Google Think Quarterly – The People Edition

The latest issue of Think Quarterly is all about people.

“… Information is inseparable from the people who are creating it… “

Introduction

Think back to the first time that you went online. Browsers were clunky. Having enough bandwidth to watch video was a pipe dream. Connecting online with people you knew was hard. How things have changed.

There are two billion of us connected to the internet across the globe. By 2020, there will be five billion people accessing the internet on over 50 billion devices – phones, tablets, TVs, even refrigerators. The internet is information, but information is inseparable from the people who are creating, consuming, and sharing it. And the web is no longer anonymous – it’s built on real people and their connections, opinions, and ideas.

Project: People

Google Vice President of Product Bradley Horowitz offers his perspective on the launch of Google+ and the potential of the ‘people web’ to make our lives better.

“The rise of social networks, and the rich set of information they contain about people, their connections, and their preferences, has the potential to make the entire web better.”

Executive Insight: Richard Branson

People matter. That’s the view of Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, whose unique approach to business has put him on top of the world. But don’t think he’s stopping there!

Power to the People

Meg Pickard turned her background as a social anthropologist into a role as the Head of Digital Engagement at the UK’s Guardian News and Media. And the really weird thing? It’s not as big a shift as you might think. This article sees Meg reveals the secrets behind the way online communities work – and can work for you.

The Mobile Metamorphosis

From communication device to our most personal computer – mobile technology now connects us not just to each other, but to ourselves. But where is the evolution of the smartphone taking us?

From Cash to Contentment

Is well-being about to take the place of GDP as the arbiter of economic health? Those in the know – including godfather of well-being Joseph Stiglitz – offer their expert insights.

Quantify – People

Facts & Figures to impress at your next cocktail party!  I’ve chosen my 3 favourites to share with you:

(All figures are Google Internal 2011)

The People’s Revolution

At the start of the year, the Arab Spring saw protests sweep through the Middle East and North Africa. In Egypt, the ‘Facebook revolution’ was powered by a unique coming-together of people and technology. Matthew Lee traveled to Cairo to meet one of those people caught up in the protests – Google’s Wael Ghonim.

The Knowlegde: Ron Conway

Ever heard of lolcats? Or the Rickroll?

Investor Ron Conway of SV Angel, long regarded as one of Silicon Valley’s wisest, picks 10 people, ideas, and technologies that are spicing up the ways we connect and communicate. His 10 include thoughts on collaborative consumption, social commerce and online / offline.

Passion, Not Perks

Nurturing the people in your organization doesn’t require expensive perks or touchy-feely gimmicks. It’s about motivating, engaging and listening – and it can work for anybody. Laszlo Bock, Google’s SVP of People Operations, explains how.

On the Make

Being a digital citizen doesn’t mean sacrificing your interest in the world of real stuff. Welcome to the maker movement that’s turning virtual ‘bits’ into physical ‘its.’

Predicting the Present

Hal Varian, Google’s in-house economist, teaches us how to extract marketing insights from Google searches.

Kickstarting Innovation

In a world that’s moving faster and faster, Kickstarter founder Yancey Strickler’s advice to the industry is to slow down, dig deep, and craft a story about what truly matters.

“We’re not interested in people selling a product on Kickstarter. What’s interesting is how you got to it and how you’re going to make it.”

Following Generation Z

Ed Chi, a member of Google’s in-house research team, reveals how the behaviors of the next generation of web users are going to look vastly different from today’s.

Final Thoughts

All in all it makes for an interesting read and certainly worth a visit in my eyes.

The articles that stood out for me personally were Kickstarting Innovation and Richard Branson’s Executive insight. Branson’s a hero of mine, so yes am a wee bit biased, but he sums it up well. People Matter.

Tags: Google, think quarterly