The Google Glass: A Cautionary Tale of What Can Go Wrong Without Proper Business Analysis

The Google Glass was a highly anticipated product when it was first announced in 2012. Developed by Google X, the company's experimental division, the Glass was a wearable device with a small display that could be worn like a pair of glasses. The idea behind the Glass was to provide users with an "augmented reality" experience, allowing them to access information and interact with their environment in a new and innovative way.

However, the Google Glass quickly became known as a failed product. Despite the hype and excitement surrounding its release, the Glass failed to live up to its promise and never really caught on with consumers. So, what went wrong?

One of the biggest challenges faced by the Google Glass was its high price point. At $1,500, the Glass was simply too expensive for most consumers, especially given the limited functionality it offered. Additionally, the Glass had a somewhat clunky design and was not very stylish, which made it less appealing to consumers.

Another major challenge was the privacy concerns that arose with the Glass. The device had a small camera built-in, which raised concerns about privacy and surveillance. Many people felt uncomfortable with the idea of someone wearing a device that could take pictures or videos of them without their knowledge or consent.

Finally, there was a lack of clear use case for the Glass. While the idea of augmented reality was intriguing, it was not clear to many people how they would actually use the device in their everyday lives. Without a clear and compelling reason to use the Glass, many consumers simply decided to pass on the device.

?All in all, the Google Glass was a great example of a product that had a lot of potential but failed to deliver on that promise. Despite the hype and excitement surrounding its release, the Glass simply did not live up to expectations and failed to gain traction with consumers. While the idea of augmented reality is still intriguing, it seems that the Glass was simply ahead of its time and the market wasn't ready for it.

?

FEATURES

The Google Glass was a wearable device that featured a small display that could be worn like a pair of glasses. Some of the key features of the Glass included:

• Augmented Reality: The Glass provided users with an "augmented reality" experience, allowing them to access information and interact with their environment in a new and innovative way.
• Voice commands: The Glass could be controlled with voice commands, allowing users to navigate through menus, take pictures or videos, and perform other tasks.
• Camera: The Glass had a small camera built-in, which allowed users to take pictures or videos and share them with others.
• Navigation and Location: The Glass provided turn-by-turn navigation and location-based services, allowing users to easily find their way around and discover new places.
• Connectivity: The Glass connected to the Internet and other devices via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, allowing users to access information and stay connected wherever they went.
• Display: The Glass had a small display that projected information and images directly in front of the user's eye.
• Touchpad: The Glass had a touchpad on the side, which allowed users to navigate through menus and perform other actions.
• Battery life: The Glass had a battery life of around a day.

Overall, the Google Glass was designed to provide users with an augmented reality experience, allowing them to access information and interact with their environment in a new and innovative way. However, as mentioned before, many of these features were not perceived as useful by most of the public, leading to the product's fail.

?

WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY

There are several things that could have been done differently to make the Google Glass a successful product. Some of these include:

1. Lower the Price Point: The Glass was simply too expensive for most consumers at $1,500, which was one of the main reasons why it failed to gain traction. Lowering the price point would have made the device more accessible and appealing to a wider range of consumers.
2. Improve the Design: The Glass had a somewhat clunky design and was not very stylish, which made it less appealing to consumers. Improving the design and making it more stylish and appealing would have helped to make the device more desirable to consumers.
3. Address Privacy Concerns: The privacy concerns that arose with the Glass were a major issue that contributed to its failure. Addressing these concerns and providing more transparency around how the device would be used and what data would be collected would have helped to alleviate these concerns and make the device more appealing to consumers.
4. Develop a Clear Use Case: The Glass lacked a clear use case for most people. Developing a clear and compelling use case for the Glass would have helped to make it more appealing to consumers, and give them a better understanding of what the device could do for them.
5. Invest in Marketing: The Glass was not marketed effectively, which made it difficult for consumers to understand what the device was and what it could do. Investing in marketing and advertising campaigns that clearly communicated the benefits of the Glass would have helped to generate more interest in the device.
6. Improve the battery life: The Glass had a battery life of around a day which was not enough for users. Improving the battery life would have made it more convenient for users and would have helped to increase its usage.

In summary, to make the Google Glass a successful product, the company should have focused on making it more affordable, more stylish, more transparent, more convincing in its use case, better marketed, and with a better battery life. It's also important to mention that Google Glass was a product with a high level of innovation and it was not clear if the market was ready for it. It's a clear example of the risks of the innovation and the importance of understanding the market before launching a new product.

?

What role would a business analyst have played in bringing about this solution

A business analyst would have played an important role in identifying the challenges and gaps that led to the failure of the Google Glass, and in developing solutions to address these issues. Here are a few specific ways in which a business analyst could have contributed to the success of the Glass:

Conducting market research: A business analyst would have conducted market research to understand the needs, wants, and pain points of the target market for the Glass. This research would have helped to identify the key challenges and gaps that the Glass faced in the market, such as the high price point and the lack of a clear use case.

Identifying cost-effective solutions: A business analyst would have worked with the development team to identify cost-effective solutions to address the challenges and gaps identified through market research. For example, a business analyst could have proposed a strategy for lowering the price point of the Glass without compromising on its features and functionality.

Developing a go-to-market strategy: A business analyst would have worked with the marketing team to develop a go-to-market strategy that effectively communicated the benefits of the Glass to the target market. This strategy would have included campaigns and tactics to generate interest in the device and increase its visibility in the market.

Conducting a feasibility study: A business analyst would have conducted a feasibility study to assess the technical and financial feasibility of the Glass. This would have included assessing the technical capabilities of the device, its projected costs, and the potential return on investment.

Identifying potential risks and creating a risk management plan: A business analyst would have identified potential risks associated with the Glass, such as privacy concerns, and would have developed a risk management plan to mitigate these risks.

?

In summary, a business analyst would have played an important role in helping to understand the market, identifying the challenges and gaps that led to the failure of the Google Glass, and developing solutions to address these issues. They would have worked closely with the development, marketing, and financial teams to develop a go-to-market strategy, a risk management plan, and to conduct a feasibility study to make sure the product was viable.

?

THE TEAM BEHIND THE PRODUCT

The Google Glass project was developed by a team at Google X, which is the company's semi-secret innovation lab. The team was led by engineer and Google executive, Babak Parviz, and included a group of engineers, designers, and researchers who worked together to develop the Glass. The project was first announced in 2012 and was developed with the goal of creating a wearable device that would allow people to access information and perform tasks hands-free.

The Glass was developed using cutting-edge technology and was designed to be worn on the face like a pair of glasses. It had a small screen that projected information in the wearer's field of view, and could be controlled using voice commands, a touchpad, or through a smartphone app. The Glass was also equipped with a camera, microphone, and a speaker, which allowed users to take photos, record videos, and make phone calls.

The Google Glass project was considered a major innovation and was seen as a way for Google to get ahead of the curve in the rapidly growing market for wearable technology. However, despite its potential, the Glass faced a number of challenges and ultimately failed to gain traction in the market. In 2015, Google officially stopped the production of the Google Glass, but the project and its team continue to develop new technologies and research in the field of Augmented Reality and wearable technology.