Google AdSense
Defining and building the future for one of the most impactful Ads platforms
The landscape
With over 2 million users, Google AdSense is one of the world’s leading Ads platforms.
Helping content creators turn their passion into profit by connecting advertisers with publishers to deliver smart targeting advertising to consumers.
The team
6 Designers
30 Engineers
5 Product Managers
3 Researchers
1 Content strategist
MY ROLE
Hands-on UX Design lead
Leading a team of designers and multi-disciplined UXers
Setting strategy and objectives alongside ENG/PM leadership
Establishing strong culture of UCD and learning
Hiring, coaching and mentorship
Defining the strategy
A product on the brink of decline
We noticed (via survey data, key metrics and other insights tools) that AdSense was on the decline and rapidly. We were starting to see a flattening and drop in some key metrics and a shift to a more mobile centric approach for most content creators and advertisers.
WHAT WE WERE SEEING
YoY reduction in monthly active users on the platform
Slowing in the amount new users coming onboard to the platform (growth)
Flattening trend in revenue quarter on quarter
Setting a measurable outcome
With these data points and insights, we wanted to align on and set of measurable objectives for the team which really looks at providing clarity, scope and a shared understanding of where we are and where we want to get to
We set a yearly objective which we refined and adjusted every quarter to ensure we were working towards the right outcome
OBJECTIVE
Deliver better value to Content Creators and Advertisers
KEY RESULTS
10% increase in 7 day active users
15 % increase in new users YOY
QTR on QTR growth of revenue
We know where we are and where we aspire to be, so how do we get there?
Applying divergent and convergent design thinking
Product discovery
Discovering the problem from a users lense
With objectives and key results in mind, we wanted to understand the problems both users and the business were facing to help better align our team on what we were focusing on solving
What we did
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
To better understand the business goals, objectives and key drivers
SURVEYS & POLLS
To look for trends, patterns, behaviours and metrics for success
USER INTERVIEWS
To understand user needs, problems, motivations and outcomes
Key insights
NAVIGATING WAS HARD
It was hard to find anything in AdSense and users often found it difficult to navigate the platform
PERSONALISATION
There was a desire from users to be able to ‘make AdSense their own’ as users had different goals in mind
KEY INFORMATION HIDDEN
It was hard to find anything in AdSense and users often found it difficult to navigate the platform
MULTI-PLATFORM SUPPORT
Content creators were seeing the majority of traffic coming from mobile devices
Defining the challenge to solve
Prioritising problems and reframing to enable divergent ideation
Reframing to create actionable insights
Using the How Might We’s (HMW’s) to frame key problems and insights into a question. It allowed the team to:
Focus on solving the right problem
Helped us lead with and leverage insights,
Not JUST focus on solutions
THINK BIG and GO WIDE - what are some of the ways we can solve this problem
Build joint understanding and accountability
Prioritising HMW statements for ideation
I setup and ran a xfn (PM/ENG/UX/Marketing) framing workshop after the discovery session to establish what the top HMWs are and align the team on what problems we are solving.
We focused in on what we believed would solve the key business objectives and the gravitas of key themes from discovery
HMW help users find what they need quickly
HMW create a personalized experience
HMW give users the info they need to see
HMW help users optimize for mobile channels
Developing ideas
TIME TO THINK BIG
If we can offer a 5* experience…
what does a 10* one look like?
Explore and ideate on the HMWs to explore solutions
I setup and ran a series of xfn and x-team design sprints with ENG/PM and UX from AdSense, Ads formats and other teams to look at the holistic experience.
We ran ‘Crazy 8’ sketching sessions to develop quick prototypes, expanding ideas using the ‘yes, and’ method
Build, measure, learn cycles
Taking ideas though rapid prototyping, testing and iterating to park, pivot or progress concepts
Working as a unit, building quick prototypes in code and on device (mobile, desktop) to quickly test concepts and storyboards to ensure we are ‘building the right thing’. Refining and killing ideas in a 2 week cadence
ITERATING TO A NORTH STAR
Introducing a new vision for AdSense
code name ‘primo’
A re-designed product which helps you stay up to date with key information in the right place at the right time, built on a reliable and reusable tech-stack
“HMW give users the info the needs to see”
A platform where you can personalize and customize ‘your’ AdSense
“HMW introduce personalized experiences”
A place where you can monitor, and grow your business for mobile channels from any device
“HMW help user optimize for mobile channels”
HMW help user find what they want quickly
Delivering a world class product
“Making the thing right”
Close collaboration and alignment from the start
We had a vision which our xfn unit was onboard with and ready to deliver.
Now, AdSense was a business critical product, so to ensure company wide alignment with VP/Director levels on the approach, timelines, resources and gather full support
SIGNAL BOOSTING
Performed a series of ‘Tech-talks’ as an XFN team (ENG/PM/UX)
MANAGING UP & OUT
Send offline bi-weekly update with key stakeholders to help keep them informed
COURSE CORRECTION
Setup a steer-co with key stakeholders to help drive alignment
ALIGNING AT THE TOP
Set org wide OKRs to deliver the vision and secure the right level of headcount and team
Defining our MVP with ruthless prioritization
To define what we do now, later, drop (unless it’s foundational ENG work) and establish timelines.
