Google Student Blog: Better Know an Office: Waterloo

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Better Know an Office: Waterloo

May 13, 2011

Welcome to a new segment called Better Know an Office Inspired by Steven Colbert’s Better Know a District. This recurring series will take us to different Google offices around the globe to learn what makes them tick.

Better Know an Office heads north today to the twin cities of Waterloo and Kitchener in the Southern tip of Ontario, Canada. While Canada may be better known for its national sport, ice hockey, this region actually allows technology to share the spotlight. “Canada’s Technology Triangle” is so wired into the tech industry that people here are likely to know less about checking than they do about coding.

The innovative nature of the local area can be seen in some of the products under development in Waterloo today-including projects in Google Chrome and Google Chrome OS. However, a major focus of the Waterloo team is mobile, one of their key products being Mobile Gmail. “We are constantly pushing to redefine what people expect from their phone”, says Ryan Fioravanti, a Software Engineer on the Mobile Apps team. Just last month, the Waterloo team launched a new version of Google Docs for mobile, which allows people to collaboratively edit the same document from their phone.

Despite having less than ten members, Ryan’s team normally takes on two to three major projects at a time. To ensure everyone’s time is being used effectively, big tasks are split up and team members take turns managing all of the team’s non-programing tasks. However, the team regularly comes together to review each other’s work and collaborate on the overall design of a project. In order to share what they’ve learned, the team has started publishing articles on mobile web development. Regardless of the specific project, these Googlers are focused on building the next generation of mobile applications and web interfaces, ultimately changing the way people can use their phones; and of course, this includes being able to get the latest hockey scores.

The smaller size of the office helps brings everyone together in a close knit group, which encourages a supportive and friendly environment. “Working here is the best of both worlds because our small office fosters collaboration and an incredibly welcoming environment, yet we also get to manage large pieces of products that are central to Google’s overall mission”, says Cate Huston, a Software Engineer working on mobile products. Waterlooglers are also actively engaged in the community outside of work. Cate, for example, has partnered with other Waterloo Googlers to support and mentor female Computer Science students, as well as the appropriately named Awesome Foundation, a local organization dedicated to supporting local arts and sciences.

Speaking of awesome, last month a rather fearless group of Googlers managed to climb the CN Tower in Toronto for charity. However, if ascending a 147-story structure does not sound like your idea of a fun time, then there’s always curling and celebrating big holidays like St. Patrick’s Day in the office. There is no shortage of excitement outside of the office to take part in as well, as Waterloo Googlers recently participated in the area’s celebrations of geek culture, TEDx Conference and Canada’s largest Oktoberfest.

2011 is already looking like a banner year for the Waterloo team, which recently relocated to a beautifully converted industrial building that they share with several other tech companies. Located in the up-and-coming Tannery District, the new building incorporates environmentally-friendly building materials and lots of natural light and ventilation. The move has allowed the office to add features like a two-story slide, a large second floor patio and a large game room with air hockey and, one of the office’s favorite games, Rock Band®. The move has also created more space for future Googlers, and the office is on the lookout for students that can make an impact on big projects. If you are ready to join this enthusiastic team, apply today! Just don’t wait until this beautiful new building gets full....

Check out some more pictures of the Waterloo office here.