SensoryMetrics » 37signals http://sensorymetrics.com re-inventing the User eXperience Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:46:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Browsing Lulu: 37signals, Satan, Santa Claus… http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/05/03/browsing-lulu-37signals-satan-santa-claus/ http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/05/03/browsing-lulu-37signals-satan-santa-claus/#comments Thu, 03 May 2007 14:24:18 +0000 Mitch Brisebois http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/05/03/browsing-lulu-37signals-satan-santa-claus/ picture-20.pngYou’ve probably heard of Lulu – a huge success in self-published books. Any author can submit a book for free. The books are printed on demand. I often browse their top 100 list – the titles are not something you’ll find at Amazon or Chapters. One book of particular interest has been a best-seller for [...]]]> picture-20.pngYou’ve probably heard of Lulu – a huge success in self-published books. Any author can submit a book for free. The books are printed on demand. I often browse their top 100 list – the titles are not something you’ll find at Amazon or Chapters. One book of particular interest has been a best-seller for a while: 37signals’ Getting Real: The smarter, faster, easier way to build a successful web application.

Getting Real details the business, design, programming, and marketing principles of 37signals. The book is packed with keep-it-simple insights, contrarian points of view, and unconventional approaches to software design. This is not a technical book or a design tutorial, it’s a book of ideas.

Lulu, like other online stores has a recommendation engine. It’s a bit wacky though. Last week in the top 20 was a book titled Luciferian Witchcraft – those who bought it also purchased Everything You Need to Know to Start a Santa Letter Writing Business. I knew there was something odd about that big guy in the red suit!!

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]]> http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/05/03/browsing-lulu-37signals-satan-santa-claus/feed/ 0 Mashing Brand & Design: The squint test http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/04/13/mashing-brand-design-the-squint-test/ http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/04/13/mashing-brand-design-the-squint-test/#comments Fri, 13 Apr 2007 19:14:32 +0000 Mitch Brisebois http://sensorymetrics.com/2007/04/13/mashing-brand-design-the-squint-test/ logo-basecamp.pngThe squint test is a method of usability evaluation. It’s pretty basic – look at a layout, squint your eyes and assess whether the product has good aesthetic integrity: predictable, organized, definable, clear, and flow-friendly. I’ve often used the squint test to also evaluate whether the GUI differentiates itself, or can be associated to a [...]]]> The squint test is a method of usability evaluation. It’s pretty basic – look at a layout, squint your eyes and assess whether the product has good aesthetic integrity: predictable, organized, definable, clear, and flow-friendly. I’ve often used the squint test to also evaluate whether the GUI differentiates itself, or can be associated to a particular brand.

logo-basecamp.pngBrand is important to marketing – but it can also be useful to designers. It sets the tone and the expectations of the interaction between user and product. Google products – for the most part are successful at setting brand expectations: simple entry point, go deeper for advanced functionality. Adobe products also have a long history of GUI/brand consistency – power tools for professionals. In the web 2.0 world 37signals is a great example of GUI/brand identity. I’ve often heard “it’s like a 37signals product” when referring to usability. Business Week is quoted: “Basecamp is so simple you can’t do anything wrong. It’s addictively easy-to-use.”

There’s that addiction thing again!

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