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Design Brief - Map Overlays

Date: July 10, 2025
Project Lead: @Douglas Erickson (Deactivated)
Lead Designer: [Designer Name]

Project Background

Our maps lack real-world context. Users like dispatchers and planners are forced to constantly switch to external tools like Google Maps to view traffic or verify locations with satellite imagery. This is inefficient and leads to inaccurate ETAs and suboptimal routes.

Following discovery, we have validated that integrating map overlays directly into our platform is a high-value solution. This design brief outlines the requirements for designing this feature.

Design Goals & Objectives

The primary goal is to seamlessly integrate map overlays into our application. The design must achieve the following objectives:

  • Be Intuitive & Discoverable: Users should be able to easily find and operate the new layers control without any training. The function of each overlay should be self-evident.

  • Be Fast & Performant: The design must be lightweight. Activating overlays should not noticeably degrade the loading or interaction speed of our maps, especially on the data-heavy Visual Dispatch Board.

  • Be Consistent: The feature must look, feel, and behave identically across all three implementation areas: the Visual Dispatch Board, the Itinerary Planning screen, and the public Client Portal.

  • Clearly Delineate Value: The design should subtly guide users toward our premium data offerings (Real-time Traffic) while making standard layers (Satellite) feel like a core part of the experience.

Target Audience

  • Primary User (Dispatcher/Route Planner): This user is a power user operating in a fast-paced environment. They need quick access to dense information and will use these overlays daily to make critical, time-sensitive decisions. The design should prioritize speed and clarity for them.

  • Secondary User (End-Client): This user accesses our platform through the client portal to track a delivery or service. Their needs are simpler; they require a clean, easy-to-understand view that builds confidence in the provided ETA.

Key Features & Scope (What to Design)

The core of this project is a new map control UI and the visualization of the data itself. The design must include:

  1. "Map Layers" Control: A new, clearly recognizable icon on our map interface.

  2. Layers Menu: A pop-over or dropdown menu that appears when the control is clicked. It must contain:

    • A toggle/checkbox for Real-time Traffic.

    • A toggle/checkbox for Construction.

    • A control (e.g., radio buttons, segmented control) to switch the base map between Standard and Satellite views.

  3. Street View Interaction: A defined user flow for activating Street View (e.g., right-click context menu option on a specific point).

  4. Data Visualization: The visual representation of the overlays on the map (e.g., standard green/yellow/red lines for traffic).

Constraints & Considerations

  • Out of Scope for V1: The design should not include concepts for Weather overlays or user-uploaded custom layers.

  • Data Source: The final design must be compatible with data from third-party map providers (e.g., Google Maps Platform, HERE). Visual styles for traffic may be dictated by the chosen provider's API.

  • Pricing Tier Distinction: The UI for the "Traffic" overlay should feel like a premium feature, distinct from the standard "Satellite" view, to reinforce our pricing strategy.

Timeline & Deliverables

The discovery phase is scheduled to conclude on August 22, 2025. The design phase will follow immediately.

  • Low-Fidelity Wireframes & User Flows: (Due: September 5, 2025)

  • High-Fidelity Mockups & Interactive Prototype: (Due: September 19, 2025)

  • Final Design Assets & Specifications for Handoff: (Due: September 26, 2025)