Cliche Proud Professional Stock Shots

Why do so many Project Management service websites revert to using those cliche stock photos of proud professionals? Such a tired, lazy solution for adding imagery to a site. How does a stock photo create differentiation for your product?

I shouldn't be asked to fill out a form so I can see what your product looks like. You should be proud to show it off, front and center.

I'm looking squarely at you @ task:

Basecamp Plans & Pricing - Follow the leader

Did 37signals design the perfect Plans & Pricing page when they developed Basecamp? No. But while they continue to iterate, the competitors emulate. Borrowing the design guide for one of their most important pages. It's no surprise 37signals are killing it in this space.

Today there is no excuse. There's free tools to A/B test and optimize. User testing is now a whole lot cheaper thanks to tools such as Silverback. Paper prototyping requires.. paper. Look outside the category. More companies need to be leveraging these tools to innovate, iterate and ultimately lift conversions.

Basecamp -

GoPlan -

Assembla -
Glasscubes -

Update: Robert Dempsey has compiled a collection of Basecamp pricing screenshots since they started. Great to see how both the design has evolved over time, starting very simple, then getting too complicated and then reverting to simple. Cost structure has changed only once.

Apple iWatch - it's time..

Digital watches still have so far to go. Amazes me the opportunities here. While we drool over their pocket-sized cousins, the watch hasn't shared nearly the same spotlight nor evolved at the same rate as phones. And it's the one remaining accessory I carry with me like I do my phone and wallet.

Are Apple stepping up to the plate? With this 3x3cm touch screen previewed perhaps they have a solution in the works.

Touch screen will promote multiple pages, multiple functions. Bluetooth will allow shared content from you idevices. But I've long since thought it was not just a technology challenge, but an aesthetical challenge. And why analog timepieces continue to charge such a premium. I can't help but think if we're capable of developing half-a-million dollars worth of watch to play tennis, somewhere along the line the balance of form vs function has swayed too far one way.

And a challenge Apple consistently delivers on. Here's a mockup for you Apple. A variation on my Nooka Zon.