Andy Budd

Andy Budd

Design Founder, speaker, start-up advisor & coach. @Seedcamp Venture Partner. Formerly @Clearleft @LDConf & @UXLondon. Ex shark-wrangler. New Pilot. He/Him

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30+ Book Recommendations by Andy Budd

  • A new paperback edition of the first book by the bestselling author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses-the fascinating story of the telegraph, the world's first "Internet," which revolutionized the nineteenth century even more than the Internet has the twentieth and twenty first.

    Despite being written in 1998, the book feels like it could have been written last week and pointing at the challenges and situations we find ourselves in all too often today. The codes, hackers and cheats chapter felt especially relevant to crypto.

  • Explores the intersection of Web design philosophies and the technology used to implement them while demonstrating effective solutions to real-world design challenges.

    @zeldman @eriklarsson @shampshire @mezzoblue The Art and Science of Web Design by @veen was probably the single most influential design book I’ve read.

  • Rebel Ideas

    Matthew Syed

    @mayankdhingra I've got an ever growing backlog of books, so generally don't get to read non-fiction books twice. However I think the most valuable one to read again in a few years time would be Rebel Ideas.

  • Better Onboarding

    Krystal Higgins

    When users try your product for the first time, what keeps them coming back? Onboarding can make the difference between abandoned accounts and devoted use--if we design it as a holistic, ongoing process. Krystal Higgins demonstrates how the best onboarding experiences guide people as they interact, helping them follow their own path to success. Gain practical strategies and techniques for designing effective guidance, whether you're working through a redesign, launching new features, rolling out service updates, or welcoming back returning users.

    Ideally these features should be closely tied to user onboarding, which is why books like Better Onboarding by @kryshiggins are vital for Product Managers and Designers who want to have more impact. https://t.co/agQdhn8SjK

  • The Coaching Habit

    Michael Bungay Stanier

    Coaching is an essential skill for leaders. But for most busy, overworked managers, coaching employees is done badly, or not at all. They're just too busy, and it's too hard to change. But what if managers could coach their people in 10 minutes or less? In Michael Bungay Stanier's The Coaching Habit, coaching becomes a regular, informal part of your day so managers and their teams can work less hard and have more impact. Coaching is an art and it's far easier said than done. It takes courage to ask a question rather than offer up advice, provide an answer, or unleash a solution. Giving another person the opportunity to find their own way, make their own mistakes, and create their own wisdom is both brave and vulnerable. It can also mean unlearning our ''fix it'' habits. In this practical and inspiring book, Michael shares seven transformative questions that can make a difference in how we lead and support. And, he guides us through the tricky part - how to take this new information and turn it into habits and a daily practice. -Brené Brown, author of Rising Strong and Daring Greatly Drawing on years of experience training more than 10,000 busy managers from around the globe in practical, everyday coaching skills, Bungay Stanier reveals how to unlock your peoples' potential. He unpacks seven essential coaching questions to demonstrate how---by saying less and asking more--you can develop coaching methods that produce great results. - Get straight to the point in any conversation with The Kickstart Question - Stay on track during any interaction with The AWE Question - Save hours of time for yourself with The Lazy Question, and hours of time for others with The Strategic Question - Get to the heart of any interpersonal or external challenge with The Focus Question and The Foundation Question - Finally, ensure others find your coaching as beneficial as you do with The Learning Question A fresh, innovative take on the traditional how-to manual, the book combines insider information with research based in neuroscience and behavioural economics, together with interactive training tools to turn practical advice into practiced habits. Dynamic question-and-answer sections help identify old habits and kick-start new behaviour, making sure you get the most out of all seven chapters. Witty and conversational, The Coaching Habit takes your work--and your workplace--from good to great.

    If you’re a new design leader wanting to adopt a more coaching style of management, this books is a really good first step. Try practicing these steps on your next 1:1. https://t.co/EUKZaMpEHl

  • Conversations are a large part of how we work together as a team. Designers are no different, but there are not many resources available that concentrate on these necessary soft-skills. This book provides practical and actionable insights to help your team give and receive constructive criticism. For managers, this book discusses proven tools to set a foundation for your team to stay focused on overall goals, and how to handle negative critiques. As an added bonus, the book also includes a Critique Cheat Sheet so you can quickly reference strategies and tools from top industry experts.

