zuLabs

Even though zu.com is experiencing significant growth, employees still experience downtime between projects. Sometimes a developer will have an afternoon free or even a day or two to get caught up. What does zu do with that time? We experiment with new technology.

We have coined this research and development time as “zuLabs.” We started zuLabs about nine years ago when we thought of developing a content management system, which has now evolved into EasyUpdater™, and is used on about 70 websites.

Other experiments that have turned into products and services include: our online presentation software EasySlideShow (developed in 2001); our RSS feed creator (developed in 2003); mobile websites (developed in 2006); SMS campaigns (developed in 2006); Facebook applications (developed in 2007); iPhone applications (developed this week). In addition, there are hundreds of smaller ideas sprinkled throughout our clients’ websites as a result of zuLabs.

A number of zuLabs experiments have taught us better programming techniques, new ways of designing sites and how to improve the user experience.

At zuLabs, we meet every other Thursday over lunch for “zuCamp”, a voluntary participation session. At zuCamp we talk about new ideas, trends and how we can utilize them to make our clients’ websites better. Sometimes these sessions are headed-up by one person discussing a new technique, sometimes it’s a group brainstorming session. When you get 45 minds together cool things happen.

Some of the ideas that have arisen from zuLabs show up on the websites we do. Others are tweaked, re-tweaked and possibly used. Some never see the light of day. The work that zu does will continue to be progressive due to the experiments we do in our spare time at zuLabs.