"Look! It's moving. It's alive... It's alive. IT'S ALIVE!"
- Henry Frankenstein, Frankenstein (1931)
Every great experiment begins with a spark or sometimes a jolt. Centercode Labs started as one of those experiments, a small internal idea that gathered energy until it needed a place to live on its own. Now it channels that spark into quick answers, clever shortcuts, and lighthearted moments that keep product teams moving.
Labs is a growing collection of small, interactive web apps that blend Centercode’s expertise with creative energy. Some deliver quick, usable outputs that save time, while others offer lighthearted ways to recharge and reconnect. Each creation blends utility, empathy, and curiosity to make your workday a little brighter and your projects move faster.
Written guides can explain the "how," but real understanding comes from doing. That is what Labs delivers: hands-on experiences you can explore, click, and share in minutes.
You can try the apps anytime at labs.centercode.com. But, if you’d like to know how this creation came to life, read on.
Inside Centercode Labs
Every Labs creation fits into one of two buckets:
- Tools take Centercode’s testing and product know-how and turn it into something you can actually use. They help with small, everyday jobs that eat up time and energy.
- Toys celebrate the culture that makes product work fun. They bring quick laughs, spark connection, and help teams reset when things get stressful.
But Labs didn’t begin as a polished library. It started as an internal experiment with an unexpected outcome, one that showed how even small, playful ideas can spark better collaboration, faster learning, and sharper testing.
The Story Behind Labs
Centercode Labs began as an experiment inside Centercode itself. We wanted to find a better way to share our product testing expertise in a world where written content had started to feel static. As AI and generative search tools made information easier to find, true engagement became harder to create. We needed something more interactive, something teams could learn from by trying.
Around the same time, low-code and creative development tools were opening new doors for quick, hands-on projects. Our CEO, Luke Freiler, encouraged our engineering team to explore those tools and see what they could build. We kicked things off with an internal hackathon focused on curiosity, experimentation, and growth.
Luke put it succinctly: “Labs started as a learning exercise. We wanted our engineers to get hands-on with new tools and processes, to grow their skills, and to experiment in a safe environment. What came out of that was not only growth for our team, but a set of small experiments we realized could bring real value to product teams everywhere.”
The hackathon produced nearly thirty prototypes. Some were practical, others were playful, and a few managed to be both. What started as a learning exercise ended up creating something we wanted to share.
Today’s Experiments
On the Labs library shelf, three experiments (apps) are already crackling with energy, each designed to make your next product milestone a little smoother or a little more fun:
- Beta Broadcaster - Save time on communications by instantly generating a polished beta announcement for Slack, email, and social channels, built on Centercode’s testing expertise.
- Ice Breaker - Warm up your next meeting with a clever question or team prompt that gets people talking and builds connection.
- Backlog Blitz - Take a quick break with an arcade-style game inspired by sprints and backlog tickets. It’s a playful nod to the ups and downs of product work.
These first releases show what Labs is all about: mixing utility and empathy to make the product journey faster, lighter, and a bit more human. New apps will roll out regularly, keeping the library fresh and giving you something new to try each week.
What’s Brewing Next
Centercode Labs is just getting started. The first set of apps is live, and more are already in the works. Some will be practical, others playful, and each one will be built to give you something new to try.
You can explore the current lineup today at labs.centercode.com. While you’re there, sign up to be the first to know when fresh apps drop. If something makes you smile or saves you time, share it with your team. The more product people who visit the lab, the more new ideas we can bring to life together.
The doors are open, the coils are crackling, and the first creations are ready for you in the Lab. Step inside and start experimenting today.
