The beginning of a new year is a time for reflection, and at Rightmove, the tech team has much to celebrate. In the ever-evolving world of technology, the past 12 months have seen the team achieve new heights, marked by growth, talent infusion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence.
Rightmove’s tech team has once again experienced significant growth, expanding its horizon by adding new teams and welcoming over 70 new members. This influx of fresh talent has not only strengthened the team but has also infused new energy, ideas, and perspectives, fostering an environment of innovation and collaboration.
Recognising and valuing the potential of budding talent, Rightmove has extended it’s associate program to onboard more engineers who have recently completed coding bootcamps. This initiative not only nurtures the growth of these individuals but also injects fresh perspectives into the existing team, enriching the overall skill set and fostering an environment of continuous learning.
Previously I worked in PR and Communications in a host of industries for over a decade, and coding was a hobby; wanting to commit to it full time I completed a bootcamp, after which I was lucky enough to join Rightmove. The team value my former experience and since joining I learn new skills every day, adapt my existing ones, and continue to make contributions to our projects. It’s been a fantastic experience and I’m looking forward to growing and developing further with the team
Rachel Newby - Associate Software Engineer
Staying at the forefront of technological advancements is paramount, and Rightmove’s tech team has risen to the challenge. The past year has witnessed monumental strides in migrating services to the cloud. This strategic move not only ensures scalability but also reflects the team’s commitment to maintaining services that are up-to-date, robust, and primed for the future.
Some of our key achievements in 2023 include:
- Upgrading 93% of core Rightmove services, applications and libraries to target software versions.
- Migrating 91% of key Rightmove dependencies (including Elastic search, Couchbase and Kafka) to Google Cloud.
- Reducing Time to Restore services by 52% following customer impacting incidents.
- Delivering 21 data solutions using our new data hive system.
The heartbeat of any successful tech team lies in its ability to deliver impactful solutions. Rightmove’s tech team can proudly assert that it has delivered multiple business-critical features, enhancements, and projects over the past year. This achievement showcases not only technical prowess but also a deep understanding of the evolving needs of users and stakeholders. In 2023, our teams delivered many new features such as ‘Track my Property’ which was built after speaking with a number of estate agents and home-owners and offers a tailored solution to help engage more people who are not quite ready to sell yet, but who want to keep a close eye on how much their home could be worth.
The year has been marked not just by meeting existing goals but by exploring new territories. Rightmove’s tech team has ventured into uncharted areas, enhancing core features and paving the way for future innovations. This spirit of exploration and innovation is a testament to the team’s adaptability and its commitment to pushing boundaries. We’ve explored the ever enhancing world of generative AI, testing tools with our development teams such as GitHub copilot as well as releasing our first AI driven user facing feature which allows more dynamic filtering of search results with many more features in the pipeline.
As the year concludes, there is a resounding sense of pride within the Rightmove tech team. The collective effort, dedication, and passion have culminated in a year filled with accomplishments. It’s not just about the growth in numbers or the projects delivered; it’s about the relentless pursuit of excellence, the willingness to embrace change, and the collective pride in being part of a team that thrives in the dynamic world of technology.
In retrospect, the past year has been a testament to the resilience, innovation, and collaborative spirit of the Rightmove tech team. As they stand at the threshold of a new year, the achievements of the past 12 months serve as a solid foundation for what promises to be an even more exciting and groundbreaking journey ahead. The team’s success is not just a reflection of technological advancements but a celebration of the people who make Rightmove’s tech landscape truly extraordinary.