GoodMaps Research

Tested for Accessibility and Usability

Every feature of GoodMaps has been tested by over 175 users covering five disability groups. Our research regularly engages participants in task-based usability and user experience sessions to collect valuable feedback on our iterative design and development process.

A blind user tapping his phone to navigate with GoodMaps.

arrow on track progressing from left to right

User-Centered Design

Fostering Usable, Useful,  and Joyful Experiences

The GoodMaps team is committed to addressing the needs of venue owners and the GoodMaps app’s end users throughout the design process. Our user-centered approach begins with a comprehensive study of human behavior related to our products and services. This process is iterative, and our decisions are rooted in human-centered research.

A user in a wheelchair navigates PDX with GoodMaps.

Research Methods

Discovery, Usability,  and Validation

GoodMaps engages in sound research practice at each stage of development.

In the early stages of creation, our teams engage in a robust “discovery research” phase to better understand the challenges and opportunities that exist for potential users.
As prototypes and new features emerge, we engage in thorough “user acceptance testing” to determine whether our solutions effectively resonate with our audiences.

All research is conducted with a diverse group of participants with varying ages, gender, race, and ability.

Research Participants

User-Centered Testing for Diverse Audiences

Since January 2023, the GoodMaps research team has conducted usability and user experience testing with nearly 200 app users, including:

75 individuals who are blind or have low vision
8 who are deaf or hard of hearing
10 wheelchair users
5 users with reduced mobility
14 neurodiverse users
68 users with no reported disabilities

Testing occurred across North America in Seattle, Louisville, New York City, Austin, and Ottawa, to name a few, and took place in a variety of venue types, including train stations and airports, college campuses, secondary schools, museums, and more.

Comprehensive reports are generated from these research sessions to identify common usability and user experience themes that emerge during testing. Then, a collaborative team of GoodMaps designers, developers, and research associates convene to determine an action plan for improving relevant app design and functionality.

A user who is blind holds his cane while listening to directions from the GoodMaps app.

Dissemination

Informing the R&D Community

We believe in the importance of conducting research to make our products better, as well as sharing the knowledge gleaned from that work with a larger community of researchers to inform the design and development of other interactive experiences.

When possible, the GoodMaps research team develops white papers, publishes its research in high-quality scholarly journals, and presents our work at human-computer interaction conferences.

a blind or low vision man shops at Wal-Mart by using the GoodMaps app

Publications

Research Papers

International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (HCII)

Palilonis, J., Cambron, C., & Hakim, M. (2023, July).

“Challenges, Tensions, and Opportunities in Designing App-Based Orientation and Mobility Tools for Blind and Visually Impaired Students” (pp. 372–391).

Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.

Access the Paper

Human Interaction and Emerging Technologies 2024. Volume 157

Palilonis, J. (2024, August).

“GoodMaps: Assessing a Navigation App Built on Camera-Based Positioning” (pp. 544–555).

AHFE Open Access.