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There's this little known company, Google, that has some pretty ambitious goals. The global design community is the target of one such goal, and Google Developers is positioned to execute the strategy.

Google Developers, a Fluxible sponsor, is a platform-agnostic host of resources — experts, education, and communities, to name a few — available to help you develop your app and grow it into a business. One of the core product development principles they champion is design thinking. Through the Experts program, Google Developers trains and equips leaders on design thinking, who, in turn, teach and support their local development community. The idea is that once it's permeated enough minds and organizations, design thinking will just be common practice.

Our goal is to spread design thinking around the world.

So, why is Google Developers spending so much time and money on this project, especially when it's not solely for Android? We wondered the same thing and sat down with Melissa Powell, Experts Program Global Manager, and Kory Jeffrey, Manager of Developer Relations in Canada, to find out.

Question: What's the drive behind Google Developers' Experts program?

Melissa Powell: Simply put, we do this because of the impact it can have on building better products. Design is user experience. If we're able to put the user first, then there's no limit to what can be accomplished. And we want to help make that happen.

Question: What are some of the ways in which you're accomplishing this?

Melissa Powell: The Experts program under Google Developers is our main initiative. Google Experts is a global network of experienced product strategists, designers, developers and marketing professionals actively supporting developers, startups and companies change the world through web and mobile applications.

Of these experts, we have over 30 who specialize in design. Once in the Google Experts program, they are enrolled in the Sprint Master Academy education — a program designed to teach about Design sprints specifically. Sprints break down the product design process into smaller chunks, so that it becomes more iterative and agile — ultimately producing a better product. Rooted in design thinking, sprints are a very powerful tool.

Question: Is Google Developers actively engaging in this, locally?

Kory Jeffrey: Absolutely! Google is investing in development and design roles right across Canada. There's a lot going on right here in Kitchener-Waterloo, too. For example, we're currently recruiting design and product marketing professionals to join the Experts program. We will get them ramped up to deliver and teach these design sprint programs. If interested, I welcome folks to get in touch with me directly — Koryjeffrey@google.com.