Martin Ortlieb

Martin Ortlieb is a seasoned User Experience Researcher at Google with over 20 years of expertise in the field. He currently works at Google's office in Munich, Germany, focusing on improving the work experience for knowledge workers in the tech industry.12

Career at Google

Ortlieb joined Google in 2008 as a Senior User Experience Researcher in Zurich, Switzerland. He was Google's first UER in a non-English-speaking office and helped grow the Zurich UX community from 4 to around 70 members.2 Throughout his tenure at Google, he has held various roles:

• Staff User Experience Researcher (2013-2016): Led research on user-facing privacy tools, building a team of 15 with 7 direct reports.2
• User Experience Research & Product Development (2017-Present): Focuses on integrating machine learning into business tools for knowledge workers.2
• User Experience Researcher (2019-Present): Investigates how people work with each other and with technology, aiming to improve the work experience.3

Research Focus

Ortlieb's research interests include:

• The future of work, particularly in the context of Google and its employees1
• International employee experiences in global companies
• Collaboration across geographies, teams, timezones, and cultures2
• Privacy and user-facing privacy tools
• Machine learning applications in business tools2

Educational Background

Ortlieb holds a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Manchester. His thesis was titled "The West in the North: Identity, Work and Integration Among Northern Finnish Farmers".1 He also has a degree in Social Anthropology from the London School of Economics and Political Science, where he graduated as a top 3 student.1

Previous Experience

Before Google, Ortlieb worked at:

• Steelcase as Director of User Centred Practices (2016-2017)
• GfK as Associate Director for Ethnography and New Product Development (2007-2008)
• Yahoo as Head of Design Research, Product Development Europe (2004-2007)
• Sapient as User Experience Senior Associate (2000-2004)12

Martin Ortlieb's unique blend of anthropological background and extensive experience in user experience research has positioned him as a valuable asset in understanding and improving the intersection of technology, work culture, and user needs at Google.