Google have launched their ‘Google Goggles’ app, it looks like a pretty amazing bit of kit and there’s a great video to explain the technology.
The basic idea behind Google Goggles is that by pointing your phone’s camera at a building, it will generates a typical google search/information about whatever your pointing at. How may times have you stood outside a restaurant undecided on where to eat? Or maybe you want to find out whether a particular hairdresser is any good or not? Google goggles will enable you to find this out, it’s only available on the Android operating system at the moment but I’m sure it will prompt shops, restaurants to start offering deals or extra incentives through this tool.
But what about in our work? How could this help with a service design project? how could a council use this or hospital for example? Well, I see this working in three ways:
First of all we could use this as a tool for conducting user research into public services, it would be interesting to see what you get when the camera is pointing at a council office or NHS walk-in-centre.
Secondly I can see this being useful for certain public facing services. These could include one-stop-shops, citizens advice bureau’s and libraries giving the user more information about the services they are offering. However, for this to be useful then there is a responsibility for the service to improve their search listings and online information.
Finally I can see ‘Goggles’ being used as a tool for accessing location specific feedback through sites such as Patient Opinion or I want great care, so you would be able to stand outside a GP’s or hospital and find out what people are saying about the services on offer.