Reimagining Google Glass as an assistive wearable for people who are blind
Company: Google
Role: Product Manager
Category: Product Design & Strategy
Difficulty: medium
Interview Round: Other
You are a product manager at Google, asked to design a version of Google Glass, Google's head-worn smart glasses with a small display, a camera, a microphone and audio output, for people who are blind. Decide exactly whom the product serves, which everyday problems it should solve for them, how the device and its features would work for someone who cannot see a screen, what the first version includes, and how you would measure success.
```hint Start without the screen
Glass was built around a small display that this user cannot use. Work from what the device can still sense and say, and from the moments in a blind person's day when sight is the missing piece of information.
```
### Clarifying Questions
- Is the product only for people with little or no usable sight, or also for people with low vision who could benefit from magnification and high contrast?
- Should the glasses work on their own, or can they rely on the wearer's phone for connectivity and processing?
- Is the goal mainly accessibility impact or a product line that has to pay for itself, and who is expected to pay: the wearer, an insurer, an employer or a government program?
- Should the device work alongside a white cane or guide dog, or is it expected to reduce reliance on them?
### What a Strong Answer Covers
- A precise view of the users (degree of vision loss, age of onset, existing tools and skills) and a reasoned choice of first segment.
- Everyday pain points prioritized by how often they occur and how poorly current tools serve them.
- A device and interaction design that works without sight, including how information is spoken and how the wearer controls the device.
- A focused first version that handles safety-critical features and the privacy of people nearby with care.
- Success metrics tied to independence, with guardrails and the main risks.
### Follow-up Questions
- The camera could recognize the faces of people around the wearer. Would you build that, and under what rules?
- A wearer walks into an obstacle the glasses did not mention. How should the product's design and messaging keep that from destroying trust or creating liability?
- How would you price and distribute the device so that the people who need it most can afford it?
Overview: A product design question for a Google product manager: rethink Google Glass as an assistive device for people who are blind. It tests user segmentation and empathy, interaction design without a display, prioritizing safety-critical features, handling the privacy of people nearby, and defining success metrics around independence.