Deletion in Suggest
Overview
🤔 The Google Maps Mobile client does not offer a way to delete search history,
💡 Create a design that allows users to delete history while maintaining integrity of privacy and brand design.
🧰User Testing Figma iOS Android
Background
Deleting Search HIstory is cumbersome.
Creating low fidelity mocks allowed for rapid concepting.
I proposed a dual solution to conform to user needs.
Takeaways
Analyzing the issues and putting them on a severity scale, I found that while the swipe gesture wasn’t as discoverable, this issue was not as severe as the X affordance being outdated.
Using design methods, I found that research-led techniques are pertinent to the design process. Without user testing and input, one may be misled by solutions that seem obvious or most popular, instead of choosing what truly works for the user experience.
To better understand potential user pain points, I led usability testing of the three concepts.
✅ Easy to delete in succession
✅ Three dot icon is intuitive
❌ Paragraph causes hesitation and confusion
“Once I’m here, I can do it in one shot.” - PPT 4
✅ Preferred by 7/11 participants
✅ Simple, most direct option
❌ Outdated, inconsistent with other products
“X is universal, that’s why I gravitate towards it.” - PPT 1
✅ Allows for easy decision making
✅ Function is familiar
❌ Not very discoverable
“It wasn’t straightforward, but I’m tech savvy.” - PPT 6
Usability
Many searchboxes across products allow users to remove search history directly. This functionality is familiar to users, and expected from a product.
Convenience
Users can currently remove search activity by going to myactivity.google.com. While this provides a way for users to delete history, it is cumbersome and involves navigating outside of Google Maps.
Trust
Providing a clear, instant way to remove search history within the app protects users’ privacy and helps avoid trust issues. This includes collection of data for advertisements.
Satisfaction
The ability to delete search history has consistently been a top feature request from Maps users, comprising around ~10% of top user complaints in monthly Maps Feature Level Feedback Reports.
Understanding the User
Creating Concepts
User Testing Key Insights
Solution