In the last couple of weeks there has been plenty of speculation around:
- Why I left Google
- What happened to my book ‘Social Circles’
- What I’m working on at Facebook
I never intended to write publicly about why I left Google, but it seems necessary to give people some facts that they can refer to, and not have people speculating and making stuff up.
Before I get into specifics, I want to say that I still hold tremendous respect for Google. I worked there for four years, loved the company, and busted a gut to help them ship great products. I learned an immense amount from a lot of very smart people.
I also want to remind people that this post is my own personal opinion – take it or leave it at face value.
I left Google for a variety of reasons
The main reason I left was that there was an opportunity at Facebook that I felt I couldn’t turn down (see section on my role at Facebook below). Having said that, there were other factors that made my decision to leave for a competitor easier. Google is an engineering company, and as a researcher or designer, it’s very difficult to have your voice heard at a strategic level. Ultimately I felt that although my research formed a cornerstone of the Google social strategy, and I had correctly predicted how other products in the market would play out, I wasn’t being listened to when it came to executing that strategy. My peers listened intently, but persuading the leadership was a losing battle. Google values technology, not social science. I also moved because the culture had changed dramatically in the few years I was at Google. It became much more bureaucratic and political. I don’t think it’s appropriate to get into it here, and other ex-Googlers have written about this more eloquently than I could.
Google blocked me from publishing my book
Many of you have asked me why my book ‘Social Circles‘ was delayed, and why it has been removed from Amazon. I wrote the book in collaboration with Google, and in June 2010 they officially gave me written permission to publish it. The book content, the title, and the cover all existed prior to Emerald Sea (Google+). However, after the PR frenzy around the leaking of the project in July 2010, Google verbally rescinded permission to publish, and blocked me from publishing until after Google+ launched. I understood and respected their decision at the time. However, they continue to block it. Now that Google+ has launched, I honestly can’t see why they don’t respond to my emails requesting permission to publish. The book contains no proprietary information, it is based almost entirely on research from 3rd parties (mostly universities) and any Google research referenced is already in the public domain.
The goal of the book was simple: to take the complex body of academic research about social behavior, and make it accessible to the many designers, developers and marketers who need to know this stuff. The industry needed this book. You might say I’m trying to organize some of the worlds information and make it universally accessible 
The irony that Google is blocking this endeavor is not lost on me.
The good news is that I’m channeling this frustrating experience towards a better place, and am writing a new book. It’s called Grouped, and it’ll be out in a few months.
Some people have wondered whether my Real Life Social Network deck was leaked. It wasn’t. I first presented it months before Emerald Sea had started. I had permission from Google to present, and nobody internal really cared at the time.
At Facebook I work on our advertising products
For many years I have been interested in how people decide what to buy, own and use. I’ve been fascinated by the world of branding, and how people pass on information about brands and products to people they know. I’ve always had a desire to work in this world.
I believe that the web is being fundamentally rebuilt around people and the world of advertising will fundamentally change because of the emergence of the social web. I want to be part of creating that change, and the best place to do that is at Facebook. I joined Facebook as a Researcher, but have since transitioned to be a Product Manager, and I look after our user facing advertising products. Or as I prefer to say, I’m helping figure out better ways for people and businesses to communicate, and better ways for people to communicate to their friends about businesses. I love my new job, love Facebook, and have absolutely no regrets about moving. It has been the best career decision I’ve made.
I don’t work on Groups or Friend Lists but I don’t need to – I have a lot of respect for the people who do. They know their stuff, and believe me, they are working to make the best product possible.
Thanks for reading, now people have some facts. Take them or leave them at face value.
Update 13th July
When I said “the industry needed this book”, it’s not because I have some kind of ego and think the book is a masterpiece as some have suggested. I’m sure it’s not. It’s just a simple book about social behavior. I said it was needed because there is vast amounts of rich data about social behavior locked up in academic papers that the masses don’t have time to read.
“Google values technology, not social science.” That certainly hits the nail on the head.
Glad you’ve found a fantastic home at Facebook. As a marketer (Interactive Marketing Manager – Aspen/Snowmass), I’ve referenced your presentation many times and will be first to pick up your new book.
Thanks again for all the hard work, and more so for sharing it with us.
-@ozskier
Well, I stumbled on your slides, and liked them enough to find your site, and was looking forward to the book. I now will look forward to your other book.
If you wouldn’t mind, however, if your new book doen’t contain all of the references to what would have been in the previous book, perhaps you could publish just a list of references? I’d be greatly interested in seeing what they contain. But I don’t know what implications that has in regards to the google book restrictions either.
Anyway, new book added to my wishlist. Thanks.
This was a great reading! Thanks for everything you’ve done. I’ve been following you since real world social networks came out and I still hope someday I’ll have the chance of reading social circles
Keep up the good work !
I don’t understand one point, you say ” in July 2010, Google verbally rescinded permission to publish”, Is there any law that prevents the publication with a verbal warning?
If the law allows you to publish the book, you should.
Saw your real life social nw deck after reading this post. Am a bit sad that when G+ has rolled out, you are on the other side.
Hope you have a more fulfilling role at FB. All the best.
This explains why you never answered the request for a review copy of your book. Would love to connect — beyond circles and groups.
