Some of our latest stories:

• Netflix's Market Entry Strategy for India

• Shopify's Post-Pandemic Transformation Strategy

• Dyson's Niche Product Dominance Strategy: Revolution in Cordless Vacuum Cleaners

Why Google is Sunsetting JamBoard

Hi there 👋!

Just recently, Google sent us all an email that it is winding down Jamboard by the end of next year. Many of us, never even heard this name, let alone know that Google offered a product as such.

Well, this post answers the many questions most of us might have right now! What is Jamboard? Why did it fail?

Let’s dive in 🤿 

What is Google Jamboard?

Google Jamboard is a digital whiteboard that lets you collaborate in real-time using either the Jamboard device (a 55-inch digital whiteboard that works with G Suite services), web browser, or mobile app.

Jamboard is designed to be a more interactive and collaborative experience than a traditional whiteboard. It allows you to add sticky notes, write and draw with a stylus, insert images and videos, and even vote on ideas. You can also share your Jamboards with others and collaborate on them in real-time.

Jamboard is a great tool for brainstorming, planning projects, and giving presentations. It can be used by teams of all sizes, from small businesses to large corporations. It is also popular in the education sector, where it can be used to create interactive lessons and activities for students.

Here are some of the core benefits of using Google Jamboard:

• Real-time collaboration: Jamboard allows you to collaborate with others on your Jamboards in real-time. This means that you can brainstorm, plan projects, and give presentations together, even if you are not in the same physical location.

• Infinite canvas: Jamboard has an infinite canvas, so you can add as much content as you want without running out of space. This makes it a great tool for brainstorming and planning complex projects.

• Variety of tools: Jamboard offers a variety of tools, including sticky notes, writing and drawing tools, image and video insertion, and voting. This gives you the flexibility to create and share your ideas in the way that works best for you.

• Easy to use: Jamboard is easy to use, even for people who are not tech-savvy. This makes it a great tool for teams of all sizes and for use in a variety of settings.

Features

Jamboard offers a variety of features that make it a powerful tool for collaboration, including:

• Real-time collaboration: Jamboard allows users to collaborate on projects and ideas in real time, even if they are in different locations. This makes it a great tool for teams that work remotely or need to collaborate with clients.

• Infinite canvas: Jamboard provides users with an infinite canvas to work on, so they can brainstorm and organize their ideas without being limited by space.

• Sticky notes: Jamboard allows users to create and share sticky notes, which is a great way to brainstorm ideas and capture feedback.

• Whiteboarding tools: Jamboard provides users with a variety of whiteboarding tools, such as pens, markers, and erasers, so they can sketch out ideas and diagrams.

• Text boxes: Jamboard allows users to add text boxes to their projects, so they can include labels, descriptions, and other text-based content.

• Shapes: Jamboard provides users with a variety of pre-made shapes that they can add to their projects, such as rectangles, circles, and arrows.

• Images: Jamboard allows users to add images to their projects, which is a great way to illustrate ideas and provide visual context.

• Videos: Jamboard allows users to add videos to their projects, which is a great way to share presentations and demos.

• Files: Jamboard allows users to import files from Google Drive and other cloud storage services to easily add existing content to their projects.

• Templates: Jamboard provides users with a variety of templates that they can use to get started with their projects.

• Voting: Jamboard allows users to create polls and surveys, so they can collect feedback from their team or collaborators.

• Comments: Jamboard allows users to add comments to their projects, so they can communicate with their team and collaborators.

• Chat: Jamboard provides users with a built-in chat feature, so they can communicate with each other in real time.

• Version history: Jamboard keeps track of all changes made to a project, so users can easily revert to a previous version if needed.

• Export: Jamboard allows users to export their projects to a variety of formats, such as PDF, PNG, JPEG, and SVG.

In addition to these core features, Jamboard also integrates with other Google Workspace products, such as Google Drive and Google Meet. This makes it easy to share and collaborate on Jamboards with others, and to present Jamboards during meetings.

Jamboard in Action

Here are some specific examples of how Jamboard can be used in different contexts:

• Education: Jamboard can be used in the classroom to facilitate collaboration on projects, group work, and brainstorming sessions. Teachers can also use Jamboard to create and deliver interactive lessons.

• Business: Jamboard can be used in the workplace for a variety of purposes, such as product development, project planning, and marketing campaigns. Teams can use Jamboard to brainstorm ideas, share feedback, and create presentations.

• Personal use: Jamboard can also be used for personal purposes, such as planning events, creating to-do lists, and organizing travel itineraries.

Why did it Still Fail?

That introduction and detail on Jamboard felt like it was all you need for your team! Well, the next that obviously comes is why it still failed.

To answer your question, here are a few reasons:

• Low adoption: Jamboard has failed to gain widespread adoption, particularly compared to other digital whiteboarding tools on the market. This is likely due to a number of factors, including its high price tag, limited feature set, and lack of marketing.

• Competition from other products: There are a number of other digital whiteboarding tools on the market, such as Microsoft Whiteboard, Zoom Whiteboard, and Miro. These products offer similar or better features than Jamboard at a lower price point.

• Focus on core products: Google is focusing its resources on its core products, such as Google Search, Gmail, and Google Maps. This means that less resources are available for products like Jamboard.

