

Lessons from Valve - How to build a designer's paradise - kadjar
http://m.garrettamini.com/2011/08/lessons-from-valve-how-to-build-a-designers-paradise/

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johnyzee
I have come to really dislike lessons - love anecdotes, though. A 'lesson'
taken from a specific context and applied under different circumstances is, in
my opinion, just as likely to harm than help. Some of the 'rules' may be
completely arbitrary but work because Valve has some great people. Others work
because Valve is Valve and wouldn't work anywhere else.

I wish sometimes people would just tell the story, and not try to distill it
down to lessons for everyone to follow.

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jhermsmeyer
Wait, if no one ever leaves Valve then why is Garrett for hire? Would be
interesting to see him address that...

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kadjar
^ Garrett

I finished my contract at Valve a couple of months ago. I'm still fairly early
in my design career, and work with a contracting agency in Seattle. I'll be
the first to admit that I'm not quite well-rounded and seasoned enough to be a
true Valve hire, but I also think I was there to fulfill a short-term need.

Still, it was a great experience. I learned more in that contract than any
other, by far. Just thought I'd share some of it!

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jhermsmeyer
It's a great post and I think your/Valves observations about letting designers
design are spot on. Thanks for the follow up on your reasons for leaving.

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BenSS
The rolling desk idea is brilliant, I do wonder how often the configurations
are shifted around though.

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ja2ke
From this
[http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6471/the_valve_way_gab...](http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/6471/the_valve_way_gabe_newell_and_.php)
it sounds like their employees shuffle between projects and teams pretty
frequently. I imagine some employees are more mobile than others, but from the
sounds of most things about that studio, people are rarely locked down
spatially unless they want to be.

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joshu
So, dumb question, but how do people do power cords safely? I would love to do
this at our office.

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CamperBob
Those desks are surreal. They have their own built-in power distribution and
wiring looms, so all of the cords for monitors, the PC, sound, and so on are
bundled out of sight. You only need to unplug one AC cord, trundle the whole
thing down the hall, and plug it in when you get where you're going.

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kadjar
Indeed. Technically two chords (ethernet too!), though.

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shabble
<pedant>

<https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Power_cord>

<https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Power_chord>

I assume electric guitars are not involved[1].

</pedant>

[1] Although Gibson do make an Ethernet capable guitar: [http://guitarist-
gear.blogspot.com/2006/04/gibsons-ethernet-...](http://guitarist-
gear.blogspot.com/2006/04/gibsons-ethernet-guitar.html)

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staunch
I wonder if they fire bad hires? Even the strictest hiring regime will result
in some errors. Do they fix those?

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kadjar
Yes =)

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nathansobo
What are some other software companies that share a similar philosophy?

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insanecanadian
Please correct me if I am wrong, but I believe that google shares a similar
philosophy in a few ways.

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ender7
There are many similarities, but the nature of the products each produces
introduces some differences. Valve creates occasional monolithic products that
depend heavily on art direction and experience design. Google produces a
complex, interconnected system where Everything Must Scale.

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JL2010
I imagine their digital distribution system (Steam) is very much like what you
described (complex, interconnected, scalable systems). Valve is quite diverse.

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jshou
Great post, and an awesome perspective on working for Valve

