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Google's Santa Tracker, an interactive and innovative website that allows users to track Santa Claus, is one of the most visited websites around this time to know the live status of Santa Claus's arrival.
While many in the world knows what is 'Google's Santa Tracker' but very few of us knows the story behind how it was created so that children can not only know Santa's live status but can also do a hostful of things when they visit the Santa tracker page.
Interestingly, a creative designer named Haraldur Thorleifsson, CEO and founder of design company Ueno, who created Google's first Santa tracker looked back on his work and developing this project.
The designer took it to Twitter and recalled the days of his life when he was working for a company and assigned to work on a project for Google to develop a Santa tracker.
The developer takes down to the memory lane and shares his life changing story that can inspire entrepreneurs and every single individual out there on how to make the maximum use of an opportunity if one really has to achieve something in his/her life.
According to Haraldur Thorleifsson, the making of Google's Santa Tracker
In a series of tweets, Haraldur Thorleifsson narrated how he landed upon working on a project to create Gogle's Santa tracker. Here's his story:
Seven years ago I led a team to create the first Google Santa Tracker. I was not supposed to be in that role. But it changed my life. It started as a pretty standard call.
I had been working with Upperquad and their founder, my friend Phil, on a number of projects, many of them for Google. This time around, the Google Maps team wanted a way for kids to follow Santa on Christmas Eve.
I was one of a number of designers on the call. We all got the same brief. It was a Thursday and we were going to meet again on the following Monday to share some ideas.
I remember thinking that this was a special chance. I decided I had to take it. The Santa on a map thing was cool but I didn't think it was enough.
I wanted to build excitement with kids leading up to the 24th. I wanted it to be a unique experience. I wanted to create a world. And I only had a few days to prove I should be the person to do it.
I had an idea but I needed some help. So I reached out to an illustrator I found on Dribbble. I asked him if he could work with me to create Santa's Village.
Since I didn't have a budget I offered him $1000 of my own money. It was all the money I had at the time. We worked non-stop over the weekend.
On Monday morning I presented a protype I had built in Flash. It had all the bells and whistles, literally (we had sound effects). The other designers had rough sketches. We had leapfrogged everyone else. Our idea was picked.
Next up was a review with some of the Google development team. We showed them the idea. They said they would need 6-9 months to build it. It was late September. Christmas was 3 months away. We were told it couldn't happen.
It was a Thursday. Again. I called around and found a developer. I offered him another $1000. Money I didn't have. Over 3 days we built a proof of concept. A fully functional prototype.
On Monday we shared it with Google and I said, this can be done. Their devs (developers) were not happy but I didn't care. All my life people had told me I couldn't do something and I was finally getting the confidence to tell them yes I could.
I told them I could get this done. I didn't tell them I had no idea how and that I was scared shitless. To my surprise they said ok and handed me control over the project.
Over the next 2,5 months I worked harder than I had ever worked. I played multiple roles. I cut assets, I created budgets, I wrote scripts, created video games. I honestly went a little crazy.
On top of all of this I was handling constant feedback from the client. After a while I realized that the timeline was my biggest asset. If I waited to show what we were working on it would be too late to change anything. Approval was the only option.
As December came we started to launch. Luckily we had a staggered launch, one experience a day. We would launch one thing at midnight and move on to the next day's delivery. I don't remember sleeping that month. I knew the work was good but the reception blew me away.
Kids all over the world lived it. We had millions and millions of visitors every day. It was magical.
Looking back, that experience gave me the confidence to start my own agency. One year later Ueno was created.
Santa Tracker is still a thing. Every Christmas it goes back online with new additions and every year I'm excited to see it.
For me it was a once in lifetime opportunity and it changed my life. Anyway, Feliz Navidad from lovely Mexico City!
Narrating his work experience and about an opportunity that changed his life, the designer also mentioned, "And remember, you only get a few breaks in life, when you see them, grab on and don't let go no matter what happens."
At his own website, Haraldur Thorleifsson while speaking about his Santa Tracker site said, "From the moment it launched the site was widely shared throughout the internets. People flooded their Google+, Facebook and Twitter feeds with positive reviews, links to the Santa Tracker site and overall holiday cheer."
What is Google's Santa Tracker?
Google Santa Tracker is a Christmas-themed entertainment site which allows user to track Santa Claus. The tracker is unlocked on Christmas eve, when he actually begins his journey to deliver presents to the good children around the world.
The Santa Tracker site not just allows you to track Santa Claus but one can also spend time playing a hostfull of games, puzzles like finding a Santa in his village and many other things. Apart from the tracker, other things on the Santa Tracker site goes live with the start of the month of December.
Through the Santa Tracker map, one can see the live status of Santa Claus, how many kilometers he has travelled, how many gifts has he delivered, what will be his next stop and at what all places he has already delivered the gifts.
ALSO READ: Christmas 2019: Waiting for Santa Claus? Here's how you can LIVE track his route
