Welcome to our recurring series, “Five Minutes With,” where we’ll introduce you to inspiring team members at Facebook and our family of brands like WhatsApp with five questions. Today, we’re talking with Laurent C., a software engineer at WhatsApp. Keep reading to learn about what surprised him when he first joined the team, along with the impact his work has on people who use WhatsApp around the world.
1) Can you tell us more about your role and what you’re working on right now?
I'm a software engineer on the Android Infrastructure team. I currently work on improving the Android app for the support of companion devices like web or desktop clients.
One of the most rewarding parts of my job is helping ensure WhatsApp works well in all countries, including those where people might use older phones or have less powerful cellular signals. WhatsApp is the default way to communicate in many of these places, so it needs to work at all times.
2) Where do you see the biggest real-world impact of the work your team is doing?
WhatsApp is one of the most popular apps in the world. It’s not uncommon for people to approach me when they see me wearing a WhatsApp hoodie and tell me what they love about the app. I often hear that many people use it to communicate with friends or family abroad. Other people have shared stories about how they started their business on the app, or used it to communicate during a natural disaster. It’s a lifeline for many.
3) What is the best part about working at WhatsApp?
I’ve been an engineer for more than 20 years, and my current team is one of the strongest I’ve ever been a part of. We have an infrastructure that I haven't seen before, along with a rigorous testing process. We put people first, and we don’t release new features until they’re fully ready. When we do release a new feature, a quarter of the world's population has it within days. This makes me really proud.
4) What surprised you most when you first joined WhatsApp?
I knew a little about what to expect when I first joined the team, but I was still surprised by how much autonomy I had at a company of this size. I’ve found that there’s a lot less structure at WhatsApp than there is at other companies. Everyone needs to be a self-starter.
5) How would you describe the culture at WhatsApp?
There’s a real culture of caring about the people who use our products. Team members rely on data, rather than gut feelings to make decisions. Those who speak the loudest or last don’t necessarily win a debate. I’ve also found that there are many different types of people to learn from. We have team members of all ages, lifestyles, and backgrounds from across the globe. Coming from other work environments, this has been a welcome surprise.