In early 2014, business development executives at Google were formulating a distribution strategy for Glass, a wearable computer that projected information on a display viewable with an upward glance. Options, which were not mutually exclusive, included 1) continuing to sell Glass directly through online channels; 2) creating an open platform to allow any eyewear manufacturer to create frames compatible with Glass; and 3) negotiating a partnership with a leading eyewear manufacturer to jointly develop and market Glass.

Discussion Questions

How did Google define the Google Glass product?
What methods did the Google Glass team use to understand user experience?
Whose insight would you seek to understand the Google Glass user experience?
What development steps might enable the Glass team to better manage perceptions of the product?
What distribution strategy should the Glass team choose and why?