    There are lots of great resources out there on design feedback. A good place to start would be this book by @adamconnor and @aaroni. https://t.co/zA0B1yooau

  • Human Powered

    Trenton Moss

    Working in a digital product environment? 85% of job success comes from well‐developed people skills. The greater your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and resilience, the more likely you are to succeed. Human Powered is a concise and accessible guide that will help you collaboratively solve problems, resolve conflict and inspire others. Get everyone doing this and you'll have truly high-performing digital product teams. This book will show you how to: Influence, persuade and show true leadership to stakeholders, regardless of where you sit in the hierarchy Communicate in ways that make everyone in your team feel unstoppable, and enhance team performance Take responsibility for your job and workplace relationships as you've never done before Develop the emotional intelligence and people skills to transform your working life and supercharge your performance Gain lifelong people skills that you can use for the rest of your career Get access to more resources at www.humanpoweredbook.com.

    I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of Trenton's book and ended up devouring it in one sitting. Tonnes of great, practical advice for creating a happier, more effective workplace. https://t.co/IeG73Eud7s

  • Rebel Ideas

    Matthew Syed

    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'A master of the genre' The Times Success is no longer just about talent, or knowledge or skill. Today, it is also about freeing ourselves from the blinkers and blind spots that beset us all, and harnessing a critical new ingredient: cognitive diversity. In this bold and inspiring new book, Matthew Syed - the bestselling author of Bounce and Black Box Thinking - offers a radical new approach to success and a route map to how we can tackle our most complex challenges, such as obesity, terrorism and climate change. Rebel Ideas draws upon cutting-edge research in psychology, economics and anthropology, and takes lessons from a dazzling range of case studies, including the catastrophic intelligence failings of the CIA before 9/11, a communication breakdown at the top of Mount Everest and a moving tale of deradicalisation in America's Deep South. It is a book that will strengthen any institution or team, but also offers dozens of individual applications too: the art of personal reinvention, the extraordinary benefits of personalised nutrition and how to break free of the echo chambers that surround us all. Rebel Ideas offers a radical blueprint for the future. It challenges hierarchies, encourages constructive dissent and forces us to think again about how success really happens.

    @BorisZR @malouie @ireneau May I suggest you read this wonderful book about the value of diverse experiences and how the idea of "meritocracy" is often a fundamentally flawed argument. https://t.co/sODXolWH3D

  • The Age of Selfishness

    Darryl Cunningham

    Using Rand's biography to illuminate the policies that led to the economic crash in the U.S. and in Europe and the global financial crisis of 2008, Cunningham shows how her philosophy continues to affect today's politics and policies, starting with her most noted disciple, economist Alan Greenspan (former chairman of the Federal Reserve). Cunningham also shows how right-wing conservatives, libertarians, and the Tea Party movement have co-opted Rand's teachings (and inherent contradictions) to promote personal gain and profit at the expense of the middle class.

    @mariewilliamsux While here's a good intro critique into the life and philosophy of Rand, including her reliance on social security benefits in her later years. https://t.co/m479NylW7v

  • The Good Fight

    Liane Davey

    More productivity. Less drama. It all starts with a healthy conflict culture. In the modern workplace, conflict has become a dirty word. After all, conflict is antithetical to teamwork, employee engagement, and a positive company culture. Or is it? The truth is that our teams and organizations require conflict to get things done. But we avoid conflict and build up conflict debt by deferring and dodging the difficult decisions. Our organizations are paying the price--becoming less productive, less innovative, and less competitive. Individuals are paying, too--suffering from overwhelming workloads, endless drama, and sleepless nights. In The Good Fight, Liane Davey shows you how to create the productive conflict your organization needs to get along and get stuff done. Drawing on her twenty-year career as an advisor to the C-Suite, Davey shares real-world examples and practical tools you and your team can use to handle even the most contentious conflicts as allies--instead of adversaries. Filled with strategies you'll use again and again, The Good Fight is an essential field guide for leaders at all levels.

    Here's a good book on the subject if folks are interested in delving into the topic some more. https://t.co/jP8s4DeA9o

  • Attack Surface

    Cory Doctorow

    Cory Doctorow's Attack Surface is a standalone novel set in the world of New York Times bestsellers Little Brother and Homeland. Most days, Masha Maximow was sure she'd chosen the winning side. In her day job as a counterterrorism wizard for an transnational cybersecurity firm, she made the hacks that allowed repressive regimes to spy on dissidents, and manipulate their every move. The perks were fantastic, and the pay was obscene. Just for fun, and to piss off her masters, Masha sometimes used her mad skills to help those same troublemakers evade detection, if their cause was just. It was a dangerous game and a hell of a rush. But seriously self-destructive. And unsustainable. When her targets were strangers in faraway police states, it was easy to compartmentalize, to ignore the collateral damage of murder, rape, and torture. But when it hits close to home, and the hacks and exploits she’s devised are directed at her friends and family--including boy wonder Marcus Yallow, her old crush and archrival, and his entourage of naïve idealists--Masha realizes she has to choose. And whatever choice she makes, someone is going to get hurt.

