Business requirements
EasyGo is an accessible routing application that helps people with mobility and cognitive disabilities navigate their environment safely and confidently. Routes are generated using a priority-ranked logic that accounts for hazards, terrain, accessibility infrastructure, and cognitive simplicity — putting safety first at every decision point.
People navigating with mobility disabilities (wheelchair users, limited mobility), cognitive disabilities (wayfinding challenges, processing difficulties), and situational limitations (stroller, injury, temporary impairment).
Research interviewees: Andrew · Amanda · Kat · Jane · John
Project goals
Safety-first routing
Routes prioritize avoiding hazards and construction before any other optimisation. A user should never encounter a blocked ramp or dangerous obstacle without prior warning.
Low cognitive load
Interface and route design minimise cognitive effort. Lexend typeface supports dyslexia accessibility. Navigation choices are simple and consistent throughout.
Disability-inclusive, not one-size-fits-all
Accessibility toggles let users opt into features relevant to their specific needs. Accessible crosswalks, wheelchair access, and traffic signal preferences are user-controlled.
Community hazard awareness
Users can mark hazards for others, creating a crowd-sourced accessibility layer on top of standard map data. The product improves with every contribution.
Project timeline
Feb 2026 — kick-off
Project starts
Research objectives defined. Interview list established: Andrew, Amanda, Kat, Jane, John.
Discovery
Research & synthesis
User interviews completed. Routing priority logic derived from synthesis. Cognitive load and typography decisions made — Lexend chosen as primary typeface.
Design
EasyGo Redesign 2026
Figma redesign in progress. Journey maps, wireframes, and component library.
MVP
Build & launch
Core route, saved, hazard marking, and overlay features. Accessibility toggles. WCAG-compliant UI throughout.
MVP features
Start / end route
User sets origin and destination via pin placement on map. Choose pin interaction confirms location before routing begins.
Route details
Summary panel showing distance, estimated time, steepness, and accessibility attributes of the chosen route.
Accessibility toggles
Opt-in filters: accessible crosswalks, wheelchair access locations, traffic signals. Toggling re-runs the priority routing logic.
Mark hazards
Users place hazard pins to flag obstacles for the community — broken pavement, blocked ramps, active construction, and more.
View overlays
Toggle map overlays for different accessibility data layers: steepness heat map, accessible infrastructure, hazard density.
View hazards
Community-reported hazards displayed on map so users can see obstacles before and during navigation.
Save route
Users save frequently travelled routes for quick access in the Saved section.
Saved routes library
Library of previously saved routes. Tap to reload and navigate. Routes surface updated hazard and accessibility data automatically.
Future features
Alternate routes
Surface 2–3 alternative route options ranked by the accessibility priority algorithm. Users can compare trade-offs and choose the route that fits their specific needs.
Product roadmap
Discovery
User interviews (5)
Research synthesis
Routing priority logic
Design
Journey maps
Wireframes
Figma redesign 2026
Lexend typography
MVP build
Route flow
Accessibility toggles
Hazard marking
Overlays
Save route
Post-MVP
Alternate routes
Hazard moderation
Transit integration
API / data partnerships
Journey map — planning a route
Wheelchair user navigating an unfamiliar neighbourhood. Needs to avoid steep terrain, confirm accessible crosswalks exist, and know about any blocked ramps in advance. Previous map apps have let them down.
Stage 1
Awareness
Hears about EasyGo via word of mouth or disability org. Skeptical — previous map apps ignored accessibility.
Stage 2
Onboarding
Opens app. Simple, low-cognitive UI. Enables wheelchair access + accessible crosswalk toggles.
Stage 3
Route planning
Sets start and end pin. Views route details — steepness shown, crosswalks confirmed. No active hazards.
Stage 4
Navigation
Follows route. Encounters a blocked ramp — marks it as a hazard. App notes it for future routing.
Stage 5
Return
Saves the route. Next visit opens saved routes instantly. Recommends the app to a peer.
Pain: existing maps ignore accessibility
Standard mapping tools treat accessibility as an afterthought. No hazard data, no terrain priority, no toggleable preferences.
Pain: discovering hazards mid-trip
Blocked ramps or broken pavement discovered in real-time with no re-route option is dangerous and deeply stressful.
Opportunity: community hazard layer
Crowd-sourced hazard data turns every user into a contributor. The product improves for the whole community with every submission.
Opportunity: saved routes reduce friction
Saving a trusted route removes the planning burden entirely for regular journeys — critical for users with cognitive disabilities.
Research synthesis
Not all disabilities are mobility-related. Cognitive disabilities affect wayfinding too. The interface must minimise cognitive load through simplicity, clear labels, and consistent patterns. Source: WCAG guidance — to be cited.
Lexend is a variable font researched for improved reading performance, particularly for users with dyslexia. Chosen as EasyGo's primary typeface. Source: Lexend research — to be cited.
5 interviews planned and conducted: Andrew · Amanda · Kat · Jane · John. Interview notes and detailed synthesis to be added to the Research doc. Direct quotes are needed to support the routing priority logic rankings.
Routing priority logic
Ranked highest to lowest. Route generation applies these in cascading order — a higher rule always overrides a lower one.
1
Avoid marked hazards
Obstacles, blocked ramps, debris reported by the community
2
Avoid construction
Active worksites and street closures
3
Choose lowest steepness
Minimise gradient for wheelchair and mobility aid users
4
Accessible crosswalks
Audible beaconing, APS signals — if toggled on by user
5
Wheelchair access locations
Ramps, accessible entrances — if toggled on by user
6
Traffic signals present
Controlled crossings preferred where available
EasyGo PM Deliverables · Generated June 2026 · Started Feb 2026