A Look Back at 2016

2016 began with promise and possibility. Fortified by our commitment to mutual growth, effective excellence, and open collaboration, our goals were ambitious and our team was empowered.

From establishing a new Web Services Team, to winning work from some of the world’s most renowned companies, to getting featured in GeekWire and Net Magazine, we made momentous strides and experienced unprecedented growth in many ways.

“I am amazed by what we accomplished in 2016,” says CEO Daniel Pasco. “I feel like our work demonstrates more clearly than words ever could that this team can have an unimaginably great impact on this industry.”

Let’s take a look back at the people, culture, and work that shaped our year.

Team

A digital agency is only as good as its team. We’ve always believed that by investing in the best people, we could build a better company. Our triumphs of the past year exemplify this idea. As we partnered with new clients and expanded into different tech experiences, our team grew more than ever before and the products we shipped were better for it.

Embracing a remote-friendly policy not only allows us to hire the most talented people in the world, it also underscores our commitment to a healthy work/life balance. Our team members work from where they’re happiest, be it overlooking Amsterdam’s canals, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas, or among the snow-capped Rocky Mountains.

Connections

By noon in Seattle, where we’re headquartered, our various Slack channels are humming with activity. Folks chat about tech news in one channel, product updates pop up in another, and our watercooler channel is abuzz about the new Star Wars film.

Slack cuts down on email and keeps everyone up to date on their projects, but it’s also where our company culture thrives. With Slack rooms dedicated to everything from fitness to “Westworld” spoilers, our team members connect with each other over more than just work. And, with a constantly expanding repository of custom emoji, there’s always a unique (and silly) way to react to a joke, status update, or announcement.

Productivity

Through strategic partnership, collaborative innovation, and tactical assistance, we are committed to launching remarkable digital products for mobile, web, and emerging tech experiences. Last year, we helped establish and reinforce some of the world’s most prominent brands as technology leaders by delivering products on more than eight different platforms.

In addition to working on updates for our own products in 2016, we helped powerhouses like Dick Clark Productions extend their reach and engage their fans in deeper and more meaningful ways.

We produced over 1,000 designed views in the last year and wrote enough lines of code to fill at least 45,000 pages of text. That’s equal to about 15 copies of Proust’s weighty tome, “In Search of Lost Time.”

All of this experience and expertise are better when shared. In 2016, we published over 70 articles on BPXL Craft and our website, launched 12 design and development resources for community use, and connected with you via 230 tweets, two Twitter Moments, and 90 Facebook posts.

Favorites

When we’re not brainstorming, strategizing, designing, and coding, we’re relaxing with family, buried in books, and sharing favorite recipes in our cooking channel on Slack. We also swap our computer monitors for TV and movie screens when a new series or film debuts.

Journey Forward

Each day, from home offices around the globe, our talented group of engineers, designers, and strategists comes together to create remarkable products for world-class brands. Resolving to do just that in 2017 would be enough for some, but we always strive for more.

We plan to continue pushing the tech industry forward by inspiring one another and the community to aim higher and reach beyond the bounds of what’s expected. We’re looking forward to tackling new challenges for our clients and sharing what we learn along the way.

As we prepare for upcoming projects, we’re excited to welcome more people to our team. Whether you’d like to work for us or work with us, we hope you’ll be part of our journey forward.

For more insights on design and development, subscribe to BPXL Craft and follow Black Pixel on Twitter.

Black Pixel is a creative digital products agency. Learn more at blackpixel.com.