Transforming Google Contacts

Transforming Google Contacts

Transforming Google Contacts

2016-2017 · Launched · Android · Web · iOS

2016-2017 · Launched · Android · Web · iOS

2016-2017 · Launched · Android · Web · iOS

Transforming Google Contacts

2016-2017 · Launched · Android · Web · iOS

As lead designer for Google Contacts, I transformed sharing across Google services by creating a unified sharing component adopted by major apps like Gmail and YouTube, directly increasing user engagement and meeting company OKRs. I also unified fragmented teams and products, launching critical features like contacts backup and restore, which helped achieve 500M backups with 68% users uploading to Google. These efforts improved ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars, grew installations by 3.3× in 2016, and established Contacts as a flagship product influencing the Google Assistant's development.

As lead designer, I transformed Google Contacts by creating a unified sharing component adopted by major apps, increasing engagement and meeting OKRs. Unified teams and products, launched contacts backup and restore, achieving 500M backups and improving ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars.

As lead designer for Google Contacts, I transformed sharing across Google services by creating a unified sharing component adopted by major apps like Gmail and YouTube, directly increasing user engagement and meeting company OKRs. I also unified fragmented teams and products, launching critical features like contacts backup and restore, which helped achieve 500M backups with 68% users uploading to Google. These efforts improved ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars, grew installations by 3.3× in 2016, and established Contacts as a flagship product influencing the Google Assistant's development.

As lead designer, I transformed Google Contacts by creating a unified sharing component adopted by major apps, increasing engagement and meeting OKRs. Unified teams and products, launched contacts backup and restore, achieving 500M backups and improving ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars.

Launched in 2017: Google Contacts app and share sheet, followed by future concepts

Launched in 2017: Google Contacts app and share sheet, followed by future concepts

Launched in 2017: Google Contacts app and share sheet, followed by future concepts

Launched in 2017: Google Contacts app and share sheet, followed by future concepts

Launched in 2017: Google Contacts app and share sheet, followed by future concepts

Unifying sharing experiences across Google

Unifying sharing experiences across Google

Unifying sharing experiences across Google

Led development of a unified sharing model across Google, creating a people-centered sharing component adopted by apps such as Google photos, Google maps, YouTube, and Gmail across all platforms. This design helped achieve 2016 company OKRs by boosting sharing throughout key Google apps.

Led development of a unified sharing model across Google, creating a people-centered sharing component adopted by apps such as Google photos, Google maps, YouTube, and Gmail across all platforms. This design helped achieve 2016 company OKRs by boosting sharing throughout key Google apps.

Led development of a unified people-centered sharing model across Google, enabling users to share content through multiple channels without leaving context. The sharing component was adopted by major apps such as Google Photos, Google Maps, YouTube, and Gmail across all platforms. This design helped achieve 2016 company OKRs by boosting sharing throughout Google.

Unifying sharing experiences

Led development of a unified sharing model across Google, creating a people-centered sharing component adopted by apps such as Google photos, Google maps, YouTube, and Gmail across all platforms. This design helped achieve 2016 company OKRs by boosting sharing throughout key Google apps.

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Unified sharing model across apps

Unified sharing model across apps

Unified sharing model across apps

Unified sharing model across apps

Problem

Problem
Problem

Problem

Problem

Inconsistent sharing interfaces across apps confused users and reduced engagement. Different designs for sharing content led to a fragmented experience.

Inconsistent sharing interfaces across apps confused users and reduced engagement. Different designs for sharing content led to a fragmented experience.

Inconsistent sharing interfaces across apps confused users and reduced engagement. Different designs for sharing content led to a fragmented experience.

Inconsistent sharing interfaces across apps confused users and reduced engagement. Different designs for sharing content led to a fragmented experience.

Inconsistent sharing interfaces across apps confused users and reduced engagement. Different designs for sharing content led to a fragmented experience.

Solution

Solution
Solution

Solution

Solution

Created a unified sharing component with consistent interfaces for selecting contacts and sharing content. Leveraged familiar contact card design across apps.

Created a unified sharing component with consistent interfaces for selecting contacts and sharing content. Leveraged familiar contact card design across apps.

Created a unified sharing component with consistent interfaces for selecting contacts and sharing content. Leveraged familiar contact card design across apps.

Created a unified sharing component with consistent interfaces for selecting contacts and sharing content. Leveraged familiar contact card design across apps.

