People who come to our office for the first time often notice it straight away: there is a large bar in the middle of our office. And that bar is there for a reason!
Having a bar in the office makes for better software
Written by Ewout
When Roland and I started 10KB about ten years ago, it was just the two of us. Our first office was a large 80m2 room that looked very bare even with the biggest desk we could find. Having just graduated from university, we decided to put in a bar (because who wouldn't want their own?). And just as it started as a student's dream, as the company grew, we found that the best ideas often come from sitting at the bar.
Software development is not an exact science. Many people think that software development is a lot like mathematics, where everything revolves around logic and fixed rules. But it is much more like designing a house or writing a book, where a hundred different solutions are possible and the best ideas often come at unexpected moments.
The social aspect of software development is therefore at least as important as the technical side. Talking to colleagues, asking questions and thinking together is where the most innovative solutions come from.
A simple example: if you are stuck, just tap a colleague and suggest a cup of coffee at the bar. The walk from the first floor to our ground level often works wonders. Arriving at the bar, you discuss the problem and present your ideas. Colleagues ask critical questions that make you think differently about the situation. Often, after 15 minutes, you realise that you have come up with a much better solution.
In short, having a bar in the office makes you write better software. It provides a space where social interaction and creativity combine to produce innovative and effective solutions to the problems we face.