A systematic, talent-led approach to innovation
Our safe place for experimentation. It’s here where we explore and play at the frontier to discover how emerging technologies will transform our world and to create what’s next.
The Process
Driven by our talent’s desire to be pioneers and our clients’ trust in us to be their Innovator of Record, FunLabs was created to ensure we continue to be part of the force that creates each new tech wave. Through FunLabs, internal teams work on self-directed hypotheses focused on new and frontier technologies.
Step 1
The Considerations Report
Our practices scan the horizon with a focus on frontier technologies and trends that look to be game-changers, what our talent are interested in diving into, and what we think will benefit our clients.
Step 2
The FunLabs Committee
An ever-changing committee made up of talent from across practices and locations is formed for each FunLabs cycle. They are tasked with narrowing our focus and guiding the selection process.
Step 3
The Outcomes Menu
The FunLabs Committee reviews and debates the Considerations Report. The result is a focused Outcomes Menu with three potential technologies or themes that the next FunLabs cycle should focus on.
Step 4
The Proposal
The Outcomes Menu is shared with the entire company. Everyone at Robots & Pencils is given four weeks to put forward proposed experiments for consideration.
Step 5
The Top Three
The FunLabs committee reviews, debates and narrows down the proposals to the final three that move forward to a company-wide vote.
Step 6
The Pitch
Top three finalists pitch their idea to the company PechaKucha–style. They make their case in just 6 minutes 40 seconds and with 20 slides.
Step 7
The Vote
The team votes on which project should go forward. This is not American idol-esque – it’s a weighted coin game with nuances around tenure with Robots & Pencils and interest in being on the experiment team.
Step 8
The Lab
Once selected, a team of three is given 16 weeks to test their hypothesis. Assumptions are then tested monthly to ensure the experiments get smart before they get big.
Step 9
The Disengagement
Key to ensuring our wider team, clients, partners and friends benefit from the experiment, the FunLabs team is given two weeks to document and share their learnings through presentations, blogs and our Quarterly Learning Report™.
Step 1
The Considerations Report
Our practices scan the horizon with a focus on frontier technologies and trends that look to be game-changers, what our talent are interested in diving into, and what we think will benefit our clients.
Step 2
The FunLabs Committee
An ever-changing committee made up of talent from across practices and locations is formed for each FunLabs cycle. They are tasked with narrowing our focus and guiding the selection process.
Step 3
The Outcomes Menu
The FunLabs Committee reviews and debates the Considerations Report. The result is a focused Outcomes Menu with three potential technologies or themes that the next FunLabs cycle should focus on.
Step 4
The Proposal
The Outcomes Menu is shared with the entire company. Everyone at Robots & Pencils is given four weeks to put forward proposed experiments for consideration.
Step 5
The Top Three
The FunLabs committee reviews, debates and narrows down the proposals to the final three that move forward to a company-wide vote.
Step 6
The Pitch
Top three finalists pitch their idea to the company PechaKucha–style. They make their case in just 6 minutes 40 seconds and with 20 slides.
Step 7
The Vote
The team votes on which project should go forward. This is not American idol-esque – it’s a weighted coin game with nuances around tenure with Robots & Pencils and interest in being on the experiment team.
Step 8
The Lab
Once selected, a team of three is given 16 weeks to test their hypothesis. Assumptions are then tested monthly to ensure the experiments get smart before they get big.
Step 9
The Disengagement
Key to ensuring our wider team, clients, partners and friends benefit from the experiment, the FunLabs team is given two weeks to document and share their learnings through presentations, blogs and our Quarterly Learning Report™.
Step 1
The Considerations Report
Our practices scan the horizon with a focus on frontier technologies and trends that look to be game-changers, what our talent are interested in diving into, and what we think will benefit our clients.
Step 2
The FunLabs Committee
An ever-changing committee made up of talent from across practices and locations is formed for each FunLabs cycle. They are tasked with narrowing our focus and guiding the selection process.
