Path released their social networking application / platform back in November 2010 to a lot of buzz, followed by a collective shrug. It wasn’t really clear how to use the service, or what its value proposition was relative to the other social networks where people were already spending their time (e.g., Facebook and Twitter). In late 2011, they completely redesigned their iPhone application and expanded the number of users allowed in a given network, and things got more interesting. Usage exploded. Continue reading →
Experience design for the Web is all about tradeoffs: you have to balance what you can design (which is limited only by imagination) with what you can build (which is constrained based on existing technologies). This delicate dance between design and technology has existed ever since people started wanting Web pages (and experiences) to go beyond something you could create with a crayon. Branded experiences and useful applications need good interaction and information design, solid visual design, and an implementation that is faithful to both and performs well. Continue reading →
Everyone loves making predictions, especially pundits and bloggers who need to keep cranking out ideas and content to pay the bills. Beyond this drive to publish, it’s an important part of the human condition to wonder about the future, dream of what might be, and imagine how to reap benefits from it. The beginning of each new year brings a flood of these prognostications, especially in the world of what I’ll loosely call “Internet business.” While it’s a fun exercise that makes for good reading, it’s basically pointless, in my opinion. Not only is it a waste of time, but it also gives the damaging impression that business follows a predictable set of trends, and that strategic decision-making might be guided by these predictions. It’s just not that simple. Continue reading →
A recent Schumpeter article in The Economist lamented the “howling hurricane of noise” and “blizzard of buzz” in the world of social media (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn). The writer posits that these new modes of communication are potentially more trouble than they’re worth for companies and individuals, using the economics of scarcity as a foundation for his argument (i.e., that things derive value from their scarcity). He ultimately seems to conclude that because so much information is available through social media, it ultimately lacks value. Continue reading →
New Year’s resolutions are easy to create; I could write a list as long as my arm without really trying. The problem is keeping them, because there’s a big difference between a resolution and action. In fact, resolutions are often just wishes without any real resolve behind them at all. Even if there is resolve, our yearly resolutions are often tactical, goal-directed and small in scale and scope (e.g., lose the tire around the midsection). Chris Brogan has an interesting solution: ditch your resolutions and come up with three words that will serve to give you direction in the coming year, themes by which you will live your life. With these in place, do whatever it takes to make those words your reality. Continue reading →
My brain has been running on fumes for the last few weeks. Ever since returning from an extended vacation in New Zealand, I’ve had a hard time finding mental energy for much beyond day-to-day routines and work. No amount of surfing the Web, sci-fi-book-reading or self-motivation has filled my mental tank.
The problem? Not enough high-octane fuel. Continue reading →
A well-written argument that companies need to think beyond the traditional mental model of marketing, including the Zero Moment of Truth in their product and marketing strategy. While the ideas are solid, and the data is interesting, there’s just really not that much new here. Continue reading →
The best thing in the world to break your routine is a vacation (preferably to someplace new and exotic). From when you wake to the moment your head hits the pillow, everything is outside your daily routine: where you sleep, what you eat, the places you go, the people with whom you interact. The comfortable slippers of your daily life are gone. It’s a fantastic way to inspire creativity, stimulate your mind and re-energize your spirit.
And then the vacation ends. You come home. What happens when you get back?
Continue reading →
Steve Jobs was an icon. He typifies the tech visionary, entrepreneur and businessman. His achievements are nearly unparalleled in the world of Internet technology: iPod, iPhone, iPad and iTunes as a media distribution platform (encompassing 317 patents). He eclipses almost everyone in the modern technology business, and served as the premiere spokesperson for the value of great product and user interface design. Who could possibly hope to accomplish everything he did? Continue reading →
History is littered with great ideas that either failed or never even saw the light of day. Despite this fact, some people still seem to think that having a great idea is enough to succeed (however you want to define success). Continue reading →
