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Google wants to pay you to improve Google usability

blogs.zdnet.com — You will have the opportunity to work on products of all types: web sites like Google search and AdWords, web applications like Gmail and Google Maps, client applications like Picasa and Google Earth, and mobile services like Google SMS. You will use a range of methods, working closely with UI designers and product teams to define new products.

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  • Archos, on 10/12/2007, -57/+10"Google is looking for User Experience Researchers at all levels, to design and conduct user research studies throughout the product cycle."

    "Qualifications: B.S. in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, or related field."

    bitches
    • Solidcell, on 10/12/2007, -11/+45go to college.
    • pixelmixer, on 10/12/2007, -17/+6so they dont want ME to improve it... they want someone with a B.S. in HCI to improve it.?
    • TheDrunkMonkey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14If you don't have a degree in related fields you can always just do user studies (you get paid about $75 each time).

      https://services.google.com/inquiry/user_study

      There is no educational requirement for them.
    • zone, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5lmao ..from the FAQ

      "Does it involve having electrodes attached to my body?

      No. Sorry."
  • farksucks, on 10/12/2007, -42/+6Only Google would be arrogant enough to list educational degree requirements for BETA TESTERS.

    If this doesn't tell you all you need to know about Google's attitude, I dont know what will.

    And yes, I have a masters degree, and I still find this offensive.

    -------------from the article------
    B.S. in Human-Computer Interaction, Cognitive Psychology, Computer Science, or related field.
    Academic or practical knowledge of user research methods, including lab-based usability studies, field studies, and usability inspections (heuristic evaluations or cognitive walkthroughs).
    Excellent analytical ability, especially with regard to observation of user behavior.
    Strong oral and written communication skills; can present findings concisely and effectively.
    Can work independently and effectively prioritize time between multiple projects.
    Flexible: can adapt to changing schedules and different types of products, and develop new user research methods where needed.
    Can work well in cross-functional teams, including Engineers, Product Managers, and UI Designers.
    Training in research methods and statistics.

    Early-stage user research methods such as contextual inquiry, paper prototyping, card sorting, personas.
    Working with product teams to ensure that user research findings are tracked and acted on.
    Design and analysis of experiments or surveys.
    International user research or remote user studies.
    Accessibility and universal design.
    Analysis of web server log data.
    Web design/HTML.
    Programming/scripting.
    Eye-tracking.
    Testing applications for mobile devices.
    On-line communities and social computing
    • Jonsey, on 10/12/2007, -2/+33Google can pick and choose, so why not be choosy?
    • gungaroo22, on 10/12/2007, -3/+19They want people who know a thing or two as beta testers. No one wants someone un-educated telling them what's wrong. Just like you ( a master grad student) wouldn't want a high school dropout telling you how to do your job.
      Just my opinion.
    • adnk283, on 10/12/2007, -2/+18For a 'typical rate' of $75/hr, they have every right to be choosy.
    • pixelmixer, on 10/12/2007, -12/+6makes sense gungaroo, but what if that highschool dropout educated himself and such know more about the particular subject than a Master grad student?
    • MrSunshine, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5gungaroo22: Google's task is to make user-friendly tools. So it's best to take computer-illiterate people to tell them what's wrong with today's software.
    • d7415, on 10/12/2007, -9/+3@pixelmixer
      so they lower their requirements to find the one guy who actually is that person out of the x hundred thousand applicants - great use of human resources....
    • mc7winkie, on 10/12/2007, -9/+2This sucks, I'm in highschool. No $75 dollars me :(
    • spinchange, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7Masters degree -or- not, you really should re-read an article and make sure you know what you're talking about before you start flaming away. They're looking for testers AND employees. The degree requirements apply to the latter.

      Easy with the "submit comment" button, O.K.?

  • farksucks, on 10/12/2007, -25/+2It's really amazing the number of rabid Google fanboys on here. I point out that Google has a list of degree requirements for BETA TESTERS (who arent employees of Google) and my post gets dugg down.

    Am I the only person who thinks it is arrogant to list degree requirements for BETA TESTERS? Oh wait- the term Google prefers is "User Experience Researchers"

    Is this sort of sycophant worshipping of Google the same thing that teenage girls feel towards gruff, tough indy pop musicians? Except instead of worshipping pre-packaged bands designed to take your cash, you're worshipping pre-packaged corporations designed to take your cash?

    Do you fanboys think if you defend the object of your lust (Google) that maybe someday Google will hire you or give you some stock options? I dont get it- why would any sane person worship and defend a company that exists solely to sell text advertising?

    Are all the betas of non-money-making freeware they throw out on the market enough to make you LOVE a company?

