Google Invite

CHALLENGE

Create an event scheduling feature in Google Calendar that feels more analogous with other Google services, while giving new features that would enhance the scheduling for creators and attendees. Rethinking calendar scheduling within the Google ecosystem is going to bring about many design challenges due to the influx of new features and keeping it within Google’s Material Design guidelines.

SOLUTION

Features and ideas were gathered from comparing similar products currently offered such as eVite, paperless post, facebook, current Google Calendar, and previously, Google+ (RIP).

After desired features had been identified, they were organized according to Material Design standards – which Google graciously provides as a free resource when building products for their ecosystem.

UX Research

Google Calendar Today

Google Calendar in itself is a great tool that’s very useful, but there’s an untapped opportunity to grow the product. Currently, creating and receiving an event is still very rudimentary with almost a Craigslist feel, it gets the job done with little to no design, relying heavily on basic text. Keeping it text-heavy and withholding a design refresh, limits it’s ability by creating a cluttered interface that makes it difficult to use.

Proposed Updates

Place additional options in another tab
Uploading attachments to the event such as a field permit or event tickets
Integrate Google’s Material design language, bringing look & feel up to date with other Google applications
Deeper integration with your contacts, giving a better visual understanding of who’s part of the event
Ability to import contact lists
Have Google Maps add location images to increase visual comprehension of actual location or venue
Creating and saving event templates
Integrate Google Wallet and add the ability to request compensation for the event
Assigning tasks to complete before the event or items to bring to the event
Using icons within input fields to help users quickly identify important fields
Ability to comment on the event or upload photos

Visual Changes

Proposed Updates When Creating an Event

Keep most important information in the main tab, but allow users to add important details in the additional tabs
Using icons within input fields to help users quickly identify important fields
Uploading attachments to the event such as a field permit or event tickets
Connecting with your Google contacts brings user photos to the invite, giving it a more personal feel
Integrate Google Wallet and add the ability to request compensation for the event if needed
Assigning tasks to complete before the event or items to bring to the event

Proposed Updates When Editing an Event

Allowing multiple owners of an event, allowing other organizers to help manage the event
Ability to import contact lists, this can be especially helpful with multiple event organizers
Creating and saving event templates for future or repeated use
Updating tasks to complete before the event or items to bring to the event

Proposed Updates When Receiving an Event

Updated look and feel using Google’s Material design language, bringing it up to date with other Google applications
Deeper integration with your contacts, giving a better visual understanding of who’s part of the event
Google Maps adding location images to increase visual comprehension of actual location or venue
Google Wallet integration, adding the ability to transfer compensation to the event owners
Alerts on tasks or items to bring to prepare for the event

Conclusions

This was all an exercise to build something better than eVite, which can’t be THAT hard, but nobody seems to want to do it. While it probably doesn’t align into Google’s business strategy, relevant ads on the page for “things to bring” could be helpful, but most importantly, they can collect data about the types of events we like attending.