year 2022 → 2024
Key contribution
UX/UI
DESIGN SYSTEM
RESEARCH & DISCOVERY
Feature development
App Experience Expansion
Result
Rating in App Stores
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overview
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TomTom GO Ride, 4.7★ Motorcycle Navigation for Safety and Control
TomTom GO Ride is a motorcycle-first navigation app built for riders who care about route quality, safety, and real-time conditions. Rated 4.7★ on both App Stores. As UX/UI Designer at TomTom, I contributed to the design system, led the Route Options feature from research to delivery, designed glove-optimised interaction patterns, and expanded the experience to CarPlay and Android Auto.
Tools used
Design System Integration
In this project, I contributed to the design and integration of new components within the TomTom GO Ride design system. My role involved ensuring that these new UI elements were cohesive with the existing design while maintaining alignment with TomTom’s GO Ride brand guidelines. I focused on streamlining the components to provide a consistent and seamless user experience throughout the app, ensuring that every detail worked harmoniously to enhance both usability and visual appeal.
color palette
icon library
bottom panel sheets
speed camera toasts
Designed for Gloves, Rain, and Motion
Motorcyclists navigate in motion, often wearing gloves. Standard mobile touch targets (44px) fail in these conditions. By setting all button target areas to 72px, well above iOS and Android minimums, we significantly reduced accidental inputs. Every spacing decision was tested against one question: would this work on a rain-soaked screen at 80km/h? Margins, tap areas, and panel placement were all informed by real riding context, not lab assumptions.
Route Options, Choose How You Ride
One of the most impactful features I developed was the Route Options functionality, including avoidance criteria. This feature empowered users to customize their motorcycle journeys, choosing routes based on their preferences, whether they sought thrilling, scenic paths or the fastest route. Additionally, users could avoid toll roads, unpaved roads, and other undesired conditions. By collaborating closely with the development team, I ensured the feature was both technically feasible and user-friendly. The feature received positive feedback from users, who valued the enhanced flexibility in planning their rides.
Rider Research, Two Distinct Mindsets
During the discovery phase, we found that motorcyclists have different routing preferences, some prefer fast, efficient routes, while others seek more adventurous, challenging rides.
After user interviews and a competitive analysis, we identified key opportunities to improve customization. This informed our design approach, allowing us to create a solution that supports a wide range of rider preferences while differentiating the product in the market.
Testing Route Options With Real Riders
I explored multiple design variations for the Route Options feature, testing different layouts and interaction patterns to understand what best supports motorcyclists when comparing routes.
Through user testing, we validated assumptions and identified the most intuitive solution. Feedback directly informed iterations, helping simplify the interaction flow and improve clarity, resulting in a more usable and user-centered experience.
Route Options Specifications
Avoidance criteria Specifications
CarPlay & Android Auto, Navigation You Don't Need to Touch
As part of my contributions, I expanded the app’s functionality by bringing it to Android Auto and CarPlay platforms. This allowed users to access TomTom GO Ride’s navigation features while on the go, without having to rely solely on their phones. Working closely with developers, I ensured that the app adhered to platform-specific guidelines and was optimized for use in both Android Auto and CarPlay environments.
Integrating the TomTom GO Ride app with Android Auto and CarPlay involved several technical hurdles. Adapting the app’s interface for in-vehicle systems required simplifying the design to meet usability and safety guidelines, as these platforms use different interaction methods like voice commands or vehicle controls instead of touch screens.
Ensuring seamless communication between the app and vehicle systems was crucial. We needed to optimize performance to minimize latency and ensure real-time data accuracy across various vehicle models. The solution involved close collaboration with developers to streamline the user interface and interactions, providing a safe and effective navigation experience while adhering to platform requirements.
Why Riders Need In-Vehicle Navigation
During the discovery phase, users consistently expressed concerns about the usability of navigation apps on mobile phones while riding. Safety was a major factor, as motorcyclists often found it difficult to manage their rides while having to glance at their phones for directions. Users highlighted that integration with Android Auto and CarPlay would improve safety by allowing them to focus on the road while still benefiting from the app’s features on their in-car or on-bike display systems.
CARPLAY Screens
android auto Screens
learning & Conclusion
A 4.7★ rating on both App Stores reflects an app that riders actually trust. Motorcyclists are unforgiving users, they ride with the app in conditions that expose every flaw.
What worked: embedding real riding context into every design decision, from tap target sizes to route type vocabulary.
