The making of Yandex.Navigator for iPhone and Android

Studying navigators created before us.

Starting to go through usage scenarios schematically.

Creating an approximation of the interface based on the maps we created.

Working on the style of the 3D map.

The application will use vector maps. Unfortunately, Russian legislation forbids measuring building heights, which means 3D will be added by uniformly stretching the whole map layer vertically. Making houses semi-transparent so they wouldn’t obscure the view of the route when the map is tilted.

Considering different styles for interface elements.

Preparing a 3D model of the cursor and a texture to go along with it.

The arguments about the application icon go on the entire time we work on the project.

The screen map does not satisfy the art director. Offering two new ones.

In the first version the main screen includes route information.

In the second version the main screen offers buttons for most frequent usage scenarios.

The art director sends both screen maps to the rubbish bin. A decision is made to think about conceptually different layouts.

The new concepts never see the light either, but leave a trails of helpful features and clever solutions.

Starting to develop a screen map using the most frequent usage scenarios.

Drawing the screens based on the chosen map.

Preparing interface elements for typesetting. In the course of the project we decided to work with four resolutions standard on iPhone and Android. This meant that the outsources need to cut out all the elements for the following resolutions: 640×960, 480×640, 320×480, 240×420.

Drawing advertising t-shirts.

Working on use cases and thinking over finger ergonomics.

Polishing the style.

The first field tests. The dashcam captures drivers’ reactions, while their interactions with the interface are getting recorded on the iPhone.

Recording the sounds at the Love Radio studio.

The application will have a male and a female voice. It will combine compound numbers in real time using pre-recorded audio files.

By default, the application inherited the traffic information style of mobile Yandex.Maps. Many efforts to calm down the screaming mess led us to borrowing the style of the main version of the Maps.

Restyling Favorites and POI icons taken from mobile Yandex.Maps.

Evolution of the main screen led to its extinction. But the route screen remained faithful to the core design principles all way long.

We don’t have enough time to include adding a waypoint to a route. This will have to wait until the next release.

To be continued...