Jeez. I go away for a week .. and we build a campus mall?!?

MicrosoftCommons20090422Nobody tells me anything these daze.

I step out of town for a week, and voila, we have a mall!

This is all part of our new West Campus (created after tearing down shorter buildings a few years ago).

There are 14 restaurants and shops in the new mall and a soccer field to “boot“.

The non-mall part of these buildings will house the Entertainment and Devices division.

Re-reading some internal threads, there is a pub in the mall .. around which there has been much drama.

The pub will serve beer and wine after 3pm, or as part of catered events.

It will even be open during lunch hours for, well, lunch.

I hear of subdued opening ceremonies (no, Bono won’t be in attendance).

Seattle Times: “Microsoft workers get their very own mall, The Commons, on corporate campus”.

About Michael Coates
I am a pragmatic evangelist. The products, services and solutions I write about fulfill real-world expectations and use cases. I stay up-to-date on real products I use and review, and share my thoughts here. I apply the same lens when designing an architecture, product or when writing papers. I am always looking for ways that technology can create or enhance a business opportunity .. not just technology for technology's sake. My CV says: Seasoned technology executive, leveraging years of experience with enterprise and integration architectural patterns, executed with healthy doses of business acumen and pragmatism. That's me. My web site says: Technology innovations provide a myriad of opportunities for businesses. That said, having the "latest and greatest" for its own sake isn't always a recipe for success. Business successes gained through exploiting innovation relies on analysis of how the new features will enhance your business followed by effective implementation. Goals vary far and wide: streamlining operations, improving customer experience, extending brand, and many more. In all cases, you must identify and collect the metrics you can apply to measure your success. Analysis must be holistic and balanced: business and operational needs must be considered when capitalizing on a new technology asset or opportunity.

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