Work update!

So now that I've been in my new job for a few weeks, I figured it was time for an update.

Mornings

I get to work around 8 in the morning. A few people get in before I do, especially the people who ride their bikes. Most people roll in closer to 9, but the work hours are really flexible and people take advantage of it.

Most mornings I have a standup meeting where the writing team meets briefly to talk about what each of us is working on. We meet in quirkily-named rooms like "Nostradamus," "Death Star," and "Gallactica," and sometimes we use Google Hangout to meet with people not in the office.

The writing team doesn't sit together, so sometimes this is the only time I see the other writers. Each writer sits with the development team for the product they write for, so I spend my days next to engineers and program managers. In a way, I really like this arrangement because it makes me more immersed in the product I write on. It can also be pretty entertaining!

Some days the iPads posted around the office "take the temperature" of the organization.

There are different questions on different days, so it's always interesting to see what's up when you walk by an iPad. It's also a fun, engaging way to share your feelings and see what everyone else is feeling too.

Lunchtime

I always get out of the office at lunch. I bring my lunch to work or eat something from the kitchen, but I need a little fresh air time to wake me up. Luckily, there are plenty of missions I can take on during my lunch break. I work close to tons of things: the post office, grocery stores, TONS of shopping centers, and a craft store. Basically there are plenty of places for me to explore and get lost trying to find!

If I don't feel like getting lost or have enough time to take on a task, I can hang around close to the office. There's a "wilderness trail" right outside the door. I'm not sure if that is meant to be facetious, but it's definitely not a trail!

The "wilderness trail"

On the plus side, it adds a little green to the city.

There are also some colorful produce and flower stands by the office that give the CBD some vibrancy.

Afternoons

With the morning standups over and me not being very important, my afternoons are almost always free from meetings. As part of my first 90 days projects, I've been updating a manual on how to install all the Atlassian products and make them work together. This week, I've also started updates to a beginners tutorial for the product I'll eventually be documenting.

These projects have been a great way for me to start learning the products. They've also given me some chances to meet various SMEs on the teams, so I'm starting to make some of the contacts I'll need. I'm also getting to figure stuff out and write about it, which is always fun!

I've been encouraged to share my ideas on the stuff I'm working on and to make changes as I see fit. This kind of empowerment is definitely part of the culture at Atlassian, and I'm excited to be able to work in that kind of environment. Even though I'm just getting started there, I think it's going to be a great fit.

Most days I leave between 5 and 6 like a normal worker. But on Fridays, beer o'clock starts at 4:30 (or sometimes closer to 4) and can continue on for a while. It's a great way to transition from work into the weekend!

Posted with Blogsy