Frequently Asked Questions

• What am I signing up for?
• Do I get paid?
• Does it involve having electrodes attached to my body?
• So what would I do in the different types of studies?
• What's the time commitment?
• How do I get to Google? What will happen when I get there?
• If I sign up, are you going to send me spam or sell my information to other companies?
• What sort of people are you looking for? Do I really need to tell you all this stuff?
• I don't use any Google products. Can I still sign up?
• A member of my family works at Google. Can I still sign up?
• I don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Can I still sign up?
• How old do I have to be?
• How soon will you contact me? I might be going out of town soon.
• My contact information has changed since I signed up. Can I update it?

You'd be helping us to improve Google products, both existing ones and those that are still in development. For example, we might ask you to try out a prototype and give us feedback on it, or we might interview you to help us plan a new product.

Yes – it depends on the type of study, but typically we pay $75 for each hour that you spend with a Google researcher, either in person or on the phone. Most studies last for one to one-and-a-half hours. We don't pay for your travel time, or travel expenses, though. For online surveys, which you complete from your own computer, the amount varies, depending on the length of the survey.

No. Sorry.

On the sign-up form, you can tell us which of the different types you are interested in. This doesn't mean that you're definitely committing to anything – we will always check with you before we make any arrangements.

• Usability study at a Google office: Typically, you will use a Google product or prototype, and give feedback on it. You could either meet 1-on-1 with a Google researcher, or work as part of a group. Most studies are done at our HQ in Mountain View, California, but we have offices all over the world, so please feel free to sign up for this type of study even if you don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

• Remote usability study: A Google researcher will call you while you sit at your computer, and ask you to try out a Google product or prototype via your internet connection, and give feedback on it. You can be anywhere in the world, but need to have a high-speed internet connection.

• Field study: Google researchers will come to visit you, and interview you about how you use computers or the Web. We won't just show up at your door - we will always check with you, and make an appointment. Again, most of our researchers are based at our HQ in Mountain View, California, but we have offices all over the world, so please feel free to sign up for this type of study even if you don't live in the San Francisco Bay Area.

• Online survey: you answer questions on the web or in an email, from your own computer.

In user studies and field studies, you will typically spend one to one-and-a-half hours with a Google researcher. This will almost always be during business hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm). If you are coming in to a Google office to participate, you will need to allow extra time for travel.

We will send you directions when you are confirmed to participate in a study; it's likely that you will need a car to get to our office in Mountain View, California. Please be prepared to show a photo ID upon arrival at Google reception, where you will also be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). It is important that you arrive on time – we work to tight schedules and may not be able to accommodate you if you are late.

No. All of your details are kept confidential (in accordance with Google's privacy policy), and we only use them to help us find suitable participants for user studies. We will only contact you if we want to invite you to participate in a study, or need to clarify your details.

For each study, we need to make sure that we invite people who match our target user profile for the product we are researching. We also want to get a good balance of ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience, so please be honest with your answers. It's easier for us to match you to a suitable study when we have more information about you, so if you fill in as much of our sign-up form as you can, it's more likely that you will be invited to participate.

Yes – we want to try out our products with people who aren't already familiar with them, as well as those who are.

Yes. If you ask them nicely, maybe they'll even invite you to lunch.

Yes. Most of our studies take place at our HQ in Mountain View, California, but we have offices all over the world. Also, wherever you are, you can participate in a study remotely (from your computer), or fill in an online survey.

You have to be at least 18 years old before you can sign up.

We can't guarantee that you'll be invited to participate in a study, and it may be some time before you hear from us – we will keep your details on file until a study comes up that we think you would be suitable for. Then we will contact you to set up a date and time.

Yes. Just fill in the required parts of the form again, with your new information. Then, before you submit the form, check the box at the bottom, to say that you have signed up with us before and are updating your details.

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