The Map Explorer Tool is an in-house design tool created at Gozio Health to assist in the creation of the 3D maps used in the mobile indoor navigation apps the company developed for hospitals. Affectionally known as “Dora”, the Map Explorer app replaces the old method of rendering maps. Out with the old Terminal-based command line tools, and in with a modern visual interface.
The app was designed with the input of the digital designers at the company to help them do their job more quickly and with less errors. The design and development of the app was closely intertwined; I worked closely with the digital designers and the development team to create the user experience and user interface for the Map Explorer.
As the Map Explorer is a Mac app, the design standards use the best practices of Apple’s Human Interface Standards. The design intent was to make it feel like the tools the digital designers use on a daily basis on their computers.
The Map Explorer features four windows: Floormap for rendering maps, Package for packaging the map data for the mobile navigation, Beacons for defining beacon locations on the floormap, and Settings to manage the app settings.
The app shows the user its current running process using the Console output at the bottom of the window (see above). The user can view a simplified readable output with visual indicators or a more detailed command-line output.
