Mike Clark

I spend a goodly amount of time coordinating travel logistics. Optimizing that time is key to getting other important things done. Google Maps is quickly tuning my workflow.

Here's what I did this morning to pave the way for an upcoming TDD workshop held at the client's site:

• Gotta print training material:

  kinkos near (client street address)

  (It's not just a map, it's also a web site finder.)

• Gotta catch a few winks every night:

  hotels near (client street address)

  (It's not just a map, it's also a telephone directory.)

• Gotta find my way from the airport to the hotel:

  Select a hotel on the map and choose "Directions: To here". Enter the airport code in the "Start address:" field.

• Gotta find my way from the hotel to the client site:

  Select the hotel on the map and choose "Directions: From here". Enter the client address in the "End address:" field.

• Oh, and who can forget: Gotta eat!

  pizza near (client street address)

  (It's not just a map, it's also a menu.)

That's my first pass through a travel logistics tuning cycle using Google Maps. It's already far more efficient than anything I've tried previously. And as soon as I post this, surely someone will tell me how to tweak it further. Please do. My travel schedule only gets more intense from here.

Google Maps is truly amazing. Oh, the geeks love it, not just for what it does, but how it does it. But having shown it to a few non-technical folks, they also immediately appreciate how it changes the way they locate information. Now, what I really want is for this thing to travel with me!

By the way, it appears that the front page of Google Maps was updated sometime late yesterday. Mad props to whoever did that. I'm no longer confused as to where to type in information. Less is more. Just one text field responds to all queries, just like Google itself. Also of note: I accidentally pulled up Google Maps in Safari, and it worked! Before it would gently remind me that my browser wasn't supported.