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How Google Decides To Cancel a Project

Posted by Soulskill on from the if-it-doesn't-sound-good-with-a-leading-g dept.

The New York Times is running a story about the criteria involved when Google scraps one of their projects. While a project's popularity among users is important, Google also examines whether they can get enough employees interested in it, and whether it has a large enough scope — they prefer not to waste time solving minor problems. The article takes a look at the specific reasons behind the recent cancellation of several products. "Dennis Crowley, one of two co-founders who sold Dodgeball to Google in 2005 and stayed on, said that he had trouble competing for the attention of other Google engineers to expand the service. 'If you're a product manager, you have to recruit people and their "20 percent time."' ... [Jeff Huber, the company's senior vice president of engineering] said that Google eventually concluded that Dodgeball's vision was too narrow. ... Still, Google found the concepts behind Dodgeball intriguing, and early this month, it released Google Latitude, an add-on to Google Maps that allows people to share their location with friends and family members. It's more sophisticated than Dodgeball, with automatic location tracking and more options for privacy and communication."

52 of 75 comments (clear)

  1. But will this work in your company? by BadAnalogyGuy · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Google has the benefit of having a lot of employees, a lot of goodwill, and a lot of money, so when it takes the "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" business strategy, things have a way of working out for them.

    But would this work for anyone else? Maybe Apple.

    1. Re:But will this work in your company? by peragrin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Well sometimes things aren't quite right like when the shit is runny. MSFT tablet, and ultra mobile PC's, fall into this category.

      A good idea, done in by poor interface choices, barely tolerable battery life, high prices, etc.

      In the next 18 months with the emergence of touch screen netbooks with new interfaces, and more importantly low prices. you will see just how much needs to change in slight ways.

      Apple does the throw shit at the wall and see what sticks too. however that wall is normally well hidden from view. My iphone is awesome. however the number of prototypes that were built before is the really interesting question.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    2. Re:But will this work in your company? by 91degrees · · Score: 4, Insightful

      It's what they call a cash cow. Large segment of the market, not a lot of growth. Piling more money into the market isn't going expand it a lot so it makes more sense to take the cash generated and invest it in other products. Apple are in a similar position with the iPod (The mp3 player market is still expanding but not as much as when the original ipod was released), and so are Microsoft with Windows.

      It's pretty much 101 business strategy stuff.

    3. Re:But will this work in your company? by Aladrin · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Oddly enough, the process isn't -too- different in smaller companies. You don't actually build the prototype, but since you can get direct access to the owner/boss, you can present your idea to him/her. If they like it, you'll get to build it.

      It's medium-sized companies that have the problem. They can't afford the 'see what sticks' approach, and you can't talked to the owner/boss personally, so there's no way for this to happen without some favoritism being involved. Even companies that have 'good idea' programs rarely actually get them.

      --
      "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
    4. Re:But will this work in your company? by Fat+Cow · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This _should_ be a cash cow for the shareholders. If these companies can't invest this money profitably then they are morally obligated to return it to the shareholders.

      --
      stay frosty and alert
    5. Re:But will this work in your company? by thermian · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Google has the benefit of having a lot of employees, a lot of goodwill, and a lot of money, so when it takes the "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" business strategy, things have a way of working out for them.

      But would this work for anyone else? Maybe Apple.

      No way. Apple try hard to give off an aura of 'hey, we're just cool guys having fun', but the reality is they are very structured and don't tend to do off the wall projects.

      There is really one guy making the decisions as to what is good enough to survive, or even be started, and that's Steve Jobs.

      Ok, he makes a lot of good choices, but they don't have anything like the setup that Google have.

      They typically launch very tightly controlled products and evolve those, adding new features as required in order to either stay ahead of the competition or to get users to re buy the latest version.

      Where they win is presentation, their stuff appeals to non geeks, so people get tricked into beleiving that Apple themselves are as cool and fun as their products and advertising make them appear.

