Sandra Dögg

Product Designer & UI Developer · Icelander living in Denmark · Mom of two · Bookworm

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@heyeaslo This kind of quality only comes from one company... Hello @arcinternet 🫶

[Elizabeth Laraki @elizlaraki]

15 years ago, I helped design Google Maps.

I still use it everyday.

Last week, the team dramatically changed the map’s visual design.

I don’t love it.

It feels colder, less accurate and less human.

But more importantly, they missed a key opportunity to simplify and scale.

–––

Google Maps has started to widely roll out updated map colors:

- All roads are now gray

- Water changed from blue to teal

- Parks and open spaces are now mint green

It seems the goal was to improve usability and make the maps more readable.

Admittedly, I do think major roads, traffic, and trails stand out more now.

But the colors of water and parks/open spaces blend together.

And to me, the palette feels colder and more computer generated.

But color choices aside…

If the goal was better usability, the team missed a big opportunity:

Google Maps should have cleaned up the crud overlaying the map.

–––

So much stuff has accumulated on top of the map.

Currently there are ~11 different elements obscuring it:

- Search box

- 8 pills overlayed in 4 rows

- A peeking card for “latest in the area”

- A bottom nav bar

(Personally, I would LOVE to see usage metrics for all these overlays.)

The map should be sacred real estate.

Only things that are highly useful to many people should obscure it.

There should be a very limited number of features that can cover the map view.

And there are multiple ways to add new features without overlaying them directly on the map.

–––

Here’s how it could look:

- Keep the search box

- Keep the bottom bar

- Remove everything else from the map

- Roll the most used features into the bottom bar

- Bury the less used features elsewhere in the app

I assume the search box and directions are top priority and should remain prominent.

My Location and map layers (satellite, traffic, etc.) could move to the bottom bar.

The explore overlays (restaurants, gas, etc.) could live in the bottom bar in “Explore” and open as cards.

The additional space in the bottom bar could be used for Saved, as a “More” option, or could be removed entirely.

There are many variations of how features could be arranged.

But the key points are:

- Dramatically simplify

- Strongly prioritize map visibility

- Bury legacy and low use features

–––

It’s normal for products to accumulate features over time.

But it’s also super important to stay vigilant and continually clean them up.

In many ways, it’s interesting to see history repeating itself.

In 2007, I was 1 of 2 designers on Google Maps.

At that time, Maps had already become a cluttered mess.

We were wedging new features into any space we could find in the UI.

The user experience was suffering and the product was growing increasingly complicated.

We had to rethink the app to be simple and scale for the future.

It seems like it’s time for Google Maps to do this again…

–––

For more on design + tips for early stage founders, follow me on X: @elizlaraki

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

I was going to write a post about how I was looking for my next opportunity but then Sam Altman and friends stole my thunder... nah, just kidding 🫶🏻

But if you are looking for your next product designer, I'm right here 👋🏻

https://t.co/p5OcGJFkgA

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@GMaxi_ @checklyHQ @nucro Congratulations Maxi 🎉
They are lucky to have you in the team!

[Richard R Clark 🇺🇦 @rclarkie]

A wee thread about a young boy and the tweet that got away. Feel free to RT.

Three weeks ago my youngest, Gabriel 12, came home upset. His love of woodwork was not deemed cool, nor was only having 6 followers on his instagram. 1/15

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

Time to show those little shits who's the boss 💪

Check out clarkie_woodwork on Instagram and help this talented 12 year old woodworker out with a follow.

[Richard R Clark 🇺🇦 @rclarkie]

Lovely twitter people - I don't know how many of you are also #instagram users but I'm looking for a wee favour. I've a 12yr old who loves woodwork. He spends hours on his lathe making bowls and creating chopping boards which he's sells to save up for a mountain bike. 1/3

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@martinleblanc @sketch @RamsesCabello, could you forward @martinleblanc's message? 😊

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

Throat says yes, nose says no 😷

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

Wordle is like bowling to me, throw something out there and see if it works 😅

Wordle 226 6/6

🟨⬛⬛⬛⬛
⬛⬛🟩🟨⬛
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

Yikes 😂

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@madshensel Very good first try! Here's mine, pretty average but I'm already excited to try again tomorrow. And here I was, on such a good roll, not trying out popular games 😂

Wordle 224 4/6

⬛🟩🟩⬛⬛
⬛⬛⬛🟩⬛
⬛🟩🟩🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

Uh oh, I tried Wordle 🤩

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

Hilarious 😂 NFTs didn't stand a chance in 2008

[Sveinn Birkir @sveinnbirkir]

Árið 2008 las ég fyrst þennan spádóm um NFT og þetta er ennþá það fyndnasta sem internetið hefur gefið af sér.

https://t.co/PN6SYNLlir

[Charly Wargnier @DataChaz]

"AI will take over the world 😱 !!!"

AI:

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@martinleblanc Happy birthday, Martin 🥳

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@RamsesCabello @TAEvangelist We might not be working together anymore but you're not getting rid of me from your work space 🤣

All jokes aside, I'm really happy you like it 💛

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@RamsesCabello Thank you for everything 💛

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@itsgabsgarcia @RamsesCabello

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@martinleblanc Bonobo - The North Borders
alt-J - This Is All Yours
Massive Attack - Mezzanine

[Sandra Dögg @sandradogg]

@RamsesCabello