Wow, I am excited to just now find and follow your work. Social Science has been my main area of research for over 10 years and there is so much to learn. I am glad you are following your passions and heart to be able to create.
“Like”
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good [...]
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
I’ve referenced your slide many times also and I will also be among the first to purchase your book.
Cheers to you and the continuation of your journey in social science.
I am not sure whether this would work but why dont you simply publish “Social Circles” as a free PDF download version of the book – instead of going through a publisher? You may not make money that way — but if your goal is to spread the ideas you learned through research then that would be met.
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
[...] Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook. – Are you thinking inside…. Former Google employee Paul Adams whose research foretold Google+ Circles and Facebook Groups talks about how his book is now being blocked by Google. ← On Google+, Paul Adams, and Facebook /* [...]
Paul, I stumbled upon your presentation months and months ago, and often reference it when helping clients with target segmentation and persona development. The concept of real-life social circles seems to resonate well with more traditional advertising clients and you brought that thinking based on legitimate research to the forefront. I look forward to the next innovation in Facebook advertising. The recent developments provide a lot of exciting new opportunities. Good luck with everything.
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
DUDE don’t let AnyCorp hurt Your indevores. Mazal Tov.
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
Paul,
I think with all the genuine thoughts, ideas and passion you have about real human behavior another book or a great product is not far away! I loved your slides and would have definitely loved to see the book. Will wait for the new one. Your comments have reaffirmed my long standing belief – technology is a means to an end and not the end itself. Best of Luck with your career at Facebook and the new book. It’s definitely going to be on my wishlist.
Cheers!
Valmiki
Interesting…
Until now I’ve never heard about you and your book and your work in Google – and now in Facebook.
It’s funny to learn that you will not be able to read a book which you know nothing about. It’s a strange feeling but I am a stranger.
As with anything once it gets too bureaucratic and political its time to move on. People forget sometimes that Google is only an engineering company and that when it comes to marketing, design and research its easy for the right people to build products which easily over take anything they make. Looking forward to getting a copy of Grouped when its available,
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
Google withholding information from the world and not responding to the creator’s questions? I can relate. My website of more than 10 years containing over 1,400 unique, high quality TV and movie DVD reviews has been hit with a penalty keeping it down to Page 5 or lower. Why? It supposedly violates their quality guidelines. Only it doesn’t violate their quality guidelines, as far as I or anyone else can see. Could they please clarify? No, they can’t. You’re guilty until proven innocent and if you haven’t done anything bad, there is seemingly no chance to recover from whatever it is they’re mysteriously accusing you of. This has been going on for over 5 months now. Clearly, Google has way more power than anyone should be wielding. It sucks they’re blocking your book and giving you their usual compassionate non-reply. Be glad, at least, that your life’s work, audience, livelihood, and passion haven’t been taken away on some unstated, apparent error that changes the course of your existence without any reason or logic.
[...] 不知道大家有没有听说过Paul Adams，这位今年1月份从Google跳槽到Facebook的工程师写了一篇博客“我为什么离开Google？我的书《社交圈子》怎么啦？我在Facebook干什么。”这篇博客透露了Google不为人知的一面。另外还有一点值得指出的是Adams曾经做过一件很出名的事，那就是给Google做了一个演示指出Google应该怎样赶超Facebook（演示中他提出了朋友群组的概念），而这一切如今都已经融合到了现在炙手可热的Google+中了。 [...]
What is with people these days? They must not be teaching ethics or morality in schools. First you work for a company that is clearly evil– they won’t even let you publish a book that contains no proprietary information. Now you’re working for the douchiest of companies, the one that was founded on a core promise- to keep your privacy protected– and which has betrayed that promise completely.
It is time for engineers to stop jerking off trying to make big bucks with no concern for the consequences. The USA is rapidly becoming a police state, while you’re building the tools of surveillance!
Good luck with your endeavours Paul. Such a shame that your book has been blocked.
[...] le Cercle Rouge Publié dans web2.0 13juil Paul Adams travaillait chez Google sur l’expérience utilisateur et sur les réseaux sociaux, à savoir, [...]
Google has no right to prevent you from publishing a book. If you want to publish it you should be able to publish it.
Paddy,
Big hello from Dublin! Great post and what intrigues me most is no matter who the company is, once a certain size is reached it acts as a barrier to having your voice heard. That is doubly compounded when, as you point out, that the focus is at odds with your core skill set. So you have the engineering v designer face off. I’ve faced the engineering v marketing value proposition on more than one occasion and it’s always a challenge.
Think Outside In – great thinking.
Rgds,
Michael
Paul,
Previous post, you ain’t Paddy, your twitter handle threw me for a minute.
Michael
shame on Google…. they just let go a very important person then.
Good luck in facebook! Thanks for the Google insight.
Why cant you publish? Google made a verbal comments stating that you could not publish your book. FYI that verbal comment us worth Jack.
[...] on me.” He is now working on a new book called Grouped, which he promises will be out soon. [Paul Adams via TechCrunch] Tagged:booksgooglegoogle plusnewspaul adamssocial circlessocial [...]
