Apple Maps Accessibility

As a wheelchair user, journey planning is a problem I navigate myself. So when an assignment on my UX design course asked me to propose improvements to an existing app, I chose Apple Maps and an accessibility feature.

Apple already design for accessibility across speech, vision, hearing, mobility and cognition, which made Maps a natural place to extend that work to route planning.

As a long-standing user of Apple products, I decided to focus on some development proposals to improve the existing accessibility features in Apple Maps.

Accessibility and mobility needs vary from person to person. Further detail, customisation and development in the app could therefore be improved to assist the wider demographic.

Currently, as a wheelchair user, planning your journey requires using multiple platforms: Google Maps street view, reading reviews, looking out for other accessibility reviews and comments, or calling ahead to places of destination. This is the case for the majority of individuals with specific accessibility needs or mobility issues.

While it is possible, it is time consuming and often requires multiple platforms. This uncertainty of accessibility will often put people off going out and exploring new places.

“I find exploring new places and cities quite daunting. Being wheelchair dependant it’s hard to know exactly what routes are accessible to me without doing some prior research. I find this inhibits my spontaneity and can often put me off.” Research questionnaire participant