Maps on touchscreens often cause touch-target errors. When many locations are presented in a map view, the markers for each location are so small and densely packed that it becomes nearly impossible to precisely select a particular pinpoint. In testing, we often see users immediately make a “focus face” when viewing a map on mobile, as they realize... See more

A past study from the MIT Touch Lab found that the average person’s fingertips are 1.6–2cm (0.6­­–0.8 in) wide. The impact area of the typical thumb is even larger — an average of 2.5cm (1 inch) wide! Designing touch targets to account for the physical dimensions of users is basic user-centered design .

When touch targets are too small, users take... See more