Increase default zoom level

[Gustavo22Soaresh]

Description

Currently, the map in OSM.org default to a very small scale, often showing the entire country or state. This can be problematic for users who need to discover or research details about specific areas of interest.

Problem

Defaulting to a large extent can be meaningless for users as it often shows unfamiliar data or even an empty map. This lack of detail and guidance can make users feel intimidated or lost, and in some cases, they may even think that the app is broken.

Proposed Solution

To enhance user experience, we should increase the default zoom level to focus more on local areas rather than a broad, country-wide view. This can be achieved by:

1. Increasing Default Zoom Level: Set the default zoom to a higher level to show more local details. Maybe zoom=13
2. Location Determination: Utilize IP-based location detection to center the map around the user’s approximate location.

Considerations

• Accuracy: Ensure the IP-based location detection is reasonably accurate to avoid centering the map in an irrelevant area.
• Performance: Assess the impact of higher zoom levels on performance and loading times.

Reference

From Map UI Patterns - Empty state

Examples

Now Map zoom 4

Suggestion Map zoom 13

other maps Gmaps

Bing Maps