Google Collaborative Search

Google Search excels at providing individual information, but often falls short when it comes to collaborative decision-making. Users frequently need to compare perspectives and discuss nuanced aspects of complex topics on different platforms or through complicated communication channels. This project aimed to address this gap by creating a platform that fosters shared learning and collective problem-solving, guiding Google Search towards a future of collaborative innovation.

To achieve this, we conducted a comprehensive landscape analysis of existing platforms that facilitate collaborative work and defined distinct user archetypes based on prior Google user research. These archetypes informed the development of user journeys and interaction schematics, serving as the foundation for subsequent visual design and prototyping phases.

For our landscape analysis, we established a central vision for our explorations and formulated specific "How Might We..." questions. These HMWs guided a focused scan of partners (other Google Products), indirect competitors, and direct competitors to identify inspiring design patterns and potential pitfalls.

This analysis was an iterative process, evolving as we uncovered new inspirations and ideas. For each product examined, we annotated relevant screens with observations, noting how the product addressed our HMWs. Finally, we synthesized key takeaways from each product analysis into concise conclusions.

Building on these insights, we developed user archetypes based on Google's prior research to contextualize our analysis in terms of the needs and behaviors of our target audience. Given that millions of people use Google Search daily, we identified two untapped archetypes—“Explorer” and “Researcher”—that Google could target to boost engagement. These archetypes were named based on their distinct goals, methodologies for approaching investigative tasks, and their varying levels of technological proficiency. To ensure we uncovered new opportunities, we iterated on the archetype goals multiple times, refining them to identify unique journeys, situations, and needs that hadn't been explored by Google before.

With the landscape analysis and user archetypes aligned between us and the client, we began iterating on the different journeys we wanted to explore. Our goal was to demonstrate how the feature could be used across a range of situations, from fun and casual to more serious and practical scenarios. Ultimately, we chose to focus on how users would approach tasks like planning a hiking trip with friends, finding a convalescent home for a parent with Alzheimer's, and searching for and renovating a house. As we developed these journeys, we carefully considered the behavioral enablers that would help users achieve their goals. These enablers were key tools that guided us in creating initial screen schematics for each step of the journey, which would then serve as the foundation for further interface design explorations.

The behavioral enablers identified in the user journeys were informed by the landscape analysis and, in turn, served as a foundation for its further refinement. We revisited the analysis to explore specific features and products that might have been missed during the initial stages of the project. Drawing on our understanding of the Google brand, we developed schematics that guided the early rounds of interface design, enabling us to craft the streamlined and seamless experience we aimed to deliver.

Our initial ideas focused on creating search spaces for users to save their results and comments, but they fell short in showcasing collaboration between users. After discussing further with the clients, we identified issues with the entry point for the feature—testing revealed that promo cards were not an ideal interaction point. Additionally, it was difficult to see the actual discussions between users or even identify which users were active.

With this feedback, we revisited our approach while building on the elements we knew worked well. We aimed for a full "live collaboration" experience, but engineering constraints made this impractical. Instead, we opted for a middle ground inspired by social media. This approach allowed us to simulate the "live" feeling of collaboration without fully implementing real-time functionality

We accomplished our objective of creating a platform that fosters shared learning and collective problem-solving, steering Google Search toward a future of collaborative innovation. The experience empowers users to build their own research and discussion microcosms, supported by diverse engagement mechanics that encourage ongoing interaction and debate around shared findings. Whether the experience lasts minutes or spans years, collaborative search offers a unique and forward-thinking way for users to engage with Google Search.

Looking ahead, we envisioned expanding this feature by integrating additional Google products, such as Google Workspace and Google Keep, to enhance collaboration further and streamline the user experience. This integration would allow for seamless transitions between tools, enabling users to manage, share, and build upon their discoveries even more effectively.