Step 3
The Outcomes Menu
The FunLabs Committee reviews and debates the Considerations Report. The result is a focused Outcomes Menu with three potential technologies or themes that the next FunLabs cycle should focus on.
Step 4
The Proposal
The Outcomes Menu is shared with the entire company. Everyone at Robots & Pencils is given four weeks to put forward proposed experiments for consideration.
Step 5
The Top Three
The FunLabs committee reviews, debates and narrows down the proposals to the final three that move forward to a company-wide vote.
Step 6
The Pitch
Top three finalists pitch their idea to the company PechaKucha–style. They make their case in just 6 minutes 40 seconds and with 20 slides.
Step 7
The Vote
The team votes on which project should go forward. This is not American idol-esque – it’s a weighted coin game with nuances around tenure with Robots & Pencils and interest in being on the experiment team.
Step 8
The Lab
Once selected, a team of three is given 16 weeks to test their hypothesis. Assumptions are then tested monthly to ensure the experiments get smart before they get big.
Step 9
The Disengagement
Key to ensuring our wider team, clients, partners and friends benefit from the experiment, the FunLabs team is given two weeks to document and share their learnings through presentations, blogs and our Quarterly Learning Report™.
The Projects
Every FunLabs cycle, we set out to introduce something that’s never been done before. Something that shapes what comes next. Find out what we’ve built so far.
- 000
- 001
- 002
Cycle
000
Missions
Our early rendition of FunLabs resulted in the creation of Missions, a Slack-centric workflow tool now known as Workflow Builder. Based on the hypothesis that everyone, not just developers, can benefit from creating custom workflows, Missions was created and is now used by enterprises and startups across the globe to save people time and energy.
Project Status:
Completed May ’18
+ 
Slack acquires Robots & Pencils’ Missions to make it easy for non-tech teams to streamline work.
Cycle
001
arfiti
arfiti is a first-of-its-kind mobile app that lets users create a new world in augmented reality. Wherever they go, users can post digital content overtop their physical world, leaving it behind for others to find and appreciate. Another reality exists right under your nose, waiting to be discovered.
Project Status:
Completed May ’19
Learn more about the project!
Matt Kuypers has over 10 years of experience in design and development, having worked for various marketing and creative agencies and received a handful of industry awards including Best Print Ad, Brochure and Magazine. He started his career as an entrepreneur, designing and developing websites and identities for small businesses. Obsessed with how design can influence user behavior and inspire change, Matt decided to focus on design and hone his craft for visual storytelling.
At Robots & Pencils, Matt applies his skills to deliver effective and creative products for his clients and do his part to turn their vision into reality.
Bow and bow are spelled the same but are both completely different
One of our earliest team members, Ryan joined the R&P team in 2010. In the years since, many of our biggest clients have benefitted from his strong technical and problem-solving expertise as well as his commitment to excellence. He is always up for the unique, challenging and leading-edge projects that R&P takes on, and he is passionate about collaborating with and learning from his fellow robots, pencils and ampersands.
Maybe life isn’t about avoiding the bruises. Maybe it’s about collecting the scars to prove we showed up for it.
Chris brings 20 years of experience to his work transforming businesses through technology. Passionate about sustainable quality and continuous delivery, Chris focuses on delivering long-term efficacy for stakeholders by finding the optimal balance between expediency and planning for future requirements. Chris is one of the few Robots who defines “full stack” as working in both server systems and native mobile applications. A trusted mentor for his colleagues, Chris is an expert in mobile content strategy, server APIs for distributed systems and optimizing traffic flow for mobile. His prior experience includes serving as Chief Architect for Pearson Higher Ed and Senior Software Engineer for Udacity.
Smart people should build things.
Cycle
002
???
The next cycle of FunLabs is officially underway. The winner has been selected, the team assembled, and we’re moving full steam ahead. Something exciting is just around the corner.
Project Status:In-Progress
Want to learn more about how we can help drive innovation within your organization? Get in touch. We’d love to chat!
Career opportunities
Elite code commandos, special ops designers and hardened project generals — looking to transform the world? We have a place for you!
