Users cite questions about the trustworthiness of small, unknown merchants. Star ratings, reviews, and contact information were among the most helpful information features on merchant trust journeys. 

How do we know its a user problem?

The Plan

We can use Google’s existing understanding of businesses to:

• Support users’ trust-related needs about unfamiliar merchants and vendors

• Build trust in small, local merchants and vendors with a physical presence

Implementing Local Universal features on Diner that bring value to users’ trustworthiness journey

• Local Universal (LU): The infrastructure that manages information about a place on Search and Maps, among potentially other surfaces.

Category, star ratings, reviews, and contact information were among the most helpful information features on merchant trust journeys per research.

What is Diner?

Users report misinformation and trustworthiness of content as a top concern. Diner is a way to give users tools to identify for themselves what is and isn’t trustworthy across verticals. For example evaluating an unfamiliar merchant, a new author, a social media post about climate change, or a health blog their friend sent them.

Current Entry points

• Behind the three dots on all blue links on Search

• Upon swipe up in the Google App 

• Behind lock icon on Chrome

Diner follows the expert recommended framework, SIFT.

SIFT: Stop, Investigate the source, find better coverage, trace claims, quotes and media to original context. 

Taking a step back, Diner is where we are looking to implement Local Universal features to improve the users’ credibility journey. Local Universal is the infrastructure that manages information about a place on Search and Maps, among potentially other surfaces. 

Design Goals & Explorations

Design goals:

• Ensure appropriate voice (Google vs. from the web vs. from the source) can be comprehended by users

• Consider overlap between LU and More Facts data (two separate implemented features)

• Leverage icons when available to add visuals to the Diner page

Post feedback

Minimum viable product

Main design decisions

A. Wanted to give user a signal as to where the reviews are coming from. Snippets for a more scannable overview

B. Used highlights icons sans chips in order to account for user mental models. Larger + colorful icons add break-ability to all the text; helps with ‘snackability’

C. Containment helps to bring organization and helps make content more scannable 

D. Static map, helps break up the text

E. Icons to allow for scannability, as well as minimizing text needed

Next steps…