The Google Browser Comic

Google is working on something called Google Chrome. In short, it is how Google is going to fix the browser. Take a look for yourself, this looks mighty interesting.

Update: Zyb said that my initial post was pretty lame (read the comment below)... and I agree. Because...

Google have conveyed pretty techie stuff in an understandable and entertaining way, while at the same time generating enthusiasm for the product to be. Of course, this is not my words, but what Zyb said (and again - he is right).

Using comics to explain very complex tasks is nothing new. It has proven to be a very effective way to make complexity simple - and even better - to make people get the point quickly. I have used "comic" style illustration a couple of times.

In 2006 I had to visualize how disorganized and wasteful 40 designer was saving files (everyone used their own made-up file structure, and none had any idea were something else was). I did this by creating a small comic (not as good as Google's though), where I illustrated just have many steps, and how many people a person had to see, in order to find a group of files that he needed to send to a client.

I then, still in comic mode, illustrated just how easy this would be if we centralized this process, and introduced automation to speed up intermediary tasks.

The effect was instant understanding, and none were able to argue against it.

But perhaps the most famous use of comics, to convey complex tasks, is the work of Larry Gonick. He has created many books about history, genetics, statistics, environment etc (see them here), and all of them conveys very complex things in an easy to understand comic.

Note: In 2005 he gave a one hour talk about how this works at Stanford University, but it is no longer available.

Another good example is "[something] in plain English", the series by The Common Craft Show. While it isn't actually in the form of a comic, it is very similar in nature.

(via Google Blogoscoped)

Comments

Zyb - Sep. 2, 2008

Hey, I'm disappointed! :) There are links to the comic all over the net, but from you I expected some kind of intellegent analysis, how Google seems to be able to convey pretty techie stuff in an understandable _and_ entertaining way, while at the same time generating enthusiasm for the product to be - pretty good advertising, n'est-ce pas?

Thomas Baekdal - Sep. 2, 2008

Zyb, he he - you are right... My excuse was that was in the middle of something else when I posted it, which is probably the worst excuse anyone can make.

So I have tried to make up for it... I hope you like the extra content :)

Douglas - Sep. 2, 2008

And don't forget Scott McCloud's excellent involvement: http://www.scottmccloud.com/googlechrome/index.html

Ulrik Høyer Kold - Sep. 2, 2008

Wow,

this is the first time I read the comic, and I have to admit this is a very convincing way of conveying rather heavy tech-material for a not-so-tech-savvy reader.

By visualising and using metaphors, the topic is suddenly reduced to something easier understandable and almost tangible.

Thanks for blogging the full 38 pages :-)

Now, the next natural question is, when will this be available? And the short answer is today, September 2nd 2008 at http://google.com/chrome - according to the official Google blog: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html

I can't wait to give this new player a spin! Google Chrome, here I come!

Thomas Baekdal - Sep. 2, 2008

Google Chrome is out: http://www.google.com/chrome

Also, read my initial reactions here: http://www.baekdal.com/future/Products/google-chrome/

Zyb - Sep. 3, 2008

Thanks for the update, Thomas! :)

The Google Browser Comic

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