Memory Routing

TL;DR

Routing is not just “directions”—it’s an anxiety management problem. When users are moving, they have less attention. The product must keep them oriented, explain changes, and prevent mistakes without overwhelming them.

I designed a routing experience focused on:

• Orientation: “Where am I?” and “What’s next?”
• Progressive disclosure: show just enough now, reveal details on demand
• Trust cues: explain reroutes (“why”) in one line
• Exception handling: missed turns, detours, bad GPS, and network drops

This case study presents a public-safe summary of the concept work.

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1) The problem

User pain points

• Users lose confidence when the system changes the route without explanation.
• Small UI ambiguity can cause wrong turns (and frustration).
• Edge cases (missed turn, detour, traffic) weren’t handled gracefully.

Business impact (assumptions)

• Lower task completion and satisfaction
• Higher support requests (“why did it reroute?”)
• Reduced retention for repeated navigation use

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2) Goals

• Reduce cognitive load while moving
• Increase trust and comprehension during route changes
• Improve recovery during exceptions (missed turns, detours)

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3) Research & insights

What I did

• Mapped the full routing journey including edge cases
• Reviewed competitor patterns for reroute explanations
• Ran quick usability tests focusing on “route change moments”

Key insights

1. Users want a single sentence explaining reroutes (“saved 6 min”, “avoided tolls”).
2. The “next turn” instruction must dominate the hierarchy.
3. Users need “memory anchors”: consistent, repeated cues that reduce uncertainty.

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4) Solution (design principles → product decisions)

4.1 Orientation anchors

• Persistent “You are here” context
• Strong next-step module (next turn, distance, lane)
• Clear progress / remaining time and distance

4.2 Progressive disclosure

• Default: minimal information
• Expandable details: alternative routes, traffic, stop details

4.3 Exception handling

• Missed turn: calm messaging + immediate next best action
• Reroute: one-line “why” + ability to revert (where safe)
• Offline: clear state + cached route instructions

4.4 Trust cues

• Explainability for changes
• Consistent icons and language
• Reduced visual jitter during GPS updates

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5) Measurement plan (assumptions)

• Task success rate (complete route without major errors)
• Reroute comprehension rate (users correctly understand why it changed)
• Time-to-recover after reroute
• Satisfaction rating after trip completion

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6) Outcomes (directional / assumptions)

• Improved recovery speed after missed turns (~15–25%)
• Higher edge-case task success (+10–20%)
• Fewer complaints about “confusing reroutes” due to explainability cues

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7) Learnings

• In motion, people don’t read—they recognize.
• Explainability reduces anxiety and increases trust.
• Edge cases aren’t edge cases in routing—they’re daily reality.