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
Good Lucky to your New Job, but I see no different between two organizations you are crying for your book not published by Google what about the Facebook who have Jail our friends now. You create friend list by your self when you need to export all those contacts you must have access any way even if I have to Pay Facebook for getting my Friends list from Facebook I will not mind. But now its seems like I made a mistake to join Facebook and host my Friends on Facebook. If Facebook was have Social Science Why is Jailing our Contact List.
[...] 不知道大家有没有听说过Paul Adams，这位今年1月份从Google跳槽到Facebook的工程师写了一篇博客“我为什么离开Google？我的书《社交圈子》怎么啦？我在Facebook干什么。”这篇博客透露了Google不为人知的一面。另外还有一点值得指出的是Adams曾经做过一件很出名的事，那就是给Google做了一个演示指出Google应该怎样赶超Facebook（演示中他提出了朋友群组的概念），而这一切如今都已经融合到了现在炙手可热的Google+中了。 [...]
[...] has provided an update and insight in to why he left Google and what happened to his book in his [...]
You actually willingly want to work in Advertising?
thats insane
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDW_Hj2K0wo
interesting article, hope you have a better future with facebook, one question i have for you which you may or may not know is
do you know if facebook likes count towards PR in google as i have been optimising our where to recycle uk website for a couple of years now and have added in the social buttons but google has recently decreased the ranking of our website from 3 to 1 but our alexa ranking continues to decrease
Why now writing this kind of Article when Facebook Feels have Competitor Google+
I still believe that you were just looking for greener pastures, Facebook have been pain in the ass for a long time now to us. They are also limiting us number of friends we must have. Maybe this are way to go back to google Because they are starting to value social science.
Founder of Green IT Web
[...] on me.” He is now working on a new book called Grouped, which he promises will be out soon. [Paul Adams via [...]
[...] credited with giving Google the idea for circles of friends that it’s utilized in Google+, spoke out against his former employer tonight on his blog. Adams protests that Google is blocking the [...]
+1
It’s funny how in this list of reasons there isn’t a word about money. No matter how honest the article was intended, lack of $ part makes it – hm, I don’t know – uncompleted? To say the least. When I was reading it I felt like that: “Oh, okey, ye ye, oh well, that’s life, so?, ZzZzZzz, OH that’s it?, guess so, wait a minute, so what this whining was all about? oh right: speculations… well I think that makes it job done, right? But why I was involved in this process at the first place?”
[...] Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook. | Think Outside In/li> [...]
Completely get what you’re saying about Google. I’m not entirely surprised – Orkut, Wave, Friendconnect – technically great products, but somehow they miss the boat with actual social usage and it’s a shame that people like you are forced to leave because they’re not heard.
Have a good time at Facebook, I’m happy for you that you made the move and are creatively happy now. I look forward to Grouped.
[...] 1 // Since I posted this, Paul Adams has published a blog post explaining some of the reasons why he left Google (among others, Google is blocking his book, [...]
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
I’m back for another comment Paul – Just been through your entire presentation – FANTASTIC! And I have to say after every slide you can see how Google + has adopted your ideas. Separating contacts into different groups, different messages to different groups of friends etc. Brilliant stuff!
Sadly, it sounds as if Google will soon lose it’s reputation as one of the best places to work. When companies get that big, and are under public ownership, the dynamics change. They go from entrepreneurial and friendly, to corporate and stuffy. It happened at Amazon, happened at Ebay, and now Google.
Any innovation and ideas must be directly tied to cash. The bureaucrats come in and take over and begin squeezing every penny they can to satisfy hungry shareholders. Usually at the expense of the employees and the customers.
What a shame.
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook ? it’s good stuff. But [...]
It’s not clear how Google is or can “block” the book–you say “I wrote the book in collaboration with Google”. Not sure exactly what this collaboration means but it indicates you and Google are co-authors. If so, and unless you have a contract specifying that you need their permission to publish, as a co-author of a work you have the right to publish it, perhaps with an obligation of accounting to your co-author for a share of profits received.
Not giving you legal advice but you may want to look into this by talking to your copyright or publishing attorney.
so true… google values only technology…
[...] Das Angebot von Facebook war ein Grund für Adams, Google zu verlassen. Andererseits hatte er schon seit längerer Zeit bemängelt, dass er bei den Arbeiten an Google Plus nicht ausreichend unterstützt worden sei. Google sei zu sehr von Ingenieuren getrieben und nicht kreativ genug. Aus diesem Grund, so Adams, würde Google Plus zwar vielleicht erfolgreich werden, aber niemals so groß wie Facebook. Als massentaugliche Alternative zu Facebook sei Google Plus nicht geeignet und hätte somit wenig bei keine Chancen, Facebook zu übertrumpfen. [...]
It’s too bad I don’t know you personally. You’d have a lot of fun trying to figure why I buy thiings. I am not loyal to any brands. Ratings and reviews on products by other consumers carry more weight with me than a brand name. Advertising rarely works unless it is a product I was not aware of.
Well written, you should be commended for the absence of vitriol.
That said , the machinations of a tech life are fraught with unintended consequences, which manifest new beginnings.
Best wishes for the new book, check out the8th.org, my book
[...] Hauptgrund für den Wechsel zu Facebook sei die tägliche Arbeit an sich. Zwar herrscht bei Google ein super Arbeitsklima aber man ist zu [...]
