Introduction #
GoodMaps is designed around the way you actually experience large, complex places – like airports, transit hubs, shopping centers, and convention halls. In these environments, you don’t move in a single straight line; instead, you spend hours moving naturally from one destination to another, pausing to carry out activities, reorienting yourself along the way. Rather than forcing you down a rigid, uninterrupted route, GoodMaps is built to support this real-life journey: helping you confidently navigate each meaningful stage as you go.
How You Actually Navigate Complex Spaces #
Think about a typical airport journey. You don’t navigate it as one continuous path – you move through distinct phases. You go from curb to check-in, then to baggage drop, then security, then amenities, then your gate. A shopping mall works the same way: this store, then another, a food stop, a restroom, more shops, then your car.
These aren’t flaws in your navigation – they reflect how people naturally move through these spaces. You have multiple destinations and purposes spread across hours, and you break your journey into stages because that’s how the experience is meant to unfold.
How Each Stage Works #
GoodMaps uses stage-based navigation to allow you to confidently re-establish your location after each transition and move toward your next destination. This isn’t a limitation – it’s a feature designed around how you actually navigate.
Here’s what happens at every destination:
- Arrive at your destination – You’ve reached a shop, restroom, gate, or food court. The app confirms your arrival.
- Carry out your activity – Spend time there – shop, eat, use facilities, check boards, or whatever brought you there.
- Select your next destination – Open the app and use the Directory to find where you’re going next – another store, a different amenity, your gate, your car, anywhere else.
- Pan to calculate the route – After selecting your destination, raise your phone vertically with the camera facing out. Slowly pan left to right. You’ll hear a success sound when the app has located you. This step is essential – without it, the app can’t calculate a route from where you actually are right now.
- Start navigating – Once panning is complete, your route appears and you can head confidently to your next stop.
Why pan after choosing your destination? You may have moved around since you last used the app. By panning after selecting your destination, you give the app your most current and accurate location – essential for calculating a precise route from exactly where you are.
The Way Forward #
Your journey through a complex environment isn’t a problem to solve – it’s simply how humans naturally navigate. With multiple destinations and purposes spread across hours, you break your journey into stages, pause to reorient, and adjust as you go. GoodMaps works with, not against, this natural behavior.
Next time you move through an airport, mall, transit hub, or any large complex space, notice how you naturally break your journey into segments. Then let GoodMaps guide you through each one.
If you are supporting the evaluation of GoodMaps in a large or complex environment, take a moment to reflect on these patterns. Ensure that participants in any testing phase are assessing their experiences in relation to typical, real-world usage – how people naturally move through and reorient within your space.