What is Linden Lab's Mission?

I looked around for a mission statement on the LL website, but I came up dry.

In any case, what is Linden Lab's mission? What is the one guiding principle or goal that drives every single decision? Do they have one?

Now, despite the idiotic generalities that often get passed off as mission statements by clueless managers, I think they're kind of cool. I like the thought of a single idea that anyone at any level in an organization can use to test the value of their work or projects to the company at large.

For example, let's say we're Linden Lab. Let's say we're going to have a mission that includes goals of maximizing Second Life's stability and reliability. If we're going to take any action that will impede stability for an extended period, we're not working consistently with our mission.

If our mission is to maximize subscriber base, then stability may not be as important in the overall picture as creating whiz-bang new features that attract new residents.

I think it's important we understand what Linden Lab's formalized mission, goals and values are. Not what they tell us, or what they tell the press, but what they present to their shareholders. Why? Because the shareholders are the ones holding all the cards.

Now, they may not wish to share that information at the present time. That is their prerogative. But in the meantime, I think we can all feel confident in saying that there's no top-down directive to make this a reliable service. If there were... well, things would be a bit different, now, wouldn't they?

The same goes for support. I have heard so many bad Linden Lab support stories. I guess the mission does not include quickly resolving customer issues and maintaining clear communications with afflicted customers. If, coming from the top, support were emphasized, why would we see so many problems?

Hmm. What about Making Cool Stuff?

If we assume that the mission is Making Cool Stuff, then we might be getting closer to the mark. Making Cool Stuff doesn't require an emphasis on support. How does that translate into More Cool Stuff? It doesn't require an emphasis on stability. Sometimes you have to break some things in order to Make Cool Stuff.

I think Second Life is pretty Cool Stuff.

But I don't think that's going to be enough anymore.

Now, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there's some awesome backbone of customer-centric mission and goals at Linden Lab. If so, maybe we need some stronger leadership to make sure that those goals mean something.

I think they are going after quantity over quality, so they get more funding. I hope I'm wrong.

Alexa

To create a fundamentally social world for the masses where you can kinda sorta develop content.

Hmm. That kind of satisfies the outcomes we're seeing.

Yes, let's make it a contest. Whoever provides the best mission statement that fits the behaviors we're seeing with Linden Lab will win L$1000 and a siegeBot. I'm the sole judge. You have until midnight PST.

edit: Also, you must post it in this thread.

Ask Ulrika - she knows everything...

Crush your enemies.
See them driven before you.
And hear the lamentations of their women.

Unexpected.

Nice.

LL doesn't have the spine!

are you trying to be a consultant already enabran?

go read more dilbert

Schwanson, I think that's the forums mission statement you have there.

Haha, god no, I'd hate to be a management or leadership consultant. That would be post-testicle-severing work.

No, Logan, that's a screenshot from The Forest.

To bravely go where no one has gone before...

LL's last words are now Distinctive Complexity, which is a nice change from Elvis has left the building since, as we all know, Elvis hasn't left yet. That might tie in with a mission statement somehow.

Linden Lab objective: "To prove to the world that entertainment-hungry customers will continue paying for anything we put out, whether it works - or not."

"My company got funded by benchmark capital and all I ended up with was this lousy T-shirt"







(heheh mean, but i couldn't resist )

mission statement :

To get as many accounts as possible (even if the account only lasts 20 minutes before quiting in disgust) to bloat projected income. To dumbdown the sims to the (below)minium playable level to allow as many sims on a server as possible to make projected operating cost lower. Sell to a sucker company as the next big thing. Drink beer on the beach.

To begin making payment to their seed-venture-capitol investors...

And hey, maybe even make a net profit...

Linden Lab is a San Francisco-based company dedicated to encouraging self-expression, social interaction, and fun by creating technologically innovative shared 3D environments.

If Philip was going to recoup his investment with interest and migrate to the next innovative project, he should've done it a couple of months ago. I remember bouncing telling people that it was time that and it was what I expected to happen.

He's missed that window now. SL will never again be worth what it was to wide-eyed capitalist then. By the time it's worth selling, it'll be too easily reproducable.

Mission Statement? Dream on En; dream on.

Haha, nice, is that the real one?

LL mission statement is posted here .