[...] credited with giving Google the idea for circles of friends that it has utilized in Google+, spoke out against his former employer tonight on his blog. Adams protests that Google is blocking the [...]
[...] not sobre Google+ que está realmente interesante.(Actualización. Post en el blog de Paul Adams: Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook.)Los círculos son sólo el inicioSi habéis visto la presentación de Paul Adams espero ya hayáis [...]
So did you get the walk in the woods?
[...] jedoch noch einige Spielräume offen, bedingt durch den geringeren Funktionsumfang. Schade, dass Paul Adams von Google zu Facebook gewechselt ist. Sein Buch “Social Circles” hätte mich sehr [...]
[...] ze swojej strony opowiada – bez szczegółów – o tym samym, wyjaśniając dlaczego opuścił Google na rzecz [...]
[...] out the dominance of Google+ by males in a Google+ post the other day, has a very interesting post on his personal blog about why he left Google for Facebook, and about Google blocking him from publishing his [...]
Hola quiero pertenecer a esta página
[...] weeks after Google+ launched–Adams described why he left Google for Facebook. It wasn’t because of the book, though. The main reason I left was that there was an [...]
Working for big companys like Google or Facebook is a great opportunity to learn from the most successful people…
Google’s now an evil company. I used to be a fan of google but not anymore.
Everything Google does is designed to suck your personal information out of you so they can package it and sell it advertisers.
I don’t like Google anymore.
[...] a book called Social Circles, and claims that Google is blocking it from being published. Via his blog, Adams explains he left Google because the company was a better fit for engineers. Being on the [...]
I’m with #25.
Your glee here:
“Or as I prefer to say, I’m helping figure out better ways for people and businesses to communicate, and better ways for people to communicate to their friends about businesses. ”
- frightens the hell out of me, quite frankly, not because I think anything poorly personally of you, but because it’s all oriented towards the gain of the businesses.
Here’s a counterpoint that will hopefully prevail, but you fb’ers and googlers have a massive headstart, as you chase the next buck with your true customers – the ‘businesses’, not the ‘people’ from your words above:
http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/a-call-to-take-back-the-internet-from-corporations/
I first came across your deck last year and as I was reading it I was pleased by the fact that finally I was reading some research that corroborated what I’d already built into my stealth business collaboration site, numeroom.com. I was writing about the need to separate the broadcast and reception of events in the timeline (as I call it) in my blog going back to 2009. I have since done a stint at McGraw Hill but recently gave up the job to seek funding to launch my social network for businesses. I discovered other key ideas about how actions can be used in a social context of development and user interaction to reveal some amazing things about workflows, the paradigm I designed is called Action Oriented Workflow. I’d love for you to take a look at the white paper and tell me your view, right now the paradigm is fully implemented in my proprietary AgilEntity framework.
http://sent2null.blogspot.com/2009/06/difference-between-numeroomcom-and.html
(where I discuss the major differences between numeroom and google wave, which include my feature set…only one is in google+, the tuning concept in the form of “circles”)
http://sent2null.blogspot.com/2009/04/agilentity-architecture-action-oriented.html
I’d love to get in touch with you and talk about the implementation of the other features mentioned and of action oriented workflow in general. Interestingly, I was contacted by google HR in May, after a promising HR interview I was rejected after a 2 hour technical screen, due to my being not “strong enough” technically. I have many posts on my blog that speak to the bone headed ways that companies test for good engineers….go search and read, you might find it mirrors your experiences at google. Some one (name drop! Lajos Nagy) doesn’t have a clue over there, but I am not bitter. *grin* I am more fully on the Entrepreneurs road, now that I *know* how right my ideas were about social interaction..thanks indirectly to google’s release of +, how’s that for irony!
David Saintloth
I remember seeing your slide deck a while ago, I thought it was great. I was also really curious / kinda annoyed facebook hadn’t made their posting options better for sharing in light of that information. actually, not the google+ is out, i’m even more curious why facebook hasn’t stepped up. (P.S. I love competition and capitalism! better stuff for me!)
Are you locked in to a non-disclosure agreement or something of the like with Google? what’s stopping you from publishing? I’d sure be interested in reading your book.
-www.awkwardengineer.com
[...] responsible for the insight behind “Circles,” one of the key features of Google+ — that indicate the company still sees social networking as fundamentally an engineering problem. While it’s nice that the web giant is paying attention to social behavior at all, can it ever [...]
[...] weeks after Google+ launched–Adams described why he left Google for Facebook. It wasn’t because of the book, though. The main reason I left was that there was an [...]
[...] a book called Social Circles, and claims that Google is blocking it from being published. Via his blog, Adams explains he left Google because the company was a better fit for engineers. Being on the [...]
[...] responsible for the insight behind “Circles,” one of the key features of Google+ — that indicate the company still sees social networking as fundamentally an engineering problem. While it’s nice that the web giant is paying attention to social behavior at all, can it ever [...]
Paul,
Cool stuff
I couldn’t help myself not to remark how stupid this move of yours is.
What you wrote here helps Facebook in such a way, that you should get paid for a lifetime just for writing this. The simple fact, that a person in your position walks out from Google to join Facebook is a good move for FB, but this
this is hilarious.
