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Ask About

Ask About

Contextual ways to follow-up on content within an AI Mode response.

Google

3 months

April 2025

Role: UX Lead

CONTEXT

CONTEXT

Diving Deeper

Diving Deeper

First announced as a core part of the AIM Interactivity initiative, I led the design of Ask About to transform how users engage with AI responses. Before this, AI Mode was largely unimodal and block-based. Users received a static response and had to manually re-type or reference specific entities to ask a follow-up. This was a major friction point for following up. It made comparing complex products or locations feel like a chore, often causing users to drop the conversation entirely.


First announced as a core part of the AIM Interactivity initiative, I led the design of Ask About to transform how users engage with AI responses. Before this, AI Mode was largely unimodal and block-based. Users received a static response and had to manually re-type or reference specific entities to ask a follow-up. This was a major friction point for following up. It made comparing complex products or locations feel like a chore, often causing users to drop the conversation entirely.


I led the design for "Ask About," a feature focused on granular interaction within AI responses. While "Next Steps" handled broad conversation flow, Ask About was designed to let users dive into specific details without the friction of manual typing.

PROBLEMS

PROBLEMS

Why is it cumbersome to ask a follow-up?

More games

more choices.

Inefficient questioning — Typing out a full follow-up and referencing a particular part of the content is cumbersome and inefficient, specifically when referencing text or entities.

CHALLENGE

Provide users with a way to to interact with individual parts of a response.

Provide users with a way to to interact with individual parts of a response.

Design principles

Increase Engagement

Encourage deeper interaction within AIM responses

Increase Engagement

Encourage deeper interaction within AIM responses

Increase User Satisfaction

Make AIM feel intuitive and maybe a bit magical

Increase User Satisfaction

Make AIM feel intuitive and maybe a bit magical

Advance User Journeys

Reduce the effort required for users to get more information or take action on specific parts of the response

Advance User Journeys

Reduce the effort required for users to get more information or take action on specific parts of the response

SOLUTION

SOLUTION

Affordances & Chips

Affordances & Chips

To make this work across different search verticals and multimodal queries, I had to build a scalable chip system that lets users reference any kind of entity in a response. The main goal was consistency. Whether someone is looking at a product, a place on a map, or just a block of text, the way they "grab" that info needed to feel the same every time. I went with a flexible hover affordance paired with checkboxes to make the selection process feel natural across the whole AIM platform.

To make this work across different search verticals and multimodal queries, I had to build a scalable chip system that lets users reference any kind of entity in a response. The main goal was consistency. Whether someone is looking at a product, a place on a map, or just a block of text, the way they "grab" that info needed to feel the same every time. I went with a flexible hover affordance paired with checkboxes to make the selection process feel natural across the whole AIM platform.

SEARCH LABS HOME (OLD)

Challenges in the Lab.

As Search Labs expanded beyond its initial set of experiments, the user experience began to show some cracks. Users encountered hurdles in navigating the growing collection of features, and the interface struggled to keep pace with the platform's evolving nature.

Difficulty exploring and locating specific experiments.

New and relevant experiments not effectively surfaced.

Categorization of experiments was unclear and confusing

Experiment details were often overwhelming and difficult to digest.

Evolving the

Experiment Hub.

To address the challenges of a rapidly expanding platform, the Search Labs redesign focused on creating a more scalable, discoverable, and user-friendly experience. This meant tackling the core issues head-on:

SEARCH LABS HOME (NEW)

SEARCH LABS FEED (NEW)

Improved visual hierarchy and distinct sections for different types of experiments, improving information architecture.

Guides users with a hero carousel and clear visual hierarchy to highlight key experiments.

Sparking Curiosity and Encouraging Exploration.

The redesigned experiment cards in Search Labs aim to capture user interest and invite them to discover the potential of experimental search features.

EXPERIMENT CARDS (NEW)

Driving discovery with eye-catching visuals and concise descriptions that invite users to explore new search possibilities.

Promotes understanding with clear explanations and interactive examples that help users grasp the value and functionality of each experiment.

Encourage engagement with prominent "Try" buttons and a "Feedback" option that facilitates active participation and experimentation.

INTRODUCING

INTRODUCING

Experiment Management

Experiment Management

To further enhance user control and personalization, the Search Labs redesign introduces a dedicated "Manage Experiments" page. This new feature addresses the evolving needs of users as they engage with a growing number of experimental search features.

To further enhance user control and personalization, the Search Labs redesign introduces a dedicated "Manage Experiments" page. This new feature addresses the evolving needs of users as they engage with a growing number of experimental search features.

MANAGE EXPERIMENTS PAGE (NEW)

Provides centralized control by consolidating experiment management into a single, dedicated page, simplifying navigation.

Creates organizational clarity with a clear visual hierarchy, familiar icons, and concise descriptions for easy identification of experiments.

Offers granular control with clear on/off toggles and a consistent "Feedback" option, empowering users to personalize their search experience.

INTRODUCING

INTRODUCING

Experiment Details

Experiment Details

To expand on experiment understanding, we introduced an "Experiment Details" page. This new page provides users with in-depth explanations, visualizations, and advanced controls to explore the full potential of each experiment and make informed decisions about their search experience.

To expand on experiment understanding, we introduced an "Experiment Details" page. This new page provides users with in-depth explanations, visualizations, and advanced controls to explore the full potential of each experiment and make informed decisions about their search experience.

EXPERIMENTAL DETAILS PAGE (NEW)

Reduced information overload by moving detailed explanations and advanced options to a separate page, preventing the main interface from becoming cluttered and overwhelming for users who prefer a simpler overview.

Facilitates informed decision-making by offering users comprehensive information and visualizations to help them fully understand the implications of activating an experiment before they commit to it.

LOOKING AHEAD

What's next?

MEASURING SUCCESS

As of May 2024, Search Labs user base has grown from 30 million monthly users to 40 MMU.

As of May 2024, Search Labs user base has grown from 30 million monthly users to 40 MMU.

The "What if(s)?"

While the final product went in a different direction, I still think the alternative designs had a lot of potential. There are some really good ideas here that, with a bit more exploration, could have made the launched experience even better.

ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS

ALTERNATIVE EXPERIMENTAL CARDS, BUNDLED

Project takeaways.

Talking to People — My initial ideas for this came from my own experiences and chats with friends and coworkers. But to really get a good grasp of how people like to use Search, I want to do more user research and talk to actual users.

Fleshing it out — This project was a bit like fixing up an old car – we had to work with some rusty parts and outdated blueprints! There's definitely room to give it a fresh coat of paint and some modern upgrades, which in turn would make the whole experience smoother.

Seamless Integration — Exploring ways to weave experimental features directly into the search experience, could create a more intuitive and unified user journey.

Final notes

Final notes

This project experienced significant changes in direction due to shifts in leadership, requiring us to rethink the approach several times. Designing for a global scale, serving over a billion users in 30+ countries, was a crucial factor throughout. Although the level of polish and craft of the product didn't fully achieve its potential, my aim is to demonstrate the high-level of vision and problem-solving skills I can bring to a project.

This project experienced significant changes in direction due to shifts in leadership, requiring us to rethink the approach several times. Designing for a global scale, serving over a billion users in 30+ countries, was a crucial factor throughout. Although the level of polish and craft of the product didn't fully achieve its potential, my aim is to demonstrate the high-level of vision and problem-solving skills I can bring to a project.