    @ryanrumsey I enjoyed reading the new @doctorow book, Attack Surface. Set in a near future SF. Focussing on government surveillance and community protest. So fictional, but also eerily close to home.

  • The Confidence Game

    Maria Konnikova

    A compelling investigation into the minds, motives, and methods of con artistsand the people who fall for their cons over and over again.

    I’ve read a lot of books on psychology, human behaviour and behavioural economics, but this has been far the most accessible, engaging and fun. https://t.co/oVMiWz3VMO

  • My Robot Gets Me

    Carla Diana

    Your relationships with your "smart" products are about to get a lot more personal. Think how commonplace it is now for people to ask Siri for the weather forecast, to deploy Roomba to clean their homes, and to summon Alexa to turn on the lights. The "smart home" market will reach $124 billion in the next five years on the promise of products that are truly integrated with our cooking, cleaning, entertainment, security, and hygiene habits. These products are not just examples of machines at work. They can motivate our spouse to exercise, remind our elderly parents to take their daily medications, teach our children manners—they can even start to feel like members of our households and families. But the reality is, these first-generation "smart" products aren't very smart. Sure, they can be programmed to perform any number of functions, but we're clearly seeing only the tip of the iceberg in terms of capability and how such products can enhance our lives. How do we take it to the next level? In a word: design. In this fascinating and instructive book, leading product design expert Carla Diana describes how new technology is allowing designers to humanize consumer products in delightfully subtle ways. Showcasing vivid examples of crucial social design principles as evidenced in products under development, we see how inventive uses of light, sound, and movement can evoke human responses to even seemingly mundane products. Diana offers concrete guidelines for conceptualizing, building, and optimizing products using such methods as vision imagery, scenario storyboarding, video prototyping, behavior charting, and more. My Robot Gets Me provides keen insights and practical advice to anyone interested or involved in the burgeoning smart marketplace, from product managers, developers, and designers to venture capitalists.

    Super excited that my friend @carladiana_ has a new book out, and it's right up my street. / @drkatedevlin @hondanhon @kjkausha @chrisnoessel @billt et al #juvetagenda https://t.co/IGrmYFlKvs

  • Instant Wall Street Journal Bestseller! Congratulations, you're a manager! After you pop the champagne, accept the shiny new title, and step into this thrilling next chapter of your career, the truth descends like a fog: you don't really know what you're doing. That's exactly how Julie Zhuo felt when she became a rookie manager at the age of 25. She stared at a long list of logistics--from hiring to firing, from meeting to messaging, from planning to pitching--and faced a thousand questions and uncertainties. How was she supposed to spin teamwork into value? How could she be a good steward of her reports' careers? What was the secret to leading with confidence in new and unexpected situations? Now, having managed dozens of teams spanning tens to hundreds of people, Julie knows the most important lesson of all: great managers are made, not born. If you care enough to be reading this, then you care enough to be a great manager. The Making of a Manager is a modern field guide packed everyday examples and transformative insights, including: * How to tell a great manager from an average manager (illustrations included) * When you should look past an awkward interview and hire someone anyway * How to build trust with your reports through not being a boss * Where to look when you lose faith and lack the answers Whether you're new to the job, a veteran leader, or looking to be promoted, this is the handbook you need to be the kind of manager you wish you had.

    @schoeyfield @joulee It’s a great book so I highly recommend it. @joulee medium account is also really good.

  • This balance is ALWAYS hard, depends on individuals and context, and constantly changing. @kimballscott's book Radical Candor, has a lot of good advice around this issue. https://t.co/lna3WFLthE

  • The Confidence Game

    Maria Konnikova

    A compelling investigation into the minds, motives, and methods of con artistsand the people who fall for their cons over and over again.

    When researchers administered a Machiavellianism test on one thousand marketers, over 10% scored in the highest possible range, far above the population average. Via The Confidence Game book https://t.co/3zcP4qLD8y https://t.co/UUBe229Pcf

  • I had the pleasure of reading a preview PDF of @funnygodmother's book, and enjoyed it so much I just went and ordered a printed copy https://t.co/WXAYcYQIbW

  • Outlines a popular Japanese problem-solving strategy, explaining how the author's philosophies about critical thinking can be applied to American business environments to enable better decision making.

