Rachel Inman – Wild Business Growth Podcast #111: Google Maps and Google Earth UX Design Lead

Did you ever geek out about Google Earth as a kid? There’s something so cool about exploring the globe and discovering new destinations and mysteries from the comfort of your home. Now, what if you took that passion and made it your full-time career. That’s the story of this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Rachel Inman. Rachel is a Staff UX Design Lead at Google Maps, and previously worked on the redesign of Google Earth. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur or innovator joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the crazy creative and unusual ways they grew their business, and provides tips for you to do it, too. Hear the woman who became the voice of Siri, the man who’s reinventing the sandcastle, how GaryVee’s partners are turning the wine world upside down, and more wild stories. Hosted by MaxPodcasting Founder and Podcast Producer Max Branstetter (that’s me).

Episode #111: Rachel Inman – Google Maps and Google Earth UX Design Lead

Rachel Inman, a Staff UX Design Lead for Google Maps, joins the show to share her journey from loving maps and exploration as a kid to enhancing Google Maps and Google Earth through UX design. Hear how to be user-friendly, how teachers helped redesign Google Earth, what Google Maps might look like in the future, how to create a culture of creativity, and how Street View gets made. This episode covers everything from Rachel’s favorite places in the world to how she likes to unplug. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• Rachel’s experience growing up surrounded by maps and exploration
• How did she and her team redesign Google Earth
• How does Google Maps use augmented reality (AR)
• What’s involved in UX design (User Experience)
• How do you gather feedback from your consumers
• What makes Google so creative
• How is The Met celebrating their 150th anniversary
• Rachel’s tiny art skills

Connect with Rachel on Twitter at @rachel_inman and on LinkedIn.

Enjoy the show! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro
  • [0:52] Why I Started MaxPodcasting
  • [1:08] Email me at for help using your podcast as a business-building tool
  • [1:38] Wild Business Growth Podcast
  • [1:45] Connect with Rachel on Twitter at @rachel_inman and on LinkedIn
  • [2:17] UX (User Experience)
  • [2:31] Google Maps, Google Earth
  • [3:14] Did Rachel have any affinity for maps growing up
  • [3:30] The Map Shop
  • [4:40] National Geographic (Nat Geo)
  • [5:00] Infographic
  • [5:30] What does Rachel like about maps and exploration
  • [8:07] What did she like to explore on Google Earth
  • [9:14] An absolutely incredible pun by Rachel
• UX Design of Google Maps & Google Earth
  • [11:22] Google
  • [11:26] How did Rachel start working on Google Maps & Google Earth
  • [11:58] NASA
  • [12:47] The Google Buses, Google Headquarters (HQ) aka The Googleplex in Mountainview, CA
  • [13:17] DSLR Camera
  • [13:55] Underwater Street View
  • [14:01] Aquaman
  • [14:22] Global Fishing Watch
  • [15:07] How do 20% Projects work at Google
  • [17:26] What was involved in redesigning Google Earth
  • [18:22] Desktop vs. Mobile
  • [18:53] Google Material Design
  • [19:49] Teachers using Google Earth
  • [20:12] Atlas
  • [20:25] iPad
  • [20:57] Co-Design Workshop
  • [21:14] Brainstorming
  • [21:38] Google Creation Tools
  • [21:50] BBC
  • [22:12] Feedback
  • [22:28] What was the UX (User Experience) process look like for Rachel and her team
  • [24:19] Concept Ideation
  • [25:06] Engineers
  • [25:55] Ryan Foland on the Wild Business Growth Podcast, The 3-1-3 Challenge with Ryan Foland
  • [28:12] How do Rachel and her team make Google Maps even better
  • [29:16] UX Designers
  • [30:35] Google Immersion Trips
  • [30:44] Observation
  • [31:42] R&D (Research & Development)
  • [32:03] What projects are Rachel working on for Google Maps
  • [32:21] Augmented Reality (AR)
  • [34:07] Google Maps Blue Dot
  • [34:21] GPS (Global Positioning System)
  • [35:45] Map Abstraction
  • [36:27] What will Google Maps look like in the future
  • [36:58] Consumers, Business Owners
  • [37:24] Google Places Page, Merchants
  • [38:04] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • [38:24] Googler

• Inspiration & Creativity: People, Hobbies, and Resources
  • [39:01] How do you be and stay creative
  • [40:21] Tech (Technology), Journalists, Law
  • [41:11] Ceramics Studio
  • [41:23] Creative Writing at NYU’s CE Program (New York University, Continuing Education)
  • [42:10] How do you write creatively
  • [43:43] How to record a podcast intro
  • [44:32] Podcast Editing
  • [44:56] How does Google encourage a culture of creativity
  • [45:35] UI (User Interface)
  • [47:09] Michael Scott Accidental Email, Todd Packer
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [48:02] The Met 150th Anniversary (The Metropolitan Museum of Art)
  • [48:48] Marketing
  • [51:20] Superfans by Pat Flynn
• The Unusual: Pet Peeves, Quirks, and Weird Talents
  • [51:29] What is Rachel’s biggest pet peeve
  • [51:58] What are her quirks
  • [52:08] Audio-only podcast interview
  • [52:49] What are Rachel’s weird talents
  • [53:23] Sculpey Clay
  • [53:33] Michaels
  • [54:22] Instagram accounts with Tiny Art (Miniature Art)
  • [54:35] Social Media
• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [54:48] What is Rachel’s favorite place she’s discovered on Google Earth other than her house
  • [55:07] Nagahama, Japan
  • [55:21] Geography
  • [56:25] What is Rachel’s favorite Google food meal
  • [56:45] Google Tokyo office
  • [57:31] What’s something about the Google Street View cars that would surprise people
  • [58:20] Google Maps Local Guides
  • [59:26] Crowdsourcing
  • [59:49] How good is Rachel at Geography Trivia
  • [59:57] Maps without labels
  • [1:00:24] Connect with Rachel on Twitter at @rachel_inman and on LinkedIn
  • [1:00:52] What are Rachel’s final thoughts
  • [1:02:35] Follow your curiosity
  • [1:02:59] Subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast
  • [1:03:02] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [1:03:06] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • [1:03:09] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting your own professional-sounding podcast, but dreading the time commitment? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Rachel Inman on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!