Google Maps Feature Design: Helping Groups Plan and Travel Together

How would you improve Google Maps for people traveling as a group? ```hint Choose the group first A family in one car, friends converging from different cities, and a weekend trip with several cars all run into trouble at different moments. Pick one and find where keeping everyone in sync breaks down. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does group travel mean a multi-day trip with several stops, or also a single outing such as friends meeting for dinner? - Is the group riding together in one vehicle, or traveling separately from different starting points? - Can I assume everyone in the group uses Google Maps, or should it work for someone who only receives a shared link? - Is the aim more engagement with Maps, or should the solution also connect to bookings such as restaurants and hotels? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A chosen type of group and a reason for choosing it - Coordination pain points before and during the trip: agreeing on where to go, staying in sync on the road, and splitting up and finding each other again - Prioritized solutions that build on what Maps already does well, such as places, routing and location sharing - Success metrics for a feature that only works when several people use it, with guardrails - Consent, privacy and driving-safety risks around sharing location with a group ### Follow-up Questions - How would the product work for a member who does not want to share their live location? - How would you measure success when the value depends on several people adopting the feature at once? - What would change if the group were a large organized tour instead of a few friends?