      --
      A learning experience is one of those things that say, 'You know that thing you just did? Don't do that.' - D. Adams
    6. Re:But will this work in your company? by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 4, Interesting

      That's different really. Google's approach is to build something and see what the Internet community likes. The small business approach is to pitch something and see what the boss/owner likes. A bit different.

      But at medium to larger businesses, you do get the chance to present new ideas to higher levels of management. If you pitch an idea and it gets some attention, your group can be given funding to produce a prototype.

      Still, usually no one outside the company gets to see these prototypes. There are a couple of exceptions -- in the auto industry you have events like the North American International Auto Show where prototypes are tossed at consumers and marketroids note how the media and how consumers react to the prototypes. That information fuels decisions about new models for the next few years, typically.

      But Google's approach is altogether different. First off, the vast majority of their money is tied up in infrastructure, not development. Producing a new product doesn't cost nearly as much as it would a traditional software house.

      Think of it this way: what's it take to produce an N-tier enterprise intranet app? An analyst/project manager, maybe a couple of page designers, a couple of domain experts, a 3-4 core software developers, a DBA and a systems/network administrator. And you can do it with half that if you have pay for a team of highly-experienced superstars.

      So the reason they can afford to 'toss shit against the wall and see what sticks' is because they're already spending on the infrastructure -- that cost is known and somewhat fixed. The variable part, the new development, costs relatively very little.

      --
      My blog
    7. Re:But will this work in your company? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Morally Obligated? We are talking about money not morals!
      It is only obligatory when written ia a signed contract!

    8. Re:But will this work in your company? by nicklott · · Score: 1

      Surely apple are the complete opposite of that? They have like 3 products...

    9. Re:But will this work in your company? by mysterons · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Google has the benefit of having a lot of employees, a lot of goodwill, and a lot of money, so when it takes the "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" business strategy, things have a way of working out for them.

      But would this work for anyone else? Maybe Apple.

      One problem with grading projects by how popular they are internally is that flashy projects get chosen over boring, less obvious but quite possibly equally important ones.

      An example: who would want to work on infrastructure which is never directly visible to the outside world?

    10. Re:But will this work in your company? by Supergibbs · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No, Apple might do something similar but afterwards takes whatever sticks and makes it pretty, strips out any advanced features and wraps the whole thing in proprietary crap

      --
      First post! (just in case I am...)
    11. Re:But will this work in your company? by jschen · · Score: 4, Interesting

      This makes sense only if the new projects are, on average, equally lucrative. (Apple's iPod, for example, is highly profitable.) Otherwise, the money could be better used to generate dividends or do share buybacks. Companies can't grow bigger indefinitely. At some point, a successful company should start generating a consistent revenue stream for its owners (shareholders).

    12. Re:But will this work in your company? by stevey · · Score: 2, Insightful

      An example: who would want to work on infrastructure which is never directly visible to the outside world?

      Me, but that's probably why I'm mostly a sysadmin only part-time programmer.

      Without the presence of a good infrastructure you can't have nowhere for the flashy stuff to be developed/hosted/placed.

    13. Re:But will this work in your company? by publiclurker · · Score: 1

      When people like this use the phrase "morally obligated", it's simply a phrase meant to hide the lack of true morals in their own personal, self serving greed.

    14. Re:But will this work in your company? by Kuxman · · Score: 1

      Because it could be really, really cool. As an engineer I like "hard" problems, and when I find a project interesting I go after it -- regardless of how "flashy" it is to the general public.

      I think in Google's case, this is certainly true if you examine how much work has gone into their infrastructure (and how many research papers have been written on those topics).

      --
      http://www.asti-usa.com
    15. Re:But will this work in your company? by The+End+Of+Days · · Score: 4, Insightful

      When people use the phrase "true morals," I reach for my shotgun.

    16. Re:But will this work in your company? by defiek · · Score: 1

      Apple's business model is more or less based around planned obsolescence. They already know what works without having to "throw shit at the wall and see what sticks" as you succinctly put it. All they have to do is release a slew of upgraded products on a regular basis.

