Google almost slipped under the radar with this one – and that’s likely by design. It’s not every day that a tech giant admits to eavesdropping on its users. But in mid-December, Google quietly unveiled its latest endeavor: the Google Product Ideas blog, with a particular focus on soliciting suggestions for Google Mobile.
The inaugural post sets an optimistic tone:
“Here at Google, we recognize the wealth of innovation within our user base, and we’re thrilled to introduce Product Ideas. This platform marks a departure in our approach to gathering feedback for our mobile products. Whether it’s a minor tweak, an outlandish concept, an enthusiastic endorsement, or a passionate critique – we want to hear it all. And not only do we want to hear it, but we want the community to hear it too. Users can now see what’s trending and have a say by voting on these ideas.”
Users logging in with their Google accounts gain the ability to weigh in on proposals, essentially casting their vote on whether they think an idea has merit or should be scrapped. It’s akin to a corporate version of “Hot or Not” for brainstorming sessions. Initially, it appears to be an ambitious experiment in crowdsourcing, but some speculate it may serve as a convenient way to source free labor.
Beyond this initiative, Google has made other adjustments this year, including scaling back on the famed 20-percent-time projects. These projects, which allowed Google employees to dedicate a portion of their work hours to side projects, have yielded successes like Gmail. However, former Google executive Marissa Mayer once acknowledged that the majority of such endeavors failed at an 80 percent rate.
Greg Sterling, acknowledged at Search Engine Land, shares a similar sentiment:
“User-generated product ideas and voting could potentially fill the void left by the reduction in 20-percent-time projects. Additionally, the voting system provides a valuable mechanism for identifying ideas with genuine potential versus those that may fall flat.”
Yet, history reminds us of caution. Recall the infamous New Coke debacle, where extensive taste tests failed to ensure success.
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