In Depth Growing a consumer product from scratch to 1 billion users — Google Photos’ David Lieb
Feb 18, 2021
David Lieb, Director of Google Photos and former CEO of Bump, shares insights on scaling a product to over a billion users. He discusses the evolution from Bump to Google Photos, emphasizing the importance of targeted user feedback and team dynamics. David reflects on past mistakes, corporate challenges, and the need for clarity in product vision. He also highlights how Google Photos transformed from mere storage to a tool for reliving memories, providing valuable lessons for aspiring product builders.
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Mission and User Confidence Matter
- Alignment with the company's core mission is crucial for product success in a big company.
- You must be confident that users truly want and will use your product for it to succeed.
Persistence During Reorg Challenge
- David Lieb and his team faced a major reorganization at Google which created misalignment with Google Plus' mission.
- They stuck to their vision despite pressure, eventually gaining freedom to build Google Photos.
Make Vision Tangible
- Make your product vision real and tangible with prototypes or demos to gain buy-in.
- Use concrete examples to help stakeholders visualize and connect with your idea.