Why would you do such a favor to Facebook for free? I hope you come back some time and write about the tons of money you’ve got from this letter that distrusts Google (I mean, I hope for you that at least you got some). Otherwise, everything you wrote above are not valid arguments in the favor of the idea that you’re such a genius.
IMHO, you’re not the advertising guy at Facebook, you’re just an ad.
[...] responsible for the insight behind “Circles,” one of the key features of Google+ — that indicate the company still sees social networking as fundamentally an engineering problem[1]. While it’s nice that the web giant is paying attention to social behavior at all, can it ever [...]
[...] warum er kurz vor dem Start von Google+ die Seiten wechselte hält er sich recht kurz. Auf seinem Blog äußert sich Adams zu den Beweggründen. Unter anderem war das Blockieren seitens Google, was die [...]
[...] прочитал пост автора этого документа в котором он описывает причины по которым ушел из [...]
[...] via: http://www.thinkoutsidein.com [...]
Oh really? How soon before Facebook shatters your illusion?
[...] 今天Paul Adams又发了一篇博文，解释了自己的一些想法──当初为何离开Google，在Facebook干了什么，但最重要的是：Google还在禁止他写的一本叫做《Social Circles》的书出版发行，而他对此感到很不满。 [...]
[...] google, facebook, social, google+, culturehttp://www.thinkoutsidein.com/blog/2011/07/why-i-left-google-what-happened-to-my-book-what-i-work-on… [...]
[...] from Are you thinking inside out?: http://www.thinkoutsidein.com/blog/2011/07/why-i-left-google-what-happened-to-my-book-what-i-work-on... [...]
[...] Paul Adams’ Blog #dd_ajax_float{ background:none repeat scroll 0 0 #FFFFFF; border:1px solid #DDDDDD; float:left; [...]
[...] 今天Paul Adams又发了一篇博文，解释了自己的一些想法──当初为何离开Google，在Facebook干了什么，但最重要的是：Google还在禁止他写的一本叫做《Social Circles》的书出版发行，而他对此感到很不满。 [...]
[...] responsible for the insight behind “Circles,” one of the key features of Google+ — that indicate the company still sees social networking as fundamentally an engineering problem. While it’s nice that the web giant is paying attention to social behavior at all, can it ever [...]
[...] – GOOGLE PLUS Erfinder wechselt zu FACEBOOK [...]
[...] Adams is in januari van dit jaar verkast naar Facebook – in een post op zijn eigen website van eergisteren beschrijft hij [...]
I didn’t read all the responses but here’s my take. I like the web to be just information, science and technology. Not about brands, advertisements and non-IT people. The networks (LAN) and the web weren’t made for ordinary people. People in the IT (and military) made this.
Online gaming is fine. I wish it stays that way. All the rest, you can stay on TV and radio.
[...] Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook. "Google values technology, not social science." [...]
[...] de Google+, ha dejado la compañía, de forma inmediata y sorprendente, para irse a Facebook. En el blog Think outside in, Adams reconoce que “no tenía la intención de decir públicamente por qué me fui de [...]
I’m sorry that you have not published a book
[...] Un ex-googler dice que Google no lo deja publicar un libro porque habla mal de ellos. [...]
why I left google – i didn’t get my way
my circle book – i’m trying to claim applying the word circles to software
what i’m working on at facebook – advertisement
why is this on the top of popurls 2 days in a row?
this is so lame. i just read an account of zuckerberg luring a candidate with “money is no object”. i really dont buy any euphemism employed for this guy’s hope for economic upside. google is doing fine without you, dude! people trust google which, by the way, shows us how profitable they are by giving us their “financials”. all of wall street and facebook game developers are suckling from this teet right now and having us believe that facebook will make a profit of X via assumed large market share from $Y. ok.. well, lemme know when you have searched on facebook for a product or better yet clicked through to a product from facebook and bought it. thats where wall street and the VCs say the value is and i dont know one person who has actually done this.
zuckerberg and facebook pimped their company out to wall street before even developing a mature business model. google, on the other hand, built a business model and then wall street came to them
now who is more out of touch????
Paul, that really sucks about the book – I’ll definitely be buying your new one. I’m sure it’ll benefit from the turmoil; tension sells!
Saw you present at WOMMA in Chicago recently and loved what you had to say. Keep saying it!
Count me in too ! eager to read about more insights
[...] who developed the idea that became the connection grouping concept called Circles in Google+ — explained the culture this way: Google is an engineering company, and as a researcher or designer, it’s very difficult to have [...]
[...] Larry Page, cofundador da Google, comemorava os números, circulava na web um post do ex-Google Paul Adams. Adams é considerado um dos principais teóricos por trás do Google+. Atualmente, é gerente de [...]
[...] ein Muster ab: Auch der Projektleiter von Google Wave landete frustriert von Google bei Facebook.» Why I left Google. What happened to my book. Kollaboration GigaOM gibt einen nützlichen Überblick über mobile Anwendungen zur [...]
[...] http://www.thinkoutsidein.com/blog/2011/07/why-i-left-google-what-happened-to-my-book-what-i-work-on... [...]
[...] seu blog, Paul Adams desabafa e comenta por que deixou a Google. Segundo ele, a gigante de buscas valoriza mais a tecnologia do [...]
[...] Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook. [...]