Created a unified sharing component with consistent interfaces for selecting contacts and sharing content. Leveraged familiar contact card design across apps.

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Overcoming cross-team integration challenges

Overcoming cross-team integration challenges

Overcoming integration challenges

Overcoming cross-team integration challenges

Prototyped with client teams—comparing vertical and horizontal chip layouts to address engineering limitations.

Prototyped with client teams—comparing vertical and horizontal chip layouts to address engineering limitations.

Prototyped with client teams—comparing vertical and horizontal chip layouts to address engineering limitations.

Prototyped with client teams—comparing vertical and horizontal chip layouts to address engineering limitations.

Problem

Problem
Problem
Problem

Difficulty aligning with multiple client teams impeded integrating the unified sharing component. Varied timelines, priorities, and processes across teams created significant collaboration challenges.

Difficulty aligning with multiple client teams impeded integrating the unified sharing component. Varied timelines, priorities, and processes across teams created significant collaboration challenges.

Difficulty aligning with multiple client teams impeded integrating the unified sharing component. Varied timelines, priorities, and processes across teams created significant collaboration challenges.

Difficulty aligning with multiple client teams impeded integrating the unified sharing component. Varied timelines, priorities, and processes across teams created significant collaboration challenges.

Solution

Solution
Solution
Solution

Built strong collaboration by adapting to each team's timelines, holding regular syncs, and conducting in-person visits. Enabled smooth integration and successful launches across major apps.

Built strong collaboration by adapting to each team's timelines, holding regular syncs, and conducting in-person visits. Enabled smooth integration and successful launches across major apps.

Built strong collaboration by adapting to each team's timelines, holding regular syncs, and conducting in-person visits. Enabled smooth integration and successful launches across major apps such as Google photos and maps.

Built strong collaboration by adapting to each team's timelines, holding regular syncs, and conducting in-person visits. Enabled smooth integration and successful launches across major apps.

Collaborated with client teams to refine list expansion animations.

Collaborated with client teams to refine list expansion animations.

Collaborated with client teams to refine list expansion animations.

Collaborated with client teams to refine list expansion animations.

Transforming contacts management

Transforming contacts management

Transforming contacts management

Transforming contacts management

Unified fragmented teams and products, revitalizing Google Contacts. Launched contacts backup and restore, enabling 500M backups with 68% users uploading to Google. Improved rating from 3.8 to 4.3 stars, grew installations by 3.3× in 2016, establishing Contacts as a flagship product.

Unified fragmented teams and products, revitalizing Google Contacts. Launched contacts backup and restore, enabling 500M backups with 68% users uploading to Google. Improved rating from 3.8 to 4.3 stars, grew installations by 3.3× in 2016, establishing Contacts as a flagship product.

Unified fragmented teams and products, revitalizing Google Contacts. Launched contacts backup and restore, enabling 500M backups with 68% users uploading to Google. Improved rating from 3.8 to 4.3 stars, grew installations by 3.3× in 2016, establishing Contacts as a flagship product.

Unified fragmented teams and products, revitalizing Google Contacts. Launched contacts backup and restore, enabling 500M backups with 68% users uploading to Google. Improved rating from 3.8 to 4.3 stars, grew installations by 3.3× in 2016, establishing Contacts as a flagship product.

Prototyping team ideas to unify vision and culture.

Prototyping team ideas to unify vision and culture.

Prototyping team ideas to unify vision and culture.

Prototyping team ideas to unify vision and culture.

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Unifying Google contacts and teams for quality and morale

Unifying Google contacts and teams

Unifying Google contacts and teams

Unifying Google contacts and teams for quality and morale

Problem

Problem
Problem
Problem

Fragmented teams and products, insufficient design support, and poor collaboration caused inconsistent experiences, low product quality, poor ratings, and diminished team morale.

Fragmented teams and products, insufficient design support, and poor collaboration caused inconsistent experiences, low product quality, poor ratings, and diminished team morale.

Fragmented teams and products, insufficient design support, and poor collaboration caused inconsistent experiences, low product quality, poor ratings, and diminished team morale.

Fragmented teams and products, insufficient design support, and poor collaboration caused inconsistent experiences, low product quality, poor ratings, and diminished team morale.

Solution

Solution
Solution
Solution

Unified Android and web teams to foster collaboration through shared vision. Implemented Material Design standards, improved processes, and strengthened relationships to deliver high-quality products.

Unified Android and web teams to foster collaboration through shared vision. Implemented Material Design standards, improved processes, and strengthened relationships to deliver high-quality products.

