Google Mapping: Any guidelines or research

Question

We are using Google Mapping functionality more and more in our site builds, mainly because its free but from a UX perspective, users seem to be the most comfortable using it and have already learnt its functionality.

But, can anyone point me to any good research, inspirational examples or guidelines in creating Google Maps following best practice UX approach?

Answer 1

Would be interested in these also. Hopefully you'll get some better answers than this one...

Saw posted about 8 months back someone had attended the API course at http://marakana.com/training/google/maps/google_maps_api.html and I Book-marked the link because they had a list of items they covered in the UX/UI section that seemed pretty straight forward:

UI/UX/Best Practice

* Markers (size/shape/color/anchor/state/quantity)
* Info window (control, overlay, bubble
* Browser compatibility
* Character encoding
* XHTML and VML
* Memory Leaks
* Upgrades/Updates
* Localization

Since I don't know anyone who's attended, I've never seen their details, but have used this list as a starting check-point for when I'm doing Google Maps. Always intended on fleshing it out myself, but don't have anything worth showing anyone yet... Anyone have it expanded?