Interviewer: Design Google Maps for senior citizens.

Candidate: Considering rising life expectancy, should we focus on everyone over 60 or a narrower segment?

Interviewer: Let’s consider everyone over 60.

Candidate: Should we aim to increase engagement, adoption, or both?

Interviewer: Focus on engagement.

Candidate: Any constraints?

Interviewer: None.

Candidate: Should we focus on the app or web, and for which geography?

Interviewer: Mobile app for India.

Candidate: Great. Let’s aim to improve engagement for seniors using the Google Maps Android app. Most are aware of the app but may struggle with usability due to low tech-savviness. Let’s explore key user personas:

1. Ramesh (60) – Recently retired, launched a wholesale business, tech-aware, travels inter-state.

2. Chitra (65) – Lives in a tier-2 city, wants to move closer to family, uses YouTube and WhatsApp, digitally literate.

3. Vishnu (78) – Lives with family in a tier-3 city, rarely travels independently.

Candidate: I’ll prioritize personas like Chitra—independent seniors with frequent navigation needs. Let’s identify user pain points:

• Never used navigation apps; overwhelmed by screen and instructions.

• UI feels cluttered and hard to operate.

• Voice assistant speaks too fast or with unclear accent.

• Discomfort with traveling alone or during peak hours.

• Family discourages them from going out solo.

Proposed Solutions:

1. Simplified UI: Detect senior users via age or mode selection and show a cleaner, decluttered interface.

2. Voice Assistant Improvements: Let users slow down voice instructions, offer regional language options, and ensure clearer pronunciation.

3. AR/Visual Overlays: Show real-time turn indicators or color-coded markers to aid in navigation, especially in flyovers or busy intersections.

4. Contextual Alerts: Smart notifications based on habits (e.g., walk times, appointments) and time of app usage (e.g., morning = parks).

5. Personalized Exploration: Recommend nearby essential services (e.g., hospitals, parks, safe eateries), tailored to senior needs. Encourage family engagement through shared suggestions.

Prioritization (RICE Framework):

• High Priority:

• #1 (Simplified UI) and #2 (Voice assistant) – High impact, low effort, testable via prototypes.

• Medium Priority:

• #4 (Contextual alerts) – Valuable but needs behavior learning and testing.

• Lower Priority:

• #3 (AR overlays) – Innovative but dependent on hardware/internet and not essential for MVP.

• #5 (Exploration engine) – Start basic, build over time with personalization logic.

Success Metrics:

• Notification click-through rate.

• Weekly active users (WAU) using search/navigation.

• % enabling data sharing.

• Success rate in entering and reaching destinations.

• Participation in recommended activities or groups.

• 30-day retention rate.

Interviewer: Thank you.

Candidate: You’re welcome.

⸻

Would you like this adapted into a LinkedIn post or visual carousel as well?