UX Research
Skydiving into San Francisco's Moscone Center was just the thrilling start of Google's bumpy introduction of their eye-catching wearable, "Google Glass” as told by Google’s youngest UX tester.
(WHY)
My journey began one evening at Disneyland in 2013, where I first witnessed someone using Google Glass during a fireworks show, immediately captivating my interest in this groundbreaking technology.
At 14 years old, I became Google’s youngest UX tester for Google Glass.
Through rigorous testing and my teenage perspective, I helped Google understand both the device's technical limitations and its appeal to younger generations, who are often the quickest to adopt or abandon new technologies.
Google Glass functioned like magic on the surface – a simple upward glance revealed a screen seemingly projected ten feet away, capable of capturing photos, performing searches, and even providing live translations.
(HOW)
While many considered Google Glass a failure, I maintain it was simply ahead of its time, as evidenced by similar challenges faced by current AR/VR products like Apple's Vision Pro.
The primary obstacles weren't technical limitations but rather societal concerns: the obvious camera placement sparked privacy concerns, and the futuristic design drew unwanted attention in public spaces.
The technology existed then as it does now, but the real challenge lies in creating an unobtrusive design that society is ready to embrace – a hurdle that remains relevant in today's AR/VR landscape. This experience taught me that timing and social acceptance are just as crucial to a product's success as its technical capabilities.
