Design Challenge - Design challenge of "From struggle to delight" via Culture of Design. Take an area of your life where you observe a struggle for yourself or someone you observe and create a solution that takes that struggle and turns it into an user experience opportunity of delight.
Problem - Reaching for my phone feels cumbersome, but I love the idea of contributing knowledge to a data base of users commuting near my location. I think this contribution helps those using Google Maps to stay informed about traffic trends so they can drive cautiously and be aware of upcoming conditions.
Solution - A tangible and interactive sleeve on the steering wheel that will communicate input on my behalf to the Google Maps app. Easier to reach, easier to use, easier to contribute. Convenient feedback in real time without the additional hassle of navigating your phone.
Further Explorations - Customizing the button inputs on the wheel to meet your preferences and most common used actions. Adding a "still there" button; as this is my most common action taken with Google Maps when giving input. Lastly, create a section in the Google Maps app that allows you to pair this device and customize your buttons/inputs.
Supporting Research Articles:
https://techpp.com/2025/03/27/google-maps-symbols-and-icons-explained/
https://lifehacker.com/one-of-google-maps-best-new-features-is-finally-availab-1839169210
https://lifehacker.com/one-of-google-maps-best-new-features-is-finally-availab-1839169210