A large impactThe strategic value of CIR programs was demonstrated again last year by the Studio Classic's migration to the new Studio. It was difficult to reimagine the tools millions of creators use every day. The residents provided a window into the everyday work of creators and helped us transition to a new product. Residents were consulted on every aspect of the migration. Residents were consulted as new features were being transferred into the Studio. We were able to learn key insights about creators using the escape hatch option for Studio Classic to return to Studio Classic.Stories was also launched with a huge impact by residents. Our creator residents took part in a scavenger hunting through New York City just weeks before the launch of Stories. This was to test the features and edit capabilities as well as the technical infrastructure. We ask creators not to be shy about raising concerns and offering negative feedback. We were not able to complete the scavenger hunt, and our creators acknowledged it. We were able to learn from them that there were critical infrastructure bugs that prevented creators having the seamless experience they wanted. Our team was able to realize that our product wasn't ready for primetime. We had to delay the launch to allow our engineering teams to address the concerns that residents raised.Their residency does not mean that their work is finished. YouTube will occasionally approach former participants to discuss special projects. We recently partnered with a few alumni of the residency program to collaborate on roadmaps, features, and other issues.