    17. Re:But will this work in your company? by Chyeld · · Score: 5, Funny

      When people use the phrase "I reach for my shotgun", I give Anne a good night kiss, grab my pants, and shimmy out the window.

    18. Re:But will this work in your company? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      who would want to work on infrastructure which is never directly visible to the outside world?

      I work at Google on an infrastructure project that is not directly visible to the outside world. On a normal working day I really don't care if what I do is directly visible to the outside world. I can see how this project is a good thing for our users, and I know for a fact that our founders consider this project very important, shouldn't that be more important to me than what bloggers around the internet think? The only times where it is slightly annoying to be working on something that isn't visible is when friends from outside the company ask me what I am working on, and the only answer I can give is "internal infrastructure". But the project has importance and technical challenges to be solved. And even if I was granted a wish for something to change, then working on something more visible wouldn't be the first thing on my list - if at all.

    19. Re:But will this work in your company? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's just that Apple fanboys have a poor memory of the bad shit. Evidence: Apple TV.

      Nevermind most years after the adoption of PowerPC and before the introduction of the iPod.

    20. Re:But will this work in your company? by rmerry72 · · Score: 3, Informative

      Companies can't grow bigger indefinitely. At some point, a successful company should start generating a consistent revenue stream for its owners (shareholders).

      Nope. Unfortunately that is not the way the economy works. Shareholders are not looking for revenue or profit (ie cash, dividends) from companies. They are looking for wealth. Specifically increases in the share price. That requires growth - or at least the appearance of it - and for that companies need to "invest" in new markets, technologies and products.

      A steady revenue stream will not keep your share price up as lots of investors - particularly institutional investors which make up the far bulk of share ownership today - sell out and look for higher yield stocks. Our stock market does not look at the overall size or profitability of an organisation and certainly doesn't reward over all size. The important thing - the only thing - is growth.

      And before anybody chimes in with the obvious, yes in today's downtrodden economy when most of the world is going backwards, just standing still and not shrinking is enough "growth" to stand out from your competitors.

      --
      We do not inherit the Earth from our parents. We borrow it from our children.
    21. Re:But will this work in your company? by rmerry72 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Without the presence of a good infrastructure you can't have nowhere for the flashy stuff to be developed/hosted/placed.

      Very, very true. Which is why most people prefer other people work on the infrastructure. Own culture idolizes those that do the flashy stuff and gives little credit to those that do the hard invisible stuff, and so everybody wants to do the flashy stuff in order to be idolized. Most people would prefer to be racing car drivers than car mechanics, even racing car mechanics.

      That's sad, cause I find the most joy in solving the hard problems that nobody ever hears about. How boring to be a racing car driver, I say. Any moron can drive around a track, as long as I make the car go fast and handle well enough.

      --
      We do not inherit the Earth from our parents. We borrow it from our children.
    22. Re:But will this work in your company? by CodeBuster · · Score: 1

      I find that getting a chance to speak on the conference call or at the shareholders' meeting AND actually to be listened to (they rarely give the smallholders who might each get 3 minutes during the general comment period any attention) is basically impossible for an individual shareholder at a large company. Unless you personally own 5% or more of the outstanding shares you are like the small business guy asking the bankers for a loan in those Capital One ads (you know where the small business owner is like an gnat shouting at giants). The only other way is to really make a lot of calls and try to organize a group of small holders to vote as block (and have them elect you to speak for the group at the shareholders' meeting). That last option is very difficult to do. For example, when the Roy Disney (who owned at least 5% of the outstanding shares at the time personally) organized a coalition to oust Michael Eisner as chairman of the board, he was still only able to muster ~43% of the votes against Eisner and even then it was technically not enough for him to lose the election. However, he eventually resigned anyway due to the unprecedented vote of no confidence by so many shareholders. Roy Disney had to work long and hard and make lots of calls to get that coalition together prior to the meeting which was probably like having a full time job for a couple of months prior.

