlN3cxY3p3MiJ9.hMtGRHXe8rFtexZTwbdK4A&zoomwheel=true&fresh=true#13/22.28895/73.20088

[Sanket86400]

IDEA 1 : Land Boundary & Construction Regulations Mapping App

Main Feature: Pinpoint land coordinates with real-time area and shape visualization. It will integrate 3D compliance checks for construction, automatically generating hollow building structure based on urban regulations like UDCPR, ensuring adherence to height, setback, and FSI guidelines.
Additional Scope:
Legal Proof: Digital ownership certificates synced with land records.
Dispute Resolution: Detect and fix boundary manipulations.
3D Visualization: Auto-generate compliant structures based on regional rules.

Updated Brief:
Problem: Physical plot markers often vanish due to overgrowth or wear, making it difficult for developers and owners to locate and identify plot boundaries.

Concept of App:
A GPS-enabled app that digitally maps plot boundaries and roads during development, allowing owners to navigate and identify their plots in real-time using precise coordinates.

Features:

Digital Plot Mapping: Mark and store plot boundaries and roads during layout development.
Real-Time Plot Locator: GPS navigation to identify plots with boundary overlays on-site.
Ownership Integration: Link plots with ownership data and provide secure digital verification.
Offline Access: Navigate and view plot details in remote areas without internet.

Other Options:
2.Mapping Groundwater for Borewells/ Water Sources
To identify groundwater availability beneath the surface, using geological data, terrain analysis, and satellite imagery.
Shall Help in Display aquifers, soil type, and groundwater depth.
Resources: hydro geological surveys.

3.Map-Based App for Advanced Farming
Individual Tree Mapping: Map and assign unique IDs to every tree for precise tracking.
Health Monitoring: Record tree health, growth data, and fruit quality with IoT sensor integration.
Task Assignment: Allocate tasks like weeding, pruning, and pest control with reminders and progress updates.

4. Map Guide for Sky Gliders & Paragliders
For paragliders, skydivers, and adventure seekers to plan and navigate their flights.

[anushaa20]

Concept 1- Spotify
A map for song discovery from around the world + What people around you are listening + Local singer/ musicians + event discovery

Concept 2- ODOP- One District One Product
A map for discovering local artisans, traditional/ folk art products, sellers to promote local
Who- Young professionals, tourists, people interested in sustainable and handicraft products
Why- The map will aid the user in product discovery, based on regions and nearby handicrafts

Suggested map feature: Search nearby option + Region wise product discovery, (etc. still looking into it)

User flow:

[arushiverma1999]

Topics of Interest

1)An app to search for dog walkers within your residential and nearby area. Could see all the people up for dog walking and track their route through the map in the app itself.

2)To search for surplus food from the nearest restaurants and get the items at a discounted price, rather than getting the food wasted it could be used itself. I am thinking of adding this within food delivery apps as well, which could have a fixed slot for surplus food sales.

[Zayyy007]

1- Enhancing the user experience of Uber Moto Women, particularly in map functionalities, to significantly improve service efficiency and user satisfaction. Implement features that anonymize the exact pickup and drop-off locations on shared maps, displaying only the general vicinity to protect user privacy and display the real-time locations of available female drivers, allowing riders to make informed decisions based on proximity and estimated arrival times.

2- Enhancing the OneSoil app to improve user experience and provide more value to farmers and agronomists.
Simplified Navigation, Streamline the app's layout to ensure intuitive access to key features like crop monitoring, weather forecasts, and field notes.

3- We often struggle to maintain habits due to a lack of contextual relevance and motivation. Traditional habit trackers provide generic reminders without considering our environment, leading to disengagement and inconsistent habit formation.

Proposed Solution:

A habit-tracking app that enables us to link habits to specific locations. For example, I could set a habit to "Read for 30 minutes" when arriving at a local library or "Practice yoga" upon entering a designated space at home. This approach leverages environmental cues to reinforce habit formation.

Key Features:

A-Location-Based Reminders: Send notifications when users arrive at predefined locations associated with their habits.
B-Geofencing: Utilize geofencing technology to detect when users enter or exit specific areas, triggering habit-related prompts.
C-Progress Visualization: Display habit completion statistics on a map, showing which locations have been most conducive to habit formation.
D-Community Engagement: Allow users to share their location-based habits with friends or within a community, fostering accountability and support.

