CodeForPhilly
Task: Evaluate the accuracy of Google Street View in property searches.
Describe the task
During the Fall 2024 workshops, users noted recurring issues with Google Street View defaulting properties to incorrect locations (e.g., a block or two off from the actual property). This issue caused navigation challenges, requiring users to manually adjust the view to locate the correct property. For this task, test multiple properties and document examples of this issue.
Acceptance Criteria
- [ ] Test 3-5 property searches and document findings.
- [ ] Identify and report at least two instances where Street View defaults to an incorrect location.
Additional context
- Note whether the issue seems consistent or random across properties.
- Consider providing screenshots or video recordings to illustrate the issue.
The issue of Google Street View defaulting properties to incorrect locations is a pervasive issue. I used a random address generator to generate 6 addresses within the city of Philadelphia. 5 out of 6 addresses defaulted to incorrect locations.
Incorrect Locations: 4501 Locust St defaulted to 5117 Locust St (West Philadelphia)
2740 S Holbrook St defaulted to 2566 Holbrook St (Southwest Philadelphia)
1100 Leopard St to 1120 N Front St (Northern Liberties/Fishtown)
2600 S Alder St to 1008 Snyder Ave (South Philadelphia)
1632 Reed St to 1325 S Chadwick St (Point Breeze)
Correct Locations: 12499 Nanton Drive (Northeast Philadelphia)
When I entered 12499 Nanton Drive (the only correctly located address) into the search bar, the address appeared as a result. When entering any of the addresses that defaulted to incorrect locations, the address did not appear in the search suggest drop-down list. Instead, only the name of the street appeared as a result. After pressing enter on an address that does not appear as a result, the search bar erases the input address. This is why many of the screenshots for the incorrectly located addresses do not show the original address I entered. See video in second comment.
Video demonstrating search suggest drop-down for 1 correctly located address and 1 incorrectly located address.
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/5c09b9eb-579e-4d4a-9357-457fd4147ff3
@sammsey thanks for looking into this issue and verifying it. Based on what you've observed, do you have any suggestions on what our next steps might be?
@CodeWritingCow I am coming from a research background and don't have much coding experience so I am not sure what next steps would be. It seems like this is a database issue.