February 2nd, 2009
Goodbye, Google
Today was my last day at Google.
For the past couple of years, I have been working as an interaction designer at Google in Mountain View, California.
Because of manager conflicts, I am no longer with Google. Their handling of the matter has been no less than astoundingly amateurish and highly unprofessional, but I won’t air their dirty laundry here — it’s not worth any more of my time.
Suffice to say, I’ll be surprised if they manage to hold on to their top talent in the User Experience division for more than a year or two. That part of the organization is slowly rotting from the top down, and people have already started leaving. The wasted potential is truly beyond anything I have ever seen in an organization that is otherwise really well run, and has its priorities straight.
I have had the pleasure to work with an astounding number of amazingly talented individuals at Google, and I will miss them dearly. And there are some truly great managers at Google — hopefully I have let them know — I just never got to work with them. To all the designers and researchers I worked with at Google: I really enjoyed meeting and working with you all, you taught me humility, data-driven decision making and overall greatness — please stay in touch. To all the managers that attempted to help resolve the difficult situation I was in: Thanks for the respect, kindness and energy to fight the good fight. Keep it up.
Google is a fundamentally sound company, they have their priorities straight, and they will do well in the foreseeable future. I had a great time there, but it’s time to move on.
Hello, Plone
So, what’s next? Less commuting. More time with friends. Taking care of my ill father. More sunny days outside. More music, travel, sports cars, and guitars. And, of course, Plone.
With the work going into the upcoming Plone 4 release, I’m more excited about the future than I’ve ever been. Some of the best developers I have ever worked with — including Google engineers — are working on the next-generation Plone, and it’s truly in a position to change the world of content management.
To me, this is the most exciting year in my life. I’m looking forward to spend my time doing what I love, work with the people I admire, and to live and breathe the best open source community on the planet. It’s like coming home.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a week of sleep to catch up on. Let’s change the world, again.