Why???:

Contextual Relevance: Aligns habits with specific environments, making them more meaningful and easier to perform.
Enhanced Motivation: Environmental cues serve as reminders, increasing the likelihood of habit completion.
Personalized Experience: Tailors habit-tracking to individual routines and locations, offering a customized user experience.

Existing apps

What I would Offer "By integrating location-based tracking, my app can offer a unique and effective approach to habit formation, setting it apart from existing solutions.

Ideation

Persona

Mood board

Screen trials (Figuring out the layout and flow)

[Sarbottama]

App idea- A soundscape explorer

An app that visualises and plays the soundscapes of different locations around the world.

some feaures-

• Interactive map with pins representing recorded or live soundscape. Like Birds in Rainforests, Recorded animal calls at night or bustling city streets
• collaboration feature where friends can create shared maps with sound memories. User generated data like these would help create Global Sonic Archive
• In the map, as users move their cursor or finger across the map, elevation, water bodies,etc emit different tones.

[SiddhantKNID]

Redesigning shazam & Integrating Map-Based Features

• Discover music tracks by location
• Visualize where music is discovered and which music is most discovered on what location
• Connect with people with similar music tastes based on area & build a community
• community connection around music
• giving new meaning to - Find Music, discovering places and knowing the vibe of the area.
  

Idea (Concept)

[buzzgod]

Display jobs on a map based on location, commute times, or proximity to the user.

Job Search:
Allow filtering jobs by neighborhood, city, or distance radius.
Networking:
Show nearby connections or professionals in the user’s field.
Enable location-based meetups or co-working spaces.

Events and Conferences:
Visualize event venues, including schedules and session locations.
Provide directions to events or display nearby amenities like hotels or cafes.

Company Insights:
Show the geographic distribution of a company’s offices globally or within a region.
Display maps of partner organizations, subsidiaries, or client locations

[Anandana0298]

Preliminary Ideas:

1. Find, borrow, lend books around you. A library of people.

Browse through a collection of books people own around you lend, borrow and share.
2. Same as (1.) but with valuable items. Difference is, this one comes with a small security deposit/rental. Items to consider- Cameras, Laptops, other electronic items.
3. Plan a trip around the city, for a group of people by card matching.
4. Fun app to find a seat nearby: Log a seat, log condition (shaded, backrest etc), filter for if it needs payment or not. (eg, paid park entry)

Final Idea : Google News map with geotags (also can be used as a filter on existing google maps called 'news'). In essence, anything that is reported can be geotagged. It can be a pinned location or a whole region eg. Bangalore. I don't know if it solves a problem but I think it might be interesting to see live updates around me and around the world if required.

• Users can view real-time news based on their location, making news more relevant.

![image](https://

[ch0psuey21]

Idea 1: Stray Animal Tracking App (New App)

Idea, target user group, similar apps:

Idea: Stray Animal Tracking App
User Group: Animal Lovers, Animal Rescue Groups
Similar Apps: Let it Wag, Strayz

Brainstorm potential problems this will solve/features it’ll offer (vs it won’t offer)

Problems Solved/Features:

• Tracking of stray animal territory
• Feeding, Rescue, Adopt
• Search for lost pets
• Community Building for animal groups

Idea 2: Transaction Location Map - PayTM (New feature in an existing app)

Idea: Transaction Location Map
User Group: People who want to keep track of transaction and assess their spending habits
Similar Apps: ???

Brainstorm potential problems this will solve/features it’ll offer (vs it won’t offer)

Problems Solved/Features:

• Knowing how much you spend where

[rashmib30]

LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces in Lex
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.personals&hl=en_IN
https://www.lex.lgbt/

What: A map feature in Lex showcasing LGBTQ+ friendly places like cafes, bars, and community centers. Users can add, review, and rate locations, creating a community-sourced guide. It includes filters, personalized recommendations, and safety alerts.

Who: LGBTQ+ individuals and friends seeking safe, inclusive spaces and willing to share recommendations.

Features I'm thinking to work on:

1. Interactive Map: Displays LGBTQ+ friendly locations like cafes, bars, and community centers.
2. Personalized Recommendations: Suggestions based on user preferences and past activity.
3. Incident Reporting: Allows users to report unsafe locations with alerts sent to the community.
4. Location Sharing: Users can add safe spaces with friends or within the app community.