The Obvious?

Self-promotion alert

I debated long and hard whether to blog the following two paragraphs but finally decided to with some encouragement from my friends. They were dropped from an article about me in Information World Review (sadly the article is not online). I am blogging them because I was so touched by their generosity and for what they reveal about how I like to think of myself.

Euan Semple is not remotely religious, yet goodness oozes from every pore. He is big and tough but a glorious view or an act of kindness can reduce him to tears. He climbs mountains and walks hills all over the world, being rewarded with vistas the rest of us can only dream about. He is profoundly in touch with nature and, for him, the journey truly is the reward.

Rather than look ahead at how many more slopes need to be tackled, he notices the wind-invoked bend of a tree or the natural weave of the grass underfoot. Through being alive to every moment of the journey, he suddenly finds he has arrived at his destination. The memories for him are in the details, not just the achievement.

Self-promotion alert

I debated long and hard whether to blog the following two paragraphs but finally decided to with some encouragement from my friends. They were dropped from an article about me in Information World Review (sadly the article is not online). I am blogging them because I was so touched by their generosity and for what they reveal about how I like to think of myself.

Euan Semple is not remotely religious, yet goodness oozes from every pore. He is big and tough but a glorious view or an act of kindness can reduce him to tears. He climbs mountains and walks hills all over the world, being rewarded with vistas the rest of us can only dream about. He is profoundly in touch with nature and, for him, the journey truly is the reward.

Rather than look ahead at how many more slopes need to be tackled, he notices the wind-invoked bend of a tree or the natural weave of the grass underfoot. Through being alive to every moment of the journey, he suddenly finds he has arrived at his destination. The memories for him are in the details, not just the achievement.

Self-promotion alert

I debated long and hard whether to blog the following two paragraphs but finally decided to with some encouragement from my friends. They were dropped from an article about me in Information World Review (sadly the article is not online). I am blogging them because I was so touched by their generosity and for what they reveal about how I like to think of myself.

Euan Semple is not remotely religious, yet goodness oozes from every pore. He is big and tough but a glorious view or an act of kindness can reduce him to tears. He climbs mountains and walks hills all over the world, being rewarded with vistas the rest of us can only dream about. He is profoundly in touch with nature and, for him, the journey truly is the reward.

Rather than look ahead at how many more slopes need to be tackled, he notices the wind-invoked bend of a tree or the natural weave of the grass underfoot. Through being alive to every moment of the journey, he suddenly finds he has arrived at his destination. The memories for him are in the details, not just the achievement.

#3 Be Casual

We're moving into what I call the era of the "Casual Web" (and casual content creation). This is much bigger than the hobbyist web or the professional web. Why? Because people have lives. And now, people with lives also have broadband. If you want to hit the really big home runs, create services that fit in with - and, indeed, help - people's everyday lives without requiring lots of commitment or identity change. Flickr enables personal publishing among millions of folks who would never consider themselves personal publishers - they're just sharing pictures with friends and family, a casual activity. Casual games are huge. Skype enables casual conversations.

From Ev Williams' excellent Ten Rules for Web Startups

#3 Be Casual

We're moving into what I call the era of the "Casual Web" (and casual content creation). This is much bigger than the hobbyist web or the professional web. Why? Because people have lives. And now, people with lives also have broadband. If you want to hit the really big home runs, create services that fit in with - and, indeed, help - people's everyday lives without requiring lots of commitment or identity change. Flickr enables personal publishing among millions of folks who would never consider themselves personal publishers - they're just sharing pictures with friends and family, a casual activity. Casual games are huge. Skype enables casual conversations.

From Ev Williams' excellent Ten Rules for Web Startups

#3 Be Casual

We're moving into what I call the era of the "Casual Web" (and casual content creation). This is much bigger than the hobbyist web or the professional web. Why? Because people have lives. And now, people with lives also have broadband. If you want to hit the really big home runs, create services that fit in with - and, indeed, help - people's everyday lives without requiring lots of commitment or identity change. Flickr enables personal publishing among millions of folks who would never consider themselves personal publishers - they're just sharing pictures with friends and family, a casual activity. Casual games are huge. Skype enables casual conversations.

From Ev Williams' excellent Ten Rules for Web Startups

Let me clarify

As a comment on Ross Mayfield's post about process I wrote:

Process is the sort of word that grown ups in suits use to throw their weight around and to convince others that they know what is going on and that it makes sense.

This is still causing some consternation so I replied with the following:

My comment was based on real experience. When I was on the first rung of management, in a supervisor's role, I clearly remember the sudden appearance of the word "process" in the language of those around me and above me. It initially meant nothing to me, and I suspected at the time, not much more to them either. It was clearly being used as a means of distinguishing those in the know and those not and was the first of many occasions when I was to witness language being used as a power tool rather than a communication one.

Let me clarify

As a comment on Ross Mayfield's post about process I wrote:

Process is the sort of word that grown ups in suits use to throw their weight around and to convince others that they know what is going on and that it makes sense.

This is still causing some consternation so I replied with the following:

My comment was based on real experience. When I was on the first rung of management, in a supervisor's role, I clearly remember the sudden appearance of the word "process" in the language of those around me and above me. It initially meant nothing to me, and I suspected at the time, not much more to them either. It was clearly being used as a means of distinguishing those in the know and those not and was the first of many occasions when I was to witness language being used as a power tool rather than a communication one.

Let me clarify

As a comment on Ross Mayfield's post about process I wrote:

Process is the sort of word that grown ups in suits use to throw their weight around and to convince others that they know what is going on and that it makes sense.

This is still causing some consternation so I replied with the following:

My comment was based on real experience. When I was on the first rung of management, in a supervisor's role, I clearly remember the sudden appearance of the word "process" in the language of those around me and above me. It initially meant nothing to me, and I suspected at the time, not much more to them either. It was clearly being used as a means of distinguishing those in the know and those not and was the first of many occasions when I was to witness language being used as a power tool rather than a communication one.

Going to be a busy week ...

... with two conference appearances, two workshops, an award ceremony, hopefully meeting David Weinberger and Richard Sambrook for a drink and lunch with the CIO of a big co.

Better get some sleep!