[...] Paul Adams que, aparentemente, é o idealizador do conceito de “círculos” do Google + escreveu um livro sobre sua teoria quando trabalhava no Google, sendo que a publicação foi inicialmente autorizada pelo empresa mas posteriormente desautorizada quando o Google + começou a sair do papel. Adams acabou deixando a empresa para ser pesquisador do Facebook e, recentemente, veio a público pedir que o Google volte atrás e o permita publicar o seu livro. [...]
[...] aportar otro enfoque a la historia, Paul Adams, antiguo empleado de Google actualmente en facebook, reclama que la idea deriva de su investigación contenida en el libro Social Circles, cuya publicación [...]
[...] aportar otro enfoque a la historia, Paul Adams, antiguo empleado de Google actualmente en facebook, reclama que la idea deriva de su investigación contenida en el libro Social Circles, cuya publicación [...]
[...] Stillschweigen über diese. Doch auf großen Nachdruck der Community, schrieb er jetzt auf seinem Blog darüber. Dort gibt er wesentlich genauer und ausführlicher Auskunft, wir haben hier für euch [...]
[...] Experience Manager Paul Adams and Google’s former Senior User Experience Researcher wrote a blog post where he addressed why he left Google, why his book “Social Circles” was blocked by Google, his [...]
[...] Brand Experience Manager Paul Adams and Google’s former Senior User Experience Researcher wrote a blog post where he addressed because he left Google, because his book “Social Circles” was blocked by [...]
“Google is an engineering company, and as a researcher or designer, it’s very difficult to have your voice heard at a strategic level. Ultimately I felt that although my research formed a cornerstone of the Google social strategy, and I had correctly predicted how other products in the market would play out, I wasn’t being listened to when it came to executing that strategy.”
They deserved to lose you!
Google+ isn’t officially released yet. Why would you try to claim otherwise?
Being an engineering company is what most of us LOVE at Google. The problem with most companies is that they’ve been taken over by marketers and those with BSA’s. Not to say there isn’t good room for those that can design, but designers need to talk to engineers so that they know what limits are. Part of good design is recognizing where the limits of engineering are and not asking engineers to do incredibly awkward things. That’s where many issues begin. You’re going to be better at your job (designing an awesome product) if you keep your place below the engineers. It’s not a class thing. It’s that your limits are the engineers.
And if you wrote it on Google’s time at ALL then they have the right to stop you from releasing the book. I’ll be surprised to see them keep it under wraps after full release, though.
[...] to a blog post from Adams this week, Google freaked out and took back its permission in [...]
Sir, i just read ur story, i really felt sad . Never expected this from google. but i believe every change will leads to a new resolution, a new begining to success.and i see the future…you are far beyond the success..
[...] to a blog post from Adams this week, Google freaked out and took back its permission in [...]
Having been in both finance and the tech industry I’ve never understood why educated folks need to demonize one company as evil and another as good. Both google and facebook are good in that they are sucessful and both are bad in that they both use individuals as profit centers. Both use the data they cull from individual profiles to create ad venueing but franking the user complaining about either is silly since no one is forcing the user to join either facebook or google+ Google keeps all your info private not out of some altruistic virtue but because they now that content is the most valuable thing they have.
As for the argument that he joined facebook because of finances the reality is that it probably wasn’t a huge concern. He was already making six figures at google and while his salary went up at Facebook, Google could and probably would have matched the increase.
For someone to rag on him for being in Advertising, you do realize that that google makes all it’s profit from advertising right?
[...] Sure enough, I watched as TechCrunch published leak after leak of Facebook going into lockdown for a secret project. On my side of the fence, engineers were increasingly frustrated. Some leaving Emerald Sea for other projects — and some were even leaving for Facebook. I had the impression that Paul Adams was not being heard (if you’re not an engineer at Google, you often aren’t). Many were visibly unhappy that his slide deck, the basis for an upcoming book, had been published for all to see. I even heard a rumor that Google was attempting to stop or delay the book’s publication. [...]
[...] an interesting move considering his research and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is awaiting publishing while Google decides whether or not he is permitted to release it to the [...]
it is very interesting that a social company will compete with a technological company ,and i am sure that ,the former will surpass the later.facebook only takes the initial of human being’s combination.hope to discuss further with you by email:dushengxiang@126.com .Thanks a lot.
[...] Sure enough, I watched as TechCrunch published leak after leak of Facebook going into lockdown for a secret project. On my side of the fence, engineers were increasingly frustrated. Some leaving Emerald Sea for other projects — and some were even leaving for Facebook. I had the impression that Paul Adams was not being heard (if you’re not an engineer at Google, you often aren’t). Many were visibly unhappy that his slide deck, the basis for an upcoming book, had been published for all to see. I even heard a rumor that Google was attempting to stop or delay the book’s publication. [...]
[...] Sure enough, I watched as TechCrunch published leak after leak of Facebook going into lockdown for a secret project. On my side of the fence, engineers were increasingly frustrated. Some leaving Emerald Sea for other projects — and some were even leaving for Facebook. I had the impression that Paul Adams was not being heard (if you’re not an engineer at Google, you often aren’t). Many were visibly unhappy that his slide deck, the basis for an upcoming book, had been published for all to see. I even heard a rumor that Google was attempting to stop or delay the book’s publication. [...]