Setup and ran a XFN scoping session to plot features on a 2x2 against effort and value. We worked with ENG to define the foundational work for Angular dart framework via QTR planning and tracking via an MVP GANTT
Establishing timelines and milestones to give us a target launch date
Setting up dual track Agile sprints
To stay aligned and collaborate together on delivery and continuous discovery, I established dual track Agile sprints, creating a working backlog with ENG/PM/UX and running 2 week sprints to momentum and deliver features as an xfn unit
Test & iterate cycles
To keep the learning process contact whilst we developed features and refine usability, I Introduced RITE method to help quickly design, iterate and optimize features via quick feedback loops with users
I also introduced rapid prototyping in HTML/CSS/JS to help quickly build interactive experiences for testing
Evolving the material design system
Material design was developed for mobile devices, so we needed to evolve it, establish new patterns and build a new component library for the AdSense (web-based platform)
Working with ENG to develop a new component library with web-based desktop in-mind
Impact & outcomes
Pre-MVP launch of mobile optimized page level ads
Launched a new Ad format for mobile devices, optimized for delivery of advertising on mobile devices
We identified a high value and low risk/effort opportunity working with the Ads formats team to deliver a mobile-ads first approach to help content creators optimize growth in their mobile channel
Launch of new AdSense platform
Designed and build for scalability and with user centered design principles
New ‘education’ onboarding for users
Developed new ‘Material onboarding’ and education for new users to help them navigate and find what’s important to them and aid in discovery
Revamped IA based on insights
Optimized navigation to streamline core user journeys and help user navigate easier and faster
Treating vital information as a first class citizen
Priority scorecards to display core data for users around earnings and revenue
Providing a flexible dashboard
Being able to search for, pin and unpin data cards was a key solution to the need for flexibility and ‘relative reporting’ based on our insights and provided users the ability to track campaigns and create views based on their strategy
Gained traction to launch spin-off greenfield project
Lead a Tiger team across multiple parts of the business using data to provider richer Ad experiences. Launched successful MVP of ‘Trusted Partner Program’ within 6 months.
Key metrics and outcomes
Product impact
(actual figures cannot be disclosed for privacy reasons)
Increase in USAT survey based on usability and satisfaction of using the new platform design
Page-level ads (now Auto Ads) was the largest used Ad-format introduced with highest adoption rate of any ad format
The impact on process
Introduction of xfn squads as the norm across the teams - enhancing collaboration and establishing dual track agile
Increase in journey metrics across the board for completing tasks and navigating
15% Increase in monthly active users and revenue growth trending upwards between Q1-Q3 post launch
Introduction of capacity planning to help UXers manage and prioritise work and avoid burnout
Increasing overall quality bar by introducing design CRITs, UX Reviews and XFN pre-launch build reviews
The impact on people and culture
Raised UX Maturity across the org, with design sprints and xfn planning adopted as the norm in Ads org
Was able to ‘right-size ‘ the team, going from 2 FTE UXDs to 6 with solid cross-functional partnerships and squads
Establishing a collaborative and better working culture with increased psychological safety and improved team survey response (measured monthly via retros and internal team polls)
Challenges and hurdles
Shifting hearts and minds took time and investment
AdSense was deep-rooted into the business and making that step change took rounds of data, research, pitches and investment to build solid rationale
A slide from one of many presentations to VPs and SVPs working to establish traction
A lack of engagement at times in the design process
The idea of collaboration was there, but engagement wasn’t always at it’s best in the design process. We had to flex and adapt align the way to really lead with value and show the way forwards for true collaboration in building a world-class product
We had to think of novel ways to help drive engagement in the design and ideation process
Alignment on target users was a tricky conversation
Our user base was vast..ranging from a person setting up their dream (funded by ads) through to the NY times. We had to shift and change multiple times to really identify who we were building for any why
Latest marketing page showcases the collaboration output - we focused on helping individuals and small businesses grow
One does not simply re-build a new Ads Platform
There were A LOT of stakeholders and A LOT of opinions around a previously successful product. Even though it wasn’t pretty, it was deemed as ‘working’. We had to adopt a gradual and iterative approach to the re-build and design, tracking metrics to understand impact along the way
Early AdSense built on legacy tech stack and designed for B2B users
So, what did I learn ?
Be brave and challenge the status quo
Be smart and invest your time and resources wisely. Focus on having the most impact (for users and the business), then create the space you need whilst helping your team be successful
One of the many early concepts about the AdSense dashboard - this one was around a concierge service
Create the space and time to do a great thing
Our team Kanban to help us keep our priorities aligned and ensure we have the space to do great things
Collaboration is king
Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver TOGETHER. Create joint accountability for the outcome and keep your XFN team on the same page
Opening up the design process so we have a common goal and joint accountability
As leaders, we are responsible for setting the culture
Create a culture where your team feel entrusted, empowered, safe and motivated. As leaders, we are responsible for ensuring the well-being and performance of our teams
Party-time with some of my AdSense design team