DOI:10.6129/CJP.202106_63(2).0005
Chinese Journal of Psychology 2021, Vol.63, No.2, 177-202

Analysis of the Wayfinding Strategies of Pedestrians Using the Google Maps Mobile Application

Meng-Ting Lin and Chun-Yu Lin（Department of Psychology, National Cheng Kung University）

Abstract

Following the advancements in public transportation and shared transport worldwide and the current prevalence of smartphones, a growing number of people are using navigation applications (apps) to find their way to their destination (i.e., “wayfinding”) or travel between public transport transfers. Therefore, designing an effective and userfriendly navigation system and interface is worthy of exploration. Previous studies on navigation systems have mostly focused on automobile drivers. To optimize a navigation system designed specifically for pedestrians, this study attempted to identify the operating patterns and strategies of pedestrians while using the Google Maps app on a smart phone to determine which direction to take toward the target destination. Behavioral observation, interviews, and video recordings of app operation by users were used to analyze how each participant utilized and interacted with the app to reach real-world destinations. Subsequently, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify the collected data into six types of wayfinding strategies following which users determined their departure direction. The six categories are further detailed as follows: (A) Users observe the geographical relations between landmarks and the virtual routes on the digital map without rotating the phone or turning their body. (B) Users rotate the digital map to align the landmarks on the digital map with their real-world counterparts in the physical environment. (C) Users observe the geographical relation between the heading direction of the blue beam on the digital map and the virtual route without rotating the digital map or turning their body. (D) Users turn their body to align the heading direction of the blue beam with the final destination on the digital map. (E) Users turn their body to align the heading direction of the blue beam with their departure route. (F) Users turn their body to align the heading direction of the blue beam with their departure route and then rotate the departure direction on the digital map upward on the phone. The aforementioned findings provide a deeper understanding of pedestrian behaviors when using navigation apps for wayfinding. Furthermore, future research should compare different wayfinding strategies to make suggestions on personalized navigation interface designs, thus optimizing user experience in navigation apps.

Keywords: Google Maps app; individual differences; pedestrian navigation; wayfinding strategy