[...] Sure enough, I watched as TechCrunch published leak after leak of Facebook going into lockdown for a secret project. On my side of the fence, engineers were increasingly frustrated. Some leaving Emerald Sea for other projects — and some were even leaving for Facebook. I had the impression that Paul Adams was not being heard (if you’re not an engineer at Google, you often aren’t). Many were visibly unhappy that his slide deck, the basis for an upcoming book, had been published for all to see. I even heard a rumor that Google was attempting to stop or delay the book’s publication. [...]
[...] been various interest recently in Adams given his history and he took your time today to write down a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook – it’s good [...]
[...] He’s now engaged on a brand new book called Grouped, which he promises would be out soon. [ Paul Adams via TechCrunch [...]
[...] an interesting move considering his research and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is awaiting publishing while Google decides whether or not he is permitted to release it to the [...]
[...] an interesting move considering his research and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is awaiting publishing while Google decides whether or not he is permitted to release it to the [...]
hello Paul Adams,
i have seen what ever you wrote , really feeling so much respect for you in my heart , you know why ? you are my type ,
i am reading the human behavior from last 25 years ,
I must mention here that HUMAN BEHAVIOR IS SCIENCE AS WELL ,
A SCIENCE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR .
SO IF GOOGLE DO NOT REGARD the SCIENCE OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR , they will loose the battle , you can see as well that they are loosing yet , by the way , as
they facebook is a kid if we compare with google in terms of services / products , but facebook proved them in each and every way , ( even in getting business )
i would love if we can work as team , you can contact me on 00923215111922 or on http://www.facebook.com/cynosureprivatelimited
[...] accountable for the insight behind “Circles,” one of many key features of Google+ – that indicate the corporate still sees social networking as fundamentally an engineering problem . While it’s nice that the net giant is being attentive to social behavior in any respect, [...]
[...] engaging pierce deliberation his investigate and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is available edition while Google decides possibly or not he is available to recover it to a [...]
[...] an interesting move considering his research and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is awaiting publishing while Google decides whether or not he is permitted to release it to the [...]
[...] has said in his personal blog “Google Blocked Me from publishing my book Social Circle” (Read). Paul Adams the former employee of Google is best known for his presentation “The Real Life [...]
[...] Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook. [...]
[...] ценит свой новый проект и как его развивает, помогли неожиданные откровения её бывшего сотрудника, Поля Адамса, перешедшего в Facebook [...]
Sorry to hear that it has been that difficult for you to get out a book that you think will be of value to the community. That is unfortunate. I am very interested in the same subjects and hope that our paths cross one day. I would love to chat in more depth.
[...] obliged for a discernment behind “Circles,” one of a pivotal facilities of Google+ — that indicate a association still sees amicable networking as essentially an engineering problem. While it’s good that a web hulk is profitable courtesy to amicable function during all, can it [...]
[...] Erfinder Paul Adams wechselt zu Facebook – und sagt selbst, warum > Quelle: thinkoutsidein.com, 12. Juli [...]
[...] a researcher or designer, it’s very difficult to have your voice heard at a strategic level,” writes Paul Adams on his blog, “Think Outside In.” Mr. Adams was a senior user-experience researcher at Google until last [...]
[...] leia essas informações.Ponto positivo para o Google+, que é democraticamente aberto. Mas o Paul Adamns agora está no Facebook… a briga vai ser boa!Compartilhe:FacebookEmailgoogle_ad_client = “pub-8757945281704992″; [...]
[...] a researcher or designer, it’s very difficult to have your voice heard at a strategic level,” writes Paul Adams on his blog, “Think Outside In.” Mr. Adams was a senior user-experience researcher at Google until last [...]
[...] Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook. – Are you thinking inside… (tags: google facebook culture social research jobs) [...]
技术，产品
[...] في المقابل فإن هذا التوجه و التفكير “البرمجي ” الذي نجده عند Google له سلبياته أيضا فـ”عقلية المبرمج” حاضرة وبقوة ضمن فرق عمل Google وهو ما يعطي الانطباع أن هذه الفرق بعيدة نوعا ما عن الجانب الاجتماعي وعن فهم مختلف حيثياته، وهو الأمر الذي يشير إليه Paul Adams مؤلف كتاب The Real Life Social Network والذي عمل سابقا على مشروع Google+ قبل أن يقرر تقديم استقالته و الانتقال للعمل عند… Facebook (Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook). [...]
I wish you all the very best. It sounds like you did the best thing you could do at this moment in time. {{HUGS}}
Hi that is great article and many info in the article A Socialkik or social networking site is like a virtual meeting place where people can go out and talk about different topics.
[...] engineering-cultured wizards behind these massive information environments. There’s a great article by Paul Adams, formerly of Google (and Google +), discussing the social psychology angle and how it influenced [...]
[...] or designer, it’s really formidable to have your voice listened during a vital level,” writes Paul Adams on his blog, “Think Outside In.” Mr. Adams was a comparison user-experience researcher during Google until [...]
Paul, I have been following you for a long time. I am still following you. I will be follying you for a long time to come. You rock.
