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Comment by JoeSmithson | Hacker News Reader

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JoeSmithson

I just tested this and it works as follows;

- Open Maps

- Search destination. It autocompletes after about 5 characters

- Select destination

- Screen changes to infobox about the location. There is a prominent "Directions" button

- Press "Directions"

- It changes to a route view, the Start is autocompleted to Current Location but obviously editable

- Press into start location edit box

- I can type location or "Choose on map"

This process requires essentially the minimum possible information from me (I want directions, from A, to B). What is frustrating about it?

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That is 9 or so manual steps and it doesn't become clear until step 7 or so that it can even be done! There's nothing intuitive about this and when someone knows how it works that must be because they've either learned it from someone or kept on experimenting with it until they figured it out.

compare this to the original that they "simplified" away:

- Open app in navigation mode (step 1)

- it shows two boxes, where you are going from and where you are going to

- fill said boxes. There is a button next to from to choose current destination. (step 2 and 3)

- click get directions (step 4)

Compared to the current "simple" version it is immediately clear and there are fewer steps and less things you need to know.

Obviously it's fewer steps if you combine some steps into 1 when paraphrasing.

The point is it was one step. There was a separate entry point or what should I call it from the main Android menu that took me straight to this.

You didn't break down your steps like the parent did. Here's your way:

1) Open app 2) Search for start 3) Select start 4) Search for destination 5) Select destination 6) Click directions

Here's the parent's way:

1) Open app 2) Search destination 3) Select destination 4) Select directions 5) Search for start 6) Select start

They're the same process.

No it was literally 4 actions (3 if you accepted the default starting point) and the the same amount of typing the current solution. I didn't summarize anything.

1. Open app in navigation mode (there was a separate icon for that)

2. Accept default start or type if you don't want the default.

3. Point at destination

4. Type destination and enter

Besides it was immediately obvious when I opened the app for the first time on my first smartphone, it just made sense and still does when I think about it.

Edit: I reread https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21836204

I exaggerated wildly and can get it down to 5 steps. It is by definition discoverable since we have all discovered it, but I hold that it is still not obvious or self-explanatory in any way.

It's immediately obvious to me how to use it now. And if you accept the default start then both solutions are still the same.

Gmaps right now works like this:

1) Open App 2) Click search box 3) Either select a destination from the list that pops up or start typing and actually search. Once that's done the route pops up with your travel time. 4) Click start

If you want to change your start:

4) Select the starting location 5) Search or select from the list that pops up and your route and travel time are show. 6) Click start

It's not rocket science. It's all obvious from the UI.

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