Living Offices | S01 E05 | Outsystems
Lisboa, Portugal [PT Version]
OutSystems is a software development company founded in 2001. It develops and provides the OutSystems low-code platform, a product that, simply put, lets you to visually develop web and mobile applications fast.
OutSystems currently has 500 co-workers and an increasing international presence.
In 2017, OutSystems predicts to keep on growing both in business volume and people.
The main office is in Linda-a-Velha, near Lisbon. It has undergone a few expansions, the most recent being the expansion to a third floor.
OutSystems has eleven offices in different locations worldwide.
Welcome to the Lisboa office.
Office File
Company: OutSystems
Location: Lisboa, Portugal
Year: 2005–2016
Area: 5.480 sqm
People: 370(Lisbon)
Industry: Software Development
Culture
OutSystems has a well-defined culture. Its employees fiercely protect its startup feeling, even as the company has grown at a very rapid pace. This culture goes back to the time when there were just five people working day and night in a small garage. Sixteen years later, the co-workers are still encouraged to ask why, ask for help, and challenge the status quo. Beginning on day one of the recruitment process, the culture is experienced in all interactions.
OutSystems values are carved on the walls of every floor and are a good reminder of why they matter to the company. OutSystems culture has evolved from a very formal environment, where suit and tie were the dress code, to an environment where freedom of choice and common sense prevail.
Continuous learning is the daily motto and asking questions is an habit encouraged by all, so that everyone can be autonomous and bring value to their teams and the company. Communication is the the key. Active listening is encouraged so that innovation is present every second of the day. After all, client guidance is what moves them.
OutSystems believes a working environment that promotes happiness and well-being brings motivation and enables all of this to happen.
Recognition among teams is a deep-rooted ritual and is done with fun: for extraordinary achievements a huge teddy bear is passed along from team to team.
Outsystems’ culture is documented in “The Small Book of The Few Big Rules”, along with several other stories.
The Office
OutSystems current office in the Central Park Building is located on three floors, categorized by color. Recently, they have also included an innovative way to know the location of all working areas: a ruler running through the corridors on the ceiling that marks the meters from reception to the reference area.
Located on the 1st floor (yellow) are the OutSystems project teams. These teams develop solutions, like applications or systems, tailored to the clients’ needs.
The 2nd floor (red) is the main entrance and reception area for the office. This floor holds People Operations, Finance, Procurement, Marketing, and Sales, as well as Customer Support and IT services.
On the 3rd floor (blue), we can find the Engineering and Product Management departments.
Apart from the three office floors, the 7th floor houses an open space with capacity for 30 people, equipped with a balcony and a fantastic 180º-view. Here, meetings, working sessions, events, and yoga lessons can take place.
Lobby
As we walk in, we are greeted by large open space, where we find the reception desk.
Work Area
There are multiple working areas: each team has their own area inside the open-space office. The decoration and personalization of each area is defined by the teams. This way, collaboration happens everyday. The laid back environment is inspired by the decorative mirrors and the way teams interact and work.
Meeting Rooms
There are several meeting rooms spread across the three floors, each one created to have a different identity. There are references to comic books and themed rooms that prolong the outside garden into the office, beach chairs substituting the traditional meeting room furniture, and even boxing bags to help share ideas and boost creativity.
At OutSystems each person can choose the room that best fits each meeting.
Informal Meeting Spaces
OutSystems is a living company, so meetings to solve problems and team meetings to share ideas can happen at any moment in a quick and informal way. The office offers numerous spaces: a sofa for team meetings or a quiet spaces for a solo Skype or phone call. The casual and organized atmosphere of the space makes it easy to have a conversation in every floor and near any working station.
Play Areas
Play is a serious subject at OutSystems: ping-pong, snooker, and a giant chess board are some of the most visible elements that defy the most intense working moments, allowing for an energy boost before focusing again.
Kitchen
Each floor has a kitchen for the employees to have lunch, take a break, and socialize. The picture below shows the main kitchen that has a balcony, allowing the co-workers to eat outdoors.
Sharing Stages
With almost 400 co-workers , the Lisbon office needed different spaces for presentations, gatherings, or even concerts. That’s why a stage was built, where the OutSystems band can perform and where other informal meetings can take place, like “My Friday,” “Flash Talks,” and “Company Updates.”
Plans
“As we grow, there are always new spaces to explore. I love the meeting rooms! Take for example the one with swings, a great setting for fluid and natural conversations.
Carla Teixeira
“We have various spaces for collaboration. For example, the library is perfect for an informal meeting. I really feel the office is my own, as if I am at home. But the secluded rooms are also important for when we need to be more focused.
Mário Araújo
All photos by André Henriques | http://www.ahphoto.pt/