    23. Re:But will this work in your company? by 91degrees · · Score: 1

      Morally, I'd say Google's executives are obligated to do what's best for the company. Legally this is exactly the case. Now, if this was a paper mill, perhaps shareholders would be happy to just have a chunk of the revenue. In this case, shareholders were most likely aware that Google would want to expand into other markets, and this was one of the factors that increased their desire to invest in the company.

      Google is in a better position to exploit internet based technology than individual shareholders. They have a strong brand name and will get a certain amount of free publicity through Google's current popularity in technological circles.

    24. Re:But will this work in your company? by initialE · · Score: 1

      Vista's UAC was built on what the Internet community "likes", to use that term in the broadest way possible. People wanted security, they wanted some level of protection from accidentally hosing a machine. However it turned out that there was a huge gap between what the internet wanted and what users in general wanted in the first place. UAC is hideous by anyone's standard.

      --
      Starbucks, Harbuckle of Breath.
    25. Re:But will this work in your company? by damaki · · Score: 1

      People wanted the same visual sudo as in Ubuntu, they delivered a half-baked one, only designed to be annoying. I am still trying to figure out why I should have to clic two times on "yes" when I am trying to move a file to Program Files. "Are you sure?" and "Are you really sure?" are two stupid question when put together in line. The result is that people still ignore what is written because it is garbage.

      So to come back to the subject : I you copy something people like, make a good copy. Google created Google Videos when YouTube was popular only to realize that people did not move on from YouTube. They made an online copy of Office, and then it somehow works. So yeah, they try, often fail but when they succeed, they make great stuff such as gmail or their search engine.

      How many bad copies for a success?

      --
      Stupidity is the root of all evil.
    26. Re:But will this work in your company? by damaki · · Score: 1

      Any moron can drive around a track, as long as I make the car go fast and handle well enough.

      Quite true. In F1 races, they keep on changing rules every year only to prevent Ferrari from winning one more time. So, let's settle on

      Any good enough moron can drive around a track, as long as I make the car go fast and handle well enough.

      --
      Stupidity is the root of all evil.
    27. Re:But will this work in your company? by plman15 · · Score: 1

      F*ck the shareholders: Companies are obligated to their customers and employees first.

    28. Re:But will this work in your company? by publiclurker · · Score: 1

      Worst mis-spelling of "dictionary" ever.

    29. Re:But will this work in your company? by ion.simon.c · · Score: 1

      *still wishes that YouTube would pick up Google Video's ${VIDEO_URL}#MM_SS method of linking to a particular place in the video.*

    30. Re:But will this work in your company? by bennomatic · · Score: 1

      For the record, I like my apple tv. I just can't wait for them to add a browser so I can access Hulu with it...

      --
      The CB App. What's your 20?
    31. Re:But will this work in your company? by jacquesm · · Score: 1

      that would make you a non-anonymous coward :)

      --
      MP3 Search Engine
    32. Re:But will this work in your company? by strupet · · Score: 1

      do you know how it works on youtube? I tried this #t=xxmxxs but it didn't work sometimes...do i need leading zeros? thx

  2. Obviously by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Anything not in beta goes onto the Mad Maxian wheel. It's then spun by Tina Turner and whichever project it lands on gets thrown out.

  3. Recruit? by billyweb · · Score: 1

    If you have to recruit engineers to work on your project, that might be an indication its time to move on.

    1. Re:Recruit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      All Google projects have to recruit engineers. It's just the Google way.

    2. Re:Recruit? by SerpentMage · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You know I have a product that is doing very well, and I am hoping to be bought out. Though if it does not I will have enough clients. But I digress...

      If say Google were to buy me out and the success of this product depended on whether or not I could recruit engineers I would say screw it!

      Google would have bought me out so I would have my money. And if Google is too stupid to do anything with the investment its their problem, not mine.

