Former Google Maps designer factors out every part fallacious with it at the moment

Google not too long ago up to date Maps with new colours and the modifications haven’t gone down properly with customers. Former Google Maps designer Elizabeth Laraki has additionally voiced her dissent concerning the new Google Maps shade palette, however that’s not all. She has identified a number of different issues that she feels are fallacious with Maps proper now.

“Final week, the staff dramatically modified the map’s visible design. I don’t adore it. It feels colder, much less correct, and fewer human. However extra importantly, they missed a key alternative to simplify and scale,” Laraki mirrored on X (formerly Twitter).

She final labored on the earliest model of Google Maps 15 years in the past. In keeping with her present work profile, she has led design groups and formed a number of core merchandise at Fb, Google, and YouTube.

Laraki not solely finds the brand new colours in Google Maps “colder” and “extra pc generated,” however she additionally feels Google ought to have “cleaned up the crud overlaying the map.”

“Presently, there are 11 completely different components obscuring it (Maps) — Search field, eight capsules overlayed in 4 rows, a peeking card for up to date within the space, and a backside nav bar.”

Laraki feels there’s an data overload on Google Maps and that it might be far more useful if Google eliminated a few of these components or hid them elsewhere within the app.

“The map ought to be sacred actual property. Solely issues which can be extremely helpful to many individuals ought to obscure it,” she mentioned. You possibly can take a look at the present state of Google Maps and her proposed new look within the photos above.

Laraki’s modified model of Google Maps retains the search field and backside bar and removes every part else from the map.

She suggests, “The search field and instructions are prime precedence and will stay outstanding. My Location and map layers (satellite tv for pc, visitors, and many others.) may transfer to the underside bar. The Discover overlays (eating places, fuel, and many others.) may reside within the backside bar in Discover and open as playing cards. The extra house within the backside bar might be used for Saved, as a Extra possibility, or might be eliminated completely.”

Do you agree with Laraki’s proposed enhancements for Google Maps? Do you additionally really feel it’s too cluttered and might be dramatically simplified? Take our ballot above and tell us your ideas within the feedback part.