    @katerutter @odannyboy I really enjoyed Problem Solving 101 by Ken Watanabe. If you have kids in your life who seem interested in a career in design, this is the book for them.

  • Turn the Ship Around!

    L. David Marquet

    “One of the 12 best business books of all time…. Timeless principles of empowering leadership.” – USA Today "The best how-to manual anywhere for managers on delegating, training, and driving flawless execution.” —FORTUNE Since Turn the Ship Around! was published in 2013, hundreds of thousands of readers have been inspired by former Navy captain David Marquet’s true story. Many have applied his insights to their own organizations, creating workplaces where everyone takes responsibility for his or her actions, where followers grow to become leaders, and where happier teams drive dramatically better results. Marquet was a Naval Academy graduate and an experienced officer when selected for submarine command. Trained to give orders in the traditional model of “know all–tell all” leadership, he faced a new wrinkle when he was shifted to the Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered submarine. Facing the high-stress environment of a sub where there’s little margin for error, he was determined to reverse the trends he found on the Santa Fe: poor morale, poor performance, and the worst retention rate in the fleet. Almost immediately, Marquet ran into trouble when he unknowingly gave an impossible order, and his crew tried to follow it anyway. When he asked why, the answer was: “Because you told me to.” Marquet realized that while he had been trained for a different submarine, his crew had been trained to do what they were told—a deadly combination. That’s when Marquet flipped the leadership model on its head and pushed for leadership at every level. Turn the Ship Around! reveals how the Santa Fe skyrocketed from worst to first in the fleet by challenging the U.S. Navy’s traditional leader-follower approach. Struggling against his own instincts to take control, he instead achieved the vastly more powerful model of giving control to his subordinates, and creating leaders. Before long, each member of Marquet’s crew became a leader and assumed responsibility for everything he did, from clerical tasks to crucial combat decisions. The crew became completely engaged, contributing their full intellectual capacity every day. The Santa Fe set records for performance, morale, and retention. And over the next decade, a highly disproportionate number of the officers of the Santa Fe were selected to become submarine commanders. Whether you need a major change of course or just a tweak of the rudder, you can apply Marquet’s methods to turn your own ship around.

    @hemit3 @hvpandya Looks like an interesting book. Have you read it and would you recommend it? I'm going to counter this recommendations with one of my own, which focusses on leaders making everybody responsible for the teams success. https://t.co/Oruvytc5AB

  • Creative Culture

    Justin Dauer

    We cannot preach outwardly about empathy for those we're designing for if as designers, researchers, architects, developers, we're not supporting each other. The notion of being human-centered has an innate synergy between design process (and ultimate product) and office culture (and empathetic interactions).

    A bit late to the party, but go check out the 2nd edition of Justins book on creative culture. I read the first edition a few years back and found it super valuable, so am interested to see what updates he's made. https://t.co/c7ulw4DzLl

  • A former international hostage negotiator for the FBI offers a new, field-tested approach to high-stakes negotiations—whether in the boardroom or at home. After a stint policing the rough streets of Kansas City, Missouri, Chris Voss joined the FBI, where his career as a hostage negotiator brought him face-to-face with a range of criminals, including bank robbers and terrorists. Reaching the pinnacle of his profession, he became the FBI’s lead international kidnapping negotiator. Never Split the Difference takes you inside the world of high-stakes negotiations and into Voss’s head, revealing the skills that helped him and his colleagues succeed where it mattered most: saving lives. In this practical guide, he shares the nine effective principles—counterintuitive tactics and strategies—you too can use to become more persuasive in both your professional and personal life. Life is a series of negotiations you should be prepared for: buying a car, negotiating a salary, buying a home, renegotiating rent, deliberating with your partner. Taking emotional intelligence and intuition to the next level, Never Split the Difference gives you the competitive edge in any discussion.

    I decided to read Never Split The Difference as it was already on my book shelf. It’s from a former FBI negotiator and intersperses practical negotiation tips with stories from “the field”. Only two chapters in but am enjoying it so far. https://t.co/buee4TA4Va

  • Turn the Ship Around!

