This project taught me that relevance alone isn't enough. People need to encounter a feature, recognize its purpose, and understand why its recommendations matter.

Throughout the project, I navigated several interconnected challenges: discoverability, recognition, and trust. User interviews helped me understand existing behaviors, while usability testing challenged my initial decision to prioritize consistency with Google Maps. I learned that working within an established product doesn't always mean following its existing patterns, especially when those patterns aren't serving users.

The revised design hasn't been retested, and its manually curated recommendations would need further evaluation. I'd want to understand whether users recognize the personalization and whether the feature could become a meaningful part of their discovery habits.