Openly sharing learnings from developing Microsoft’s Map builder UX/UI.

The key challenge Map builder UI is trying to solve is how to onboard users with no prior mapping experience to the world of osm editing, provide further education, and develop them into regular contributors.

In order to solve this challenge, product is built around the ideas of: keeping UI simple and minimal, educating and onboarding user through paradigm ‘learn by doing’, implementing step-by-step streamlined drawing and editing tools, keeping the sentiment of mapping fun and finally, emphasizing that map making is performed with and for a community.

Whilst doing so, certain tradeoffs and product decisions have been made which will be openly shared and the audience will be invited to brainstorming and discussion.