HM Designs

Drift is a conceptual Apple Maps extension that reimagines navigation as an emotional experience. It introduces a mood-first layer to routing, letting users explore based on how they feel rather than where they need to be.

"Some areas just feel too fast or too unfamiliar. I want to ease into places slowly."

— Deepu (32 yrs), research participant

———— Problem + solution

Problem

Navigation apps prioritize speed and utility, leaving behind users who explore by mood, emotion, or curiosity. There's no system designed for the person who drives to decompress, not to arrive.

Solution

A 3-mode emotional navigation layer: Tags, Trending, and Drift Mode: each serving a different depth of exploratory intent.

Tags

Trending

Drift Mode

note to self

Ambient, not intrusive. Every prompt in Drift is opt-in, non-disruptive, and timed to feel discovered, not commanded.

———— Research

Understanding how people actually navigate

I led qualitative research combining in-depth interviews with observational insight to understand the emotional dimension of navigation, a layer most apps ignore entirely.

Research goals

Understand how sensory cues, mood, and memory shape navigation choices

Identify what makes aimless exploration feel intentional or restorative

Explore how technology can enhance wandering without intruding on it

Research Synthesis method

After interviews, I affinity mapped responses across three axes — trigger (what starts exploration), barrier (what breaks the mood), and need state (what the user is actually seeking). This revealed patterns that pure surface-level analysis would have missed.

I interviewed 3 different explorers

Each with different triggers, barriers, and design opportunities.

Sriya

The Night Driver

Navigation Struggle

Speed-focused apps shatter the meditative mood she's seeking

Core need

Driving is her meditation: she needs absence of urgency

design opportunity

Vibe-curated tags that match her emotional state, not location

Neha

The multi-stopper

Navigation Struggle

Static routes don't adapt when she wants to pivot in the moment

Core need

Freedom to branch off without losing her destination anchor

design opportunity

Dynamic multi-stop planning with smart real-time nudges

Deepu

the soft lander

Navigation Struggle

Unfamiliar areas feel overwhelming; apps give no emotional on-ramp

Core need

Exploration as a way to feel safe and grounded, not lost

design opportunity

Mood-first suggestions with a gentle, non-rushed tone

Affinity Map

Sriya

Neha

Deepu

Mood Over Destination

"I just drive to relax."

Exploration as emotional orientation, not routing

Ignores Maps, follows known routes by feel

"I like a direction, but not a strict agenda"

"My favorite drives are ones where I find a place I didn't even know I wanted to go"

Sensory/emotional cues

Saves TikToks of "cozy Dallas cafés"

Music, scenery, who she's with all shape the drive

"Some areas feel too fast or too unfamiliar"

Showed food spots from Instagram stories

Bookmarks by emotional cue, not location tag

Spontaneity

"I'll ditch the plan if something better pops up"

"We just queue a playlist and drive"

Showed calendar to explain how she schedules drives

Best memories came from unplanned detours

"If I see a cool bakery or get a friend's text, I'll stop"

App Frustrations

Apps assume efficiency, not experience

Feels judged or rushed by map apps

Wants plans that adjust on the go

"I'd love an app that nudges me toward cozy spots that match my vibe”

Navigation kills the spontaneity she craves

Competitive Analysis

Google Maps

Apple Maps

Waze

Drift

Routing Logic

Fastest Route

Traffic-Avoiding Route

Mood-first

Mood/vibe input

Avatar emojis

Routing Logic

community vibe tags

traffic reports

Exploration Mode

places & reviews

curated guides

Emotional Tone

neutral/informational

calm & minimal

alert-heavy & gamified

ambient & restorative

detour logic

ratings & popularity

mood-tagged in advance

personalization

gemini ai search & lists

preferred routes & notes

community reports

mood tags, vibe history

———— Early storyboarding

01 Lost Reward System

Wandering becomes goal-oriented but soft

Timer shows how much detour adds to original trip
Mood-based suggestions (music, lighting, sensory cues)
Early seed for drift prompts + time awareness

02 AI Chat Map

Wandering becomes goal-oriented but soft

Timer shows how much detour adds to original trip
Mood-based suggestions (music, lighting, sensory cues)
Early seed for drift prompts + time awareness

03 Adventure Spinner

Wandering becomes goal-oriented but soft

Timer shows how much detour adds to original trip
Mood-based suggestions (music, lighting, sensory cues)
Early seed for drift prompts + time awareness

04 Social Vibe Map

Wandering becomes goal-oriented but soft

Timer shows how much detour adds to original trip
Mood-based suggestions (music, lighting, sensory cues)
Early seed for drift prompts + time awareness

———— Ideation

Paper Prototypes

Built early concepts from research → concept ideas → sketches → low fidelity

———— Usability Testing

Snigdha

19, College Student

Tags Used:

#Calm

#Quiet

Goal: Speed-focused apps shatter the meditative mood she's seeking

What worked:

Users liked how few suggestions popped up

Felt non-intrusive: "Felt curated, not controlling."

What Needed Work:

Requested a clearer way to re-enter route after detours
Suggested a gentle animation or "return to route" button

Heuristic Principles Applied:

Aesthetic and minimalist design
User control and freedom
Recognition over recall
Flexibility and efficiency

"An app’s interface should be intuitive, unobtrusive, and focus attention on the content."

—— Apple Human Interface Guidelines

———— Final prototype

Interaction Modes

I led qualitative research combining in-depth interviews with observational insight to understand the emotional dimension of navigation, a layer most apps ignore entirely.