    • gungaroo22, on 10/12/2007, -2/+9No one is worshipping google. They have a right to choose, and have good reason to. About the digging down though.....you are entitled to your opinion, it's just that no one likes it. Sorry.
    • s1rk3ls, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8From the post:

      "Do I get paid? Yes – it depends on the type of study, but typically we pay $75 for each hour that you spend with a Google researcher, either in person or on the phone."
    • AdamCo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+11You keep stressing the words BETA TESTERS like this is some normal beta test, reread the article and put that masters degree to good use.
    • TheDrunkMonkey, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7The educational requirements are for the people that are doing more than beta testing. If you are taking part in a user study, there are no requirements like that.

      "Seven years later, Google is formally calling for paid participants in “User Experience Research” studies and hiring User Experience Researchers."

      The people that are actually getting hired are the ones that need degrees.
    • fatas, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1farksucks must have flunked high school.
  • sbovisjb1, on 10/12/2007, -3/+4I wouldnt let any old Joe Shmoe, do my testing, why not have a smaller volume of intellectual persons testing you're product instead of a large volume of monkeys? Makes perfect sense to me.

    Farksucks, who else is their to be followed and recognised.... Yahoo, Altavista? Digg attracts technological minded people... and google is the epitome of technological advancement and innovation.
  • iGrigorik, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6HCI is non-trivial, don't take it as an offensive requirement. I doubt you will start calling every masters/phd student in HCI field as 'useless' - don't make that mistake here. They are willing to pay (75 an hour) and thus they want to see results that match the payoff.

    It's a job listing, not a free lunch.
  • d7415, on 10/12/2007, -2/+5They're paying you (well, clearly not *you*). If I'm paying someone, I want value for money - why shouldn't google?

    EDIT: grr - meant to be a reply to farksucks
  • farksucks, on 10/12/2007, -9/+1It's not a job listing. They say the typical "beta tester" only gets 1 and a half hours of work.

    They are not hiring you as an employee. They aren't giving you W-2 forms.
  • farksucks, on 10/12/2007, -13/+1I love how everyone brags that you need a phd to get hired at google. because if you dont, you can't possibly be smart enough to be there.

    except both of the founders never finished their degree.


    • d7415, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3stop replying to the root. It's annoying.
      (yes I did it, but not intentionally and only once)
    • tdhurst, on 10/12/2007, -2/+7Yeah, so what?

      Good bosses always hire people smarter than they are.
  • D14BL0, on 10/12/2007, -6/+5p9s50W5k4GUD2c6? I thought you left Digg after you were accused of getting your articles dugg up with your other friends?
  • PhairOh, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2I cannot seem to find a link anywhere in the article. Am I insane, or can someone post a link to what this article is talking about. The closest I can find on google is an actual paid position.
  • nyxx, on 10/12/2007, -1/+5A link to the *actual study* would have been nice...

    https://services.google.com/inquiry/user_study

    I don't see anything on there or in their FAQ about degree requirements to be a beta tester, either...

    "What sort of people are you looking for? Do I really need to tell you all this stuff?

    For each study, we need to make sure that we invite people who match our target user profile for the product we are researching. We also want to get a good balance of ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience, so please be honest with your answers. It's easier for us to match you to a suitable study when we have more information about you, so if you fill in as much of our sign-up form as you can, it's more likely that you will be invited to participate."
  • farksucks, on 10/12/2007, -14/+2In all the time on digg, I've never seen as many comments getting buried by fanboys.

    You people make the Apple fanboys look absolutely sane in comparison.
    • ephemere, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Listen very carefully...

      The requirements are ***NOT*** for the testers. They are for the researchers. RTFA and shut your mouth. You are getting dugg down because you are spewing inaccurate information, not because everyone is a Google fanboy.

  • Cymrubeats, on 10/12/2007, -6/+2Digg4Jobs.
  • farksucks, on 10/12/2007, -10/+1Too bad that even with all the traffic digg gets, they can't even turn a profit. Why? Because anyone who's been on the net for years has learned to "tune out" google adsense ads- which is how digg makes 100% of its income.

    To make money with adsense, you need lots of traffic AND users dumb enough to click on ads thinking they are just links on a page.

    This is why neither digg, nor slashdot, are rolling in cash.
    • evensong, on 10/12/2007, -4/+3I think your replies make up 50% of the comments on this article.

      I'd say, get a life and stop trolling on Digg. Also, I would like to know which search engine you use.
    • dkm201, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1nice trolling buddy. it's sunday, go outside, get some fresh air!
  • secretivecoward, on 10/12/2007, -2/+1"Does it involve having electrodes attached to my body?

    No. Sorry."

    and I was hoping to get Googled :(
  • iNoles, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I could do it without going to Google HQ or field study.
  • tj9991, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Adding this to the "on my 18th birthday, I will..." list.

    I can't lie about my age to google, we have such a trustworthy relationship :(
  •  

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