• Lack of marketing: Google did not market Jamboard very effectively, especially in the early years of its release. This meant that many potential users were unaware of the product or its capabilities.

Google has announced that Jamboard will be shutting down on December 31, 2024. Users will no longer be able to create or edit Jamboards after that date. However, users will still be able to export their Jamboard data to other products, such as Lucidspark and Miro.

Google has also announced that it will be working with its whiteboard partners to help customers transition to other products. This includes providing support and resources to help customers migrate their Jamboard data to other products.

Jamboard vs Competition

Let us now take a quick look at Jamboard’s offerings and its competition’s.

Google Jamboard is a digital whiteboard that allows users to collaborate in real time on projects, presentations, and brainstorms. It offers a variety of features, including:

• An infinite canvas for endless creativity

• A variety of tools, such as sticky notes, drawing tools, and image insertion

• Real-time collaboration with other users

• Integration with other Google Workspace products, such as Google Drive and Google Meet

Lucidspark is another popular digital whiteboard tool. It offers a similar set of features to Google Jamboard, but with some additional benefits, such as:

• Advanced diagramming features, such as object linking and embedding

• A mind mapping feature

• A Kanban board feature

• Integration with other Lucid products, such as Lucidchart and Lucidpress

Miro is another popular digital whiteboard tool that offers a wide range of features, including:

• An infinite canvas for endless creativity

• A variety of tools, such as sticky notes, drawing tools, and image insertion

• Real-time collaboration with other users

• Integration with other popular tools, such as Google Drive, Slack, and Jira

• A variety of templates and use cases, such as brainstorming, planning projects, and giving presentations

FigJam is a newer digital whiteboard tool that is tightly integrated with the popular design tool Figma. It offers a similar set of features to Google Jamboard and Miro, but with some additional benefits, such as:

• Tight integration with Figma, making it easy to import and export designs

• Component libraries for sharing and reusing design components

• A variety of collaboration features, such as real-time commenting and voting

What could have Possibly Saved Jamboard?

Here are some suggestions for what could have saved Google Jamboard from failing:

• Lower price: Jamboard was a relatively expensive product, especially when compared to other digital whiteboards on the market. A lower price would have made it more accessible to a wider range of users, particularly in education and small businesses.

• Better marketing: Google did not market Jamboard very effectively, especially in the early years of its release. This meant that many potential users were unaware of the product or its capabilities.

• Address technical challenges: Jamboard faced some technical challenges in the early years of its release, such as performance issues, bugs, and compatibility problems. Fixing these challenges would have made the product more reliable and user-friendly.

• Make it more accessible: Jamboard was originally only available as a physical device. Making it available as a software application as well would have made it more accessible to users who did not have access to a Jamboard device.

• Partner with other companies: Google could have partnered with other companies, such as hardware manufacturers and software developers, to create a more comprehensive Jamboard ecosystem. This would have made Jamboard more attractive to users who needed a complete solution for collaboration and brainstorming.

It is important to note that even if Google had made some of these changes, there is no guarantee that Jamboard would have been successful. The digital whiteboard market is very competitive, and there are a number of other popular products available. However, making some of these changes could have improved Jamboard's chances of success.

Key Takeaways for Product Managers

• Focus on the core product: Jamboard was a good product, but it didn't focus on a core problem that users were facing. This made it difficult to market and sell the product.

• Price the product competitively: Jamboard was relatively expensive, especially when compared to other digital whiteboards on the market. A lower price would have made it more accessible to a wider range of users.

• Market the product effectively: Google didn't market Jamboard very effectively, especially in the early years of its release. This meant that many potential users were unaware of the product or its capabilities.

• Address technical challenges early on: Jamboard faced some technical challenges in the early years of its release, such as performance issues, bugs, and compatibility problems. Fixing these challenges early on would have made the product more reliable and user-friendly.

• Make the product more accessible: Jamboard was originally only available as a physical device. Making it available as a software application as well would have made it more accessible to users who did not have access to a Jamboard device.

• Listen to your customers: One of the biggest mistakes Google made with Jamboard was not listening to its customers. Early users of the product complained about the limited feature set and technical challenges. Google didn't address these complaints quickly enough, which led to frustration and dissatisfaction among users.

• Be flexible and adaptable: The market is constantly changing, and product managers need to be able to adapt their products accordingly. Google wasn't flexible enough with Jamboard. When the product didn't meet expectations, Google didn't make the necessary changes to keep it competitive.

🧃Juicy reads to check out

This section includes some relevant articles/videos, people to check out, and links you might find interesting from around Product management.

👉🏻 Aakash Gupta shares the modern way to write a PRD. (Link)

👉🏻 Malte Scholz, CEO & CPO of airfocus helps understand large-scale quarterly roadmaps and how to plan to execute your plan within the quarter. (Link).

👉🏻 Shyvee Shi & David Pereira, reveal the 9 product management ingredients you cannot afford miss.  (Link)

✅ If you want to get featured in this section, share the newsletter with 5 friends (use this special link), and I'll include you in a future issue of the newsletter.

How can Product Monk help you become a better PM? 

To answer this, consider filling out the survey. We will always strive to provide the maximum value you seek.

Reader Survey Form

This is just a basic survey form to know you, our reader 🧑‍🏫 a little bit better. This will help us curate a better and more relevant reading experience for you.