Guest Speaker | Google

Since September 1997 Google has prided itself highly on user experience, its minimalistic design, accessible formats and the delivery of information. These features are the aspects we love most about google.  This global community of hard-working, daring, creatively in-tune individuals together makeup this multinational technology company. 

Raj Arjan, a User Experience Researcher at google, shared with us his journey before and during his time working for google, tips and advice for getting a foot into the creative industry as well as his hopes for the future. From his talk, I took away the importance of team work, exploring my own network and tapping into the range of skill sets available to me - In Raj Arjan's words "encouraging a cross pollination of ideas" encouraging this form of communication starts new conversations which lead to new ideas and new projects taking form. It was evident that the google team are very interconnected and share views similar to my own, that there is indeed strength in numbers. 

This notion of taking ideas and putting them into fruition is at the heart of the Google X project, the lab facility was started in California in 2010 and began with the development of the self-driving car. It is a core for experiments of the weird, wonderful and crazy ideas known as moonshots. Although approximately 100 concepts are dismissed each year this does not waiver their confidence in discovering a new revolutionary product. The creative freedom and support that Google offers its employees is next to none, I love this aspect of google because as it must not only be encouraging but make you a more resourceful and resilient individual. One Google X project that really stood out to me was Project Loon, its aim was to create satellite balloons which act as broadband hubs for less developed parts of the world. 

The digital age we live in now has developed tremendously from that of 30 years ago. Although technologies have advanced our access can still be limited by necessary resources such as electricity, finances, education and connectivity. Google aim to eliminate as many of these restrictions as possible, through ideas such as Project Loom, their ultimate aim is to make accessibility as easy and convenient for the user as possible. This was also the goal behind the internet cafe in Senegal which uses tablets instead of desktops, through this they managed to eliminate two constraints through the use of wireless connection and reducing the dependence on electricity. This really puts into perspective how different devices and platforms are dependent on the conditions of the individual, to enable each user to have an equally great experience of a product.

Although Raj isn't a designer he explained that teams can range in terms of size from being closely nit of around 5 people or up to 20 members. Despite the size of the group, each role is dependent on one another in order to present the best possible product. The experimental Delhi Public Transport app was 1. a great example of how team work works and 2. a demonstration of Larry Page's philosophy in  ensuring the best or most appropriate outcomes - "Theres no substitute for personally watching and listening to real people". The feedback received from the target audience proved that cultural and language barriers must be considered when creating technologies for the world, he gave the example of temple run the game application, a craze which began in 2011 with more than a billion downloads in the first year, a simple concept with cultural relevance meant that the phenomenon had spread to all corners of the world and challenged the conventions of most game applications by keeping players engaged years later. 

The user is at the heart of everything creators do, irrespective of the discipline. having an understanding of the fundamentals of human behaviour and cognitive process can really enhance your knowledge and make user design more appropriate.  Raj mentioned that his final paper for his masters which explored the link between psychology and user experience was extremely insightful and practical as he could apply his findings to his work in industry.

Raj is a walking example that hard work can pay off, he expressed that 5 years ago he would never have expected to be working one of the largest tech companies in the world and have progressed to the stage he has reached in his career; this is a healthy reminder to stay focused and strive for the best. One piece of advice he offered us is to practice and continue to perfect our crafts,  the importance of research and paying attention to rational, you never know when you'll have the opportunity to promote your brand or tell someone about your work. knowing how you came to the finished product whether this is during an interview or a networking event it is essential. 

There is always more to learn, absorbing information from professionals and taking advantage of their lessons and experiences can only better prepare me for my future career. I could see myself thriving in an environment similar to what google offers,  being independent in my work but and also having the contrast of working within a focused and dedicated team and having the responsibility and the freedom to express my creativity.