Behind The Scenes of GooglePlex: Spinutech Visits

Published by Spinutech on December 22, 2015

If you work in the digital marketing world you probably speak the word "Google" at least 10 times a day. You read articles about the newest update, are always trying to anticipate what the brand will do next and probably have to answer the question "So what exactly should I do with Google+?" on a regular basis.

As an outsider you hear about the nap pods (they're real), the endless options for lunch and you may think everything you saw in The Internship is true.

So what happens when you get invited to peek behind the scenes? Our founders got to do just that in December and we wanted to share all of the Googley details.

So what is it really like?

Marc says:

• It's overwhelming, much like a college campus there are people all over all the time.
• The outdoor spaces are just as great as the offices.
• The cafeterias... it lived up to all I had thought it would be and more.
• The Googlers are all very nice and don't seem annoyed with visitors.
• It became clear to me that expectations are very high for all Googlers. It seems intense and likely long hours.
• While we are under an NDA for the exact content discussed I will say it was great. Hearing directly from the various product VP's gave some great insight into the future of Google.
• Traffic in the Valley is not fun.
• I was undefeated in Bocce Ball, there was a great outdoor court on their campus (Adam & Cory lost 6 times by my count).
• The bikes aren't built for speed... or comfort, but they get you to your destination faster.

Cory says:

• We all now carry a super-computer in our pockets. And they can help us in more/better ways. It's really interesting to hear Google's focus on how to improve people's lives through this interaction. This could be simple things like automatically re-scheduling a recurring meeting when a conflict arises or helping you respond to emails with little to no effort. Can't wait to see where this goes.
• Google has a huge focus on Simplicity. As a product-driven team, it's enlightening to see a company with nearly unlimited resources say that they won't just add Features just because people are asking for them. They have to not only provide immense value - they also need to be executed without making the entire experience more complicated & convoluted. I think all Products & Websites should heed that same advice!
• There seem to be a lot of very small teams within Google, focused on extremely specific objectives. I'm sure their size necessitates this, but it emphasizes the importance of giving our teams a very clear goal, with a lot of autonomy & flexibility to use their talents. They also need assurance that they can take risks.
• I was really surprised by the Google campus itself. We were primarily at Tech Corners, which is about 5 miles from the "Googleplex". We also visited the Googleplex and there's really just 4 main buildings in a cluster that represent all the cool photos you see when Google is mentioned. Outside of that, they seem to have gobbled up every existing/boring office complex within a mile or two of the plex and put a Google sign on them. If I were going to work at Google, I'd definitely want to be at Tech Corners or the Googleplex; on the flip side, I'm not sure I could deal with the traffic of any of them!
• It's no wonder there's a thing called the "Google 15". The ice cream was amazing and there are snacks at every turn. 

Adam says:

• It would be a neat experience to work at Google for 2-3 years 
  • They have so many resources as a multi-billion dollar, leading technology company with 60k employees. It would be neat to see some of those things come together on a few projects
• Things (plans, projects, products, etc.) aren't always perfect even at Google - they acknowledged some mistakes and just like the rest of us, they have to learn from them
• From the sessions, it's clear that Google is very interested in AI
  • They will be making a strong push on all things AI for cutting down on the mundane
  • Examples: auto/smart reply capabilities in email, auto-creation of charts in Google Sheets
• From the sessions, it's clear that they want to continue their push on all things collaboration - bringing people and organizations together for GETTING THINGS DONE
• I always knew that I was fast on a bike, but I flew by Marc and Cory like they were on tricycles

To see all the behind the scenes photos jump over to our Facebook page.