Unified Android and web teams to foster collaboration through shared vision. Implemented Material Design standards, improved processes, and strengthened relationships to deliver high-quality products.

Unified Android and web teams to foster collaboration through shared vision. Implemented Material Design standards, improved processes, and strengthened relationships to deliver high-quality products.

Contact card evolution through user feedback iterations.

Contact card evolution through user feedback iterations.

Contact card evolution through user feedback.

Contact card evolution through user feedback iterations.

Before and after: New web contacts app aligned with mobile.

Before and after: New web contacts app aligned with mobile.

Before and after: Web contacts aligned with mobile.

Before and after: New web contacts app aligned with mobile.

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Launching backup features to meet company OKRs

Launching backup features to meet company OKRs

Launching backup features to meet company OKRs

Launching backup features to meet company OKRs

Problem

Problem
Problem
Problem

Users couldn't reliably back up or restore contacts, making data transfer difficult and causing loss of important contacts and information across multiple storage methods.

Users couldn't reliably back up or restore contacts, making data transfer difficult and causing loss of important contacts and information across multiple storage methods.

Users couldn't reliably back up or restore contacts, making data transfer difficult and causing loss of important contacts and information across multiple storage methods.

Solution

Solution
Solution
Solution

Launched contacts backup and restore, achieving 500M backups with 68% user adoption. Met 2016 OKRs, increased trust, grew app installs by 3.3×, and improved ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars.

Launched contacts backup and restore, achieving 500M backups with 68% user adoption. Met 2016 OKRs, increased trust, grew app installs by 3.3×, and improved ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars.

Launched contacts backup and restore, achieving 500M backups with 68% user adoption. Met 2016 OKRs, increased trust, grew app installs by 3.3×, and improved ratings from 3.8 to 4.3 stars.

Cleaning up duplicate and junk contacts.

Cleaning up duplicate and junk contacts.

Cleaning up duplicate and junk contacts.

Cleaning up duplicate and junk contacts.

First-time enabling contacts backup and restore via Google account.

First-time enabling contacts backup and restore via Google account.

First-time enabling contacts backup and restore via Google account.

First-time enabling contacts backup and restore via Google account.

Envisioning the future of Google Contacts

Envisioning the future of Google Contacts

Envisioning the future of Google Contacts

Led creation of a 5-year vision to strengthen human relationships collaborating with multiple design leads across orgs. Presented to the SVP and CEO, securing resources to prototype concepts and additional headcount to fund the effort. People and action-focus shows up throughout Google products today.

Led creation of a 5-year vision to strengthen human relationships collaborating with multiple design leads across orgs. Presented to the SVP and CEO, securing resources to prototype concepts and additional headcount to fund the effort. People and action-focus shows up throughout Google products today.

Led creation of a 5-year vision to strengthen human relationships collaborating with multiple design leads across orgs. Presented to the SVP and CEO, securing resources to prototype concepts and additional headcount to fund the effort. People and action-focus shows up throughout Google products today.

Led creation of a 5-year vision to strengthen human relationships collaborating with multiple design leads across orgs. Presented to the SVP and CEO, securing resources to prototype concepts and additional headcount to fund the effort. People and action-focus shows up throughout Google products today.

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Keep in touch

Keep in touch

Keep in touch

Keep in touch

Google identifies ideal moments for you and your loved one to connect, providing reminders to continue past discussions, live translations, facilitating seamless calls.

Google identifies ideal moments for you and your loved one to connect, providing reminders to continue past discussions, live translations, facilitating seamless calls.

Google identifies ideal moments for you and your loved one to connect, providing reminders to continue past discussions, live translations, facilitating seamless calls.

Google identifies ideal moments for you and your loved one to connect, providing reminders to continue past discussions, live translations, facilitating seamless calls.

Access top people

Access top people
Access top people

Access top people

Access top people

Quickly connect with your most important contacts directly from the phone's home screen.

Quickly connect with your most important contacts directly from the phone's home screen.

Quickly connect with your most important contacts directly from the phone's home screen.

Quickly connect with your most important contacts directly from the phone's home screen.

Quickly connect with your most important contacts directly from the phone's home screen.

Dynamic contacts

Dynamic contacts
Dynamic contacts

Dynamic contacts

Dynamic contacts

Contacts surface based on context, highlighting who matters most at a given time.

Contacts surface based on context, highlighting who matters most at a given time.

Contacts surface based on context, highlighting who matters most at a given time.