[...] しかし、恐らくこの④の予想は外れるかもしれない。それは、Google+のサークルを開発した、ポール・アダムス氏は、最近のGoogleの官僚的な社風では、自身の研究したい成果を全うすることは出来ないという理由で「Facebook」に移籍したからだ。 [...]
[...] an interesting move considering his research and methodology around digital networking. His book, Social Circles, is awaiting publishing while Google decides whether or not he is permitted to release it to the [...]
Hi Paul, Recently I opened my G+ account and feel there is a lot of stuff to be done yet. I feel that a person has as many roles to play as it has circles (groups). And a google plus profile is not taking this into account. E.g. I’d like to have different profile photos for different circles (work circle = straight face vs private cirles = funny face). I miss the section “interests”. Sparks is not the same thing. I do not want to display the same set of interests e.g. to my employer as to my Salsa friends. My circles are devided as well by language and culture, I’d love to have a German and a English profile… There is so much missing.
p.s. I preordered “Grouped”
Can’t wait for it to be published!!!
[...] been a lot of interest recently in Adams given his history and he took some time today to write a blog post to clear some things up. Why he left Google, what he does at Facebook — it’s good stuff. [...]
hey i felt very bad for your hardships but at the same time i am very encouraged to take up new challenges further..!
3D Card Room
huh.even Google have a drawbacks.what ever Facebook is good
i don’t think Google+ can gain market like Facebook.
i felt very bad that Google has blocked your book instead of publishing
[...] Larry Page, cofundador da Google, comemorava os números, circulava na web um post do ex-Google Paul Adams. Adams é considerado um dos principais teóricos por trás do Google+. Atualmente, é gerente de [...]
[...] C’est lui qui a posé la base de G+, et le concept des Cercles. Mais à ses yeux, « Google valorise la technologie, pas les sciences sociales. ». C’est pourquoi ce dernier a quitté Google en décembre 2010 pour rejoindre… [...]
[...] acerca del boom de Google+. Les recomiendo la lectura de los posts This is just the beginning y Why I left Google. What happened to my book. What I work on at Facebook, publicados en el blog de Paul Adams, que trabajó en el desarrollo del proyecto desde 2007 a 2010 [...]
[...] to a blog post from Adams this week, Google freaked out and took back its permission in [...]
[...] 原文：保罗·亚当斯 译文：外刊IT评论 [...]
I really hate Google, coz what ever y put at Google page it’ll appear forever, i sent essay some Somali pages on 2006, at that i was in high school now am university level, when i search my name google i feel very upset… because 100 is not correct what i sent to them, and they refused 2 delete it… fuck… Now we re 2011… I hate Google too much!….
[...] Paul Adams is a user experience expert currently working on advertising products at Facebook. Having previously worked on Google’s social strategy, he gave a simple, yet richly insightful presentation about his research on social circles at UX Week in San Francisco this past summer. I highly recommend you watch the video when you have the time. Read on for the key takeaways. [...]
Many people will agree with this article whoever many other’s will not agree. Anyway I appreciate your work here.
Choosing a title for your book or ebook may be the single most important decision you make. Titles can make or break books, movies, and other things that people don’t know much about in the beginning. Think thoughtfully and carefully about the title you choose.
As an author, one must realize that people really do judge books by their cover and the title of your book is paramount to the profits you will make if it sells. If you ever read the titles of the American Management Association you will note how dry some of the titles are and how they actually turn you off and make you think that sounds boring.
[...] Google’s Paul Adams (just found him on G+ and saw that he works for Facebook now | Update: Blogpost by Paul Adams where he explains why he left Google). He posted a big presentation on SlideShare about how ‘real’ social networks work and [...]
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your write-up and the comments on here even though it took fairly some time. I love discussing this subject so your blog is someplace I will almost certainly spend a lot of time from now on.
G’Day! Thinkoutsidein,
Interesting Thoughts, I open Yahoo mail but can not select a person to send to (by putting in the first few letters and then selecting from the names provided by Yahoo). Nothing happens.Works perfectly with Microsoft Explorer
Cheers
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] a book about the social circles concept with Google's blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! Nuking affiliate links of some websites & then investing in Viglink, a network that [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google's blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
Unlucky. The people you work for have to make you feel welcome, valued, and most of all they have to stick to their decisions. That’s just basic management skills, barring some very specific schools.
Hi,
can you try to publish it step by step in blogs,
etc? It seems to me like a censorship. Give it maybe to an investor, which take your right of expression to an international court for a case of modern human right?
I hope you will get it published, for the controversy you have a good starting point, that your book will be get to the top.
Greetings from Hamburg, Germany.
You might be my inspiration , I own couple of blogs and occasionally run out from to post .
[...] Circles.” After Adams left for Facebook, Google quashed the book, something he publicly complained about last [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
Very interesting piece. Thanks for sharing about your experiences with Google and now Facebook.
[...] When planning some of the features behind Google+ one of their employees wrote a book about the social circles concept with Google’s blessings. Then, after he wrote the book, Google revoked permission to publish it! [...]
[...] Paul Adams is a user experience expert currently working on advertising products at Facebook. Having previously worked on Google’s social strategy, he gave a simple, yet richly insightful presentation about his research on social circles at UX Week in San Francisco this past summer. I highly recommend you watch the video when you have the time. Read on for the key takeaways. [...]