Raising Google Maps Engagement: Segment Choice, Feature Ideas and Metrics

You are a product manager on Google Maps, and your goal is to raise engagement. How would you go about it? ```hint Define engagement for a utility People often open Maps only to get somewhere, and a faster route means less time in the app. Decide which kind of engagement signals real value before choosing users and features. ``` ### Clarifying Questions - Does engagement mean more people using Maps, the same people using it on more days, or deeper use such as saving, reviewing and exploring places? - Is the scope the whole Maps product across phone, web and in-car, or one area such as navigation or local discovery? - Is there a time frame for showing results, and is the engagement goal ultimately meant to support local ads revenue? - Can I propose new features, or should I improve what Maps already offers? ### What a Strong Answer Covers - A definition of engagement that fits a utility product, including why time spent is a poor target for navigation - Maps users segmented by job (commuting, navigating somewhere new, discovering local places, travel planning) and a justified choice of one - Pain points of that segment, and solutions that bring users back repeatedly rather than once - Prioritization by impact and effort, ending in a clear MVP - Success metrics with guardrails for driver distraction, location privacy and notification fatigue ### Follow-up Questions - How would you tell whether your feature created new engagement or only moved activity over from Google Search? - Your launch raises sessions per user, but user satisfaction scores fall. What do you do? - Which part of your plan depends on location history, and how does it work for users who turn that off?