      I mean so I could work there twiddle my thumbs surf, and do nothing until I could leave...

      Personally I never thought too much of the Program Manager approach. Lends itself to be less focused in my opinion.

      I have found that the best companies have REALLY good visionaries who say, "lets do this, and if you don't like it its your problem not mine." Yes many companies fail, but there are many who do quite well as a result of it.

      --

      "You can't make a race horse of a pig"
      "No," said Samuel, "but you can make very fast pig"
    3. Re:Recruit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      You don't get my point do you?

      Why on earth is Google buying a company that it will not use? If I was a shareholder of Google I would be bleeding furious at the waste of money.

    4. Re:Recruit? by rossifer · · Score: 1

      Google will sometimes buy a startup to recruit the engineers capable of writing that system. If a $10M bonus (much of it in stock and tied to a vesting schedule) can recruit some of the best thinkers in a field, it may be well worth it.

  4. Follow Up Story by basementman · · Score: 5, Funny

    We need a follow-up story, "How Google decides whether or not to label something Beta". I'm guessing it involves dart boards, hookers, and cocaine.

    --
    A Magic the Gathering Article and Forum Aggregator
    1. Re:Follow Up Story by c1t1z3nk41n3 · · Score: 5, Funny

      In fact, forget the dart boards!

    2. Re:Follow Up Story by peater · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'm impotent and cocaine intolerant you selfish insensitive clod!

    3. Re:Follow Up Story by Daengbo · · Score: 1

      Your story is three sentences long:

      Anything with evolving features is marked "beta" for the free version. The premier version (paid for) gets the stable features and no "beta" tag. Services with stable, well-tested feature sets don't get a "beta" tag, either.

      Hope that cleared it up for you.

      --
      Put identity in the browser.
    4. Re:Follow Up Story by Daengbo · · Score: 1

      and the cocaine!

      --
      Put identity in the browser.
  5. If Microsoft doesn't imitate it, then its bunk by Bob_Who · · Score: 1

    Converse affirmative monkey business

  6. Re:They killed Google Calculator!!! by Z34107 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now when I need confirmation that 2+2=4, Google isn't there to help. What a letdown.

    Wrong! Google is always there to help!

    --
    DATABASE WOW WOW
  7. 15 min by deanston · · Score: 1

    I just thought Marissa Mayer gets to decide what flies or not.

    At Microsoft, you would need another 20% time for project management to decide what resources to recruit, how to recruit them, schedule the recruitment, and create a matrix to determine whether their 20% time was paying off.

  8. What about keeping us in the loop of new projects? by QuantumRiff · · Score: 1

    I had found out about grand central right at the time google bought it. That was quite some time ago. I would love to see if it is still alive, and "coming soon" or canceled, but google is absolutely horrible at letting people know the status of new projects. Look how long it took them to take dodgeball into something released. With no information in the meantime to interested users...

    --

    What are we going to do tonight Brain?
  9. Got enough pieces of flare? by heroine · · Score: 1

    Guess you better have enough pieces of flare if you want to keep your anti matter rocket engine project alive.

  10. Re:Gosh, I'm glad they saved Stalkertude by The+Cydonian · · Score: 1

    Beautiful, just beautiful. You sir, win the internets for the day and are my new hero.

    --
    More than mere navel gazing.
  11. Google Notebook lost my data by amh99 · · Score: 1

    Just so everyone knows, Google Notebook lost all my notebooks one day after it was end-of-lifed. See here: http://www.google-problems.blogspot.com/ I could live with this, but they don't answer my calls ...

  12. Re:What about keeping us in the loop of new projec by QuantumRiff · · Score: 1

    Sadly, no, its not. YOu can give them your information, and they will contact you when it opens back up again. (I have been waiting over a year, with no emails from them). Or, they are only doing the beta in a few area codes, which would make sense, but don't bother telling anyone which ones.

    --

    What are we going to do tonight Brain?