What a time to be alive, when cartography can be in the hands of many and not just an authorized or privileged few. Maps (the general noun) help us to navigate geographically. But Maps (the Google mapping service) has evolved to help us navigate the every-day.
When Maps has questions, I have answers. And if I don’t have the answers, I just might ask you to help me find them. But I don’t want to find them for Google. I want to find them for us - for our neighbors, travelers, family, friends, and even strangers. Answering questions is for the mother who wants to know if it’s a good place for kids, or if there’s a better suited restaurant. Answering questions is for the family caregiver who wants to know if there’s wheelchair accessibility for his Grandpa. Answering questions is for the lady who runs the corner coffee shop and left for the week to visit her grandkids, but doesn’t have any other way to tell her clientele that she’ll be absent other than word-of-mouth and a written sign on the door. On the same token, answering questions is also to save a potential customer the disappointment of arriving at the closed coffee shop for their much needed morning cup.
On my morning commute, I drive solo, but never alone. I’ve got Maps there with me to save me from traffic and slow-downs. And I have fellow users to thank for that too. Maps has created a space for us that no other app I use has. It’s a space for input that’s seriously considered, so that improvements for users can be as instantaneous as possible. Forget flying cars; when technology can help us help each other, the future is now!