Contacts surface based on context, highlighting who matters most at a given time.

Contacts surface based on context, highlighting who matters most at a given time.

Contextual actions

Contextual actions
Contextual actions

Contextual actions

Contextual actions

Google suggests the best way to reach out, considering availability and preferences.

Google suggests the best way to reach out, considering availability and preferences.

Google suggests the best way to reach out, considering availability and preferences.

Google suggests the best way to reach out, considering availability and preferences.

Google suggests the best way to reach out, considering availability and preferences.

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Bring people together

Bring people together

Bring people together

Bring people together

Google makes organizing gatherings effortless, enhancing connections with others.

Google makes organizing gatherings effortless, enhancing connections with others.

Google makes organizing gatherings effortless, enhancing connections with others.

Google makes organizing gatherings effortless, enhancing connections with others.

Event planning

Event planning
Event planning

Event planning

Event planning

Finds optimal times and considers guests' music, food, and location to help plan events.

Finds optimal times and considers guests' music, food, and location to help plan events.

Finds optimal times and considers guests' music, food, and location to help plan events.

Finds optimal times and considers guests' music, food, and location to help plan events.

Finds optimal times and considers guests' music, food, and location to help plan events.

People reminders

People reminders
People reminders

People reminders

People reminders

Provides common ground to guests to help them learn about each other ahead of the event.

Provides common ground to guests to help them learn about each other ahead of the event.

Provides common ground to guests to help them learn about each other ahead of the event.

Provides common ground to guests to help them learn about each other ahead of the event.

Provides common ground to guests to help them learn about each other ahead of the event.

Sharing afterwards

After the event
Sharing afterwards

Sharing afterwards

After the event

After the event, Google automatically creates a shared photo album for all participants.

After the event, Google automatically creates a shared photo album for all participants.

After the event, Google automatically creates a shared photo album for all participants.

After the event, Google automatically creates a shared photo album for all participants.

After the dinner party, Google automatically creates a shared Google photos album for all participants.

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Surface important information

Surface important information

Surface important information

Surface important information

Google provides timely insights on people you meet, facilitating more productive meetings. Automated note-taking and document sharing allows attendees to focus on each other, not the computer.

Google provides timely insights on people you meet, facilitating more productive meetings. Automated note-taking and document sharing allows attendees to focus on each other, not the computer.

Google provides timely insights on people you meet, facilitating more productive meetings. Automated note-taking and document sharing allows attendees to focus on each other, not the computer.

Google provides timely insights on people you meet, facilitating more productive meetings. Automated note-taking and document sharing allows attendees to focus on each other, not the computer.

Meeting insights

Meeting insights
Meeting insights

Meeting insights

Meeting insights

Presents relevant info about meeting attendees, such as mutual teams, coworkers, and recent artifacts in common.

Presents relevant info about meeting attendees, such as mutual teams, coworkers, and shared artifacts.

Presents relevant info about meeting attendees, such as mutual teams, coworkers, and recent artifacts in common.

Presents relevant info about meeting attendees, such as mutual teams, coworkers, and shared artifacts.

Presents relevant info about meeting attendees, such as mutual teams, coworkers, and recent artifacts in common.

Artifact sharing

Artifact sharing
Artifact sharing

Artifact sharing

Artifact sharing

Easily share documents and updates with meeting attendees before, during, and after meetings without switching apps.

Easily share documents and updates with meeting attendees without switching apps.

Easily share documents and updates with meeting attendees before, during, and after meetings without switching apps.

Easily share documents and updates with meeting attendees without switching apps.

Easily share documents and updates with meeting attendees before, during, and after meetings without switching apps.

Follow-up

Follow-up
Follow-up

Follow-up

Follow-up

Based on automatically created notes, Google suggests follow-up tasks and optimal time to circle back after the meeting.

Based on automatically created notes, Google suggests follow-up tasks and optimal time to circle back.

Based on automatically created notes, Google suggests follow-up tasks and optimal time to circle back after the meeting.

Based on automatically created notes, Google suggests follow-up tasks and optimal time to circle back after the meeting.

Based on automatically created notes, Google suggests follow-up tasks and optimal time to circle back.

Copyright © Kimberly Song 2024. All rights reserved.

Copyright © Kimberly Song 2024. All rights reserved.

Copyright © Kimberly Song 2024. All rights reserved.

Copyright © Kimberly Song 2024

Copyright © Kimberly Song 2024. All rights reserved.