THE TECHLAB SURVIVAL GUIDE
Your essential kit for navigating Essent IT’s creative sandbox
Welcome, adventurer!
You’ve just entered TechLab, which is Essent IT’s open world for engineers who want to experiment, learn, and build. This is where we explore big ideas without fear of breaking production, where proof-of-concepts and “What if…?” questions come to life.
Level 0: The story so far (history & revival)
Long ago, TechLab was a thriving hub of innovation. Over time, activity slowed, and the Lab went quiet...not gone, just in hibernation.
But now?
We’ve rebooted, respawned, and rebuilt from the ground up. This time, we’ve learned from our first run:
- Stronger coordination
- Clearer project goals
- More ways for participants to share skills
- And yes, still plenty of room for the weird and wonderful!
Level 1: The basics
- Game mode: Driven by the IT department, supported by the leadership
- Party size: 5–9 participants + 1–2 coordinators per PI
- Types of missions:
- Proof-of-concept projects
- Hackathons
- Exploratory research
- Site visits to spot new tech trends - Power-ups: Time, space, and the freedom to try bold ideas
Level 2: Current quest
Objective: Connect motion sensor data from desks and meeting rooms to the Minecraft-style digital version of our office.
Why? To visualise occupancy patterns in a way that’s interactive, intuitive, and a little bit fun"
Status: Build in progress, no Creeper attacks reported… yet.
Level 3: Past quests & legendary loot
- Dynamic pricing Hue lamp: IFTTT integration that changes light colours based on market conditions.
- Exploration missions: Site visits and research deep dives to bring back fresh tech insights.
Level 4: How to join the guild
If you’ve got curiosity, creativity, and a love for learning new tools, TechLab is your arena. Every PI brings a new quest... and you could be the hero of the next one!
Why embark on this quest?
- Network beyond your bubble: Meet engineers and coordinators from different corners of Essent IT.
- It’s not “work” (well… kind of): Fun projects, freedom to explore, and no pressure to fit into your day-to-day tasks.
- Explore new tech: From sensors to APIs, hackathons to site visits — there’s always something new to try.
- Level up your skills: Learn new technologies, experiment with tools, and bring back insights to your squad.
Next level: ???
That’s the beauty of TechLab: the map is always expanding. Got an idea? Let’s build it together!