    L. David Marquet

    “One of the 12 best business books of all time…. Timeless principles of empowering leadership.” – USA Today "The best how-to manual anywhere for managers on delegating, training, and driving flawless execution.” —FORTUNE Since Turn the Ship Around! was published in 2013, hundreds of thousands of readers have been inspired by former Navy captain David Marquet’s true story. Many have applied his insights to their own organizations, creating workplaces where everyone takes responsibility for his or her actions, where followers grow to become leaders, and where happier teams drive dramatically better results. Marquet was a Naval Academy graduate and an experienced officer when selected for submarine command. Trained to give orders in the traditional model of “know all–tell all” leadership, he faced a new wrinkle when he was shifted to the Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered submarine. Facing the high-stress environment of a sub where there’s little margin for error, he was determined to reverse the trends he found on the Santa Fe: poor morale, poor performance, and the worst retention rate in the fleet. Almost immediately, Marquet ran into trouble when he unknowingly gave an impossible order, and his crew tried to follow it anyway. When he asked why, the answer was: “Because you told me to.” Marquet realized that while he had been trained for a different submarine, his crew had been trained to do what they were told—a deadly combination. That’s when Marquet flipped the leadership model on its head and pushed for leadership at every level. Turn the Ship Around! reveals how the Santa Fe skyrocketed from worst to first in the fleet by challenging the U.S. Navy’s traditional leader-follower approach. Struggling against his own instincts to take control, he instead achieved the vastly more powerful model of giving control to his subordinates, and creating leaders. Before long, each member of Marquet’s crew became a leader and assumed responsibility for everything he did, from clerical tasks to crucial combat decisions. The crew became completely engaged, contributing their full intellectual capacity every day. The Santa Fe set records for performance, morale, and retention. And over the next decade, a highly disproportionate number of the officers of the Santa Fe were selected to become submarine commanders. Whether you need a major change of course or just a tweak of the rudder, you can apply Marquet’s methods to turn your own ship around.

    Finished reading Turn The Ship Around. Enjoyed the combination of biographic storytelling with practical actionable advice from an unrelated discipline (similar to Creativity Inc). What should I read next?

  • Turn the Ship Around!

    L. David Marquet

    “One of the 12 best business books of all time…. Timeless principles of empowering leadership.” – USA Today "The best how-to manual anywhere for managers on delegating, training, and driving flawless execution.” —FORTUNE Since Turn the Ship Around! was published in 2013, hundreds of thousands of readers have been inspired by former Navy captain David Marquet’s true story. Many have applied his insights to their own organizations, creating workplaces where everyone takes responsibility for his or her actions, where followers grow to become leaders, and where happier teams drive dramatically better results. Marquet was a Naval Academy graduate and an experienced officer when selected for submarine command. Trained to give orders in the traditional model of “know all–tell all” leadership, he faced a new wrinkle when he was shifted to the Santa Fe, a nuclear-powered submarine. Facing the high-stress environment of a sub where there’s little margin for error, he was determined to reverse the trends he found on the Santa Fe: poor morale, poor performance, and the worst retention rate in the fleet. Almost immediately, Marquet ran into trouble when he unknowingly gave an impossible order, and his crew tried to follow it anyway. When he asked why, the answer was: “Because you told me to.” Marquet realized that while he had been trained for a different submarine, his crew had been trained to do what they were told—a deadly combination. That’s when Marquet flipped the leadership model on its head and pushed for leadership at every level. Turn the Ship Around! reveals how the Santa Fe skyrocketed from worst to first in the fleet by challenging the U.S. Navy’s traditional leader-follower approach. Struggling against his own instincts to take control, he instead achieved the vastly more powerful model of giving control to his subordinates, and creating leaders. Before long, each member of Marquet’s crew became a leader and assumed responsibility for everything he did, from clerical tasks to crucial combat decisions. The crew became completely engaged, contributing their full intellectual capacity every day. The Santa Fe set records for performance, morale, and retention. And over the next decade, a highly disproportionate number of the officers of the Santa Fe were selected to become submarine commanders. Whether you need a major change of course or just a tweak of the rudder, you can apply Marquet’s methods to turn your own ship around.

    This was illustrated in the book by the example of a crew member mindlessly ignore a red safety flag. The crew member new what they did was wrong, so training wouldn’t have helped. Instead they put new processes in place to make the actions mindful rather than mindless.

  • Annotation Every designer has had to justify designs to non-designers, yet most lack the ability to explain themselves in a way that is compelling and fosters agreement. The ability to effectively articulate design decisions is critical to the success of a project, because the most articulate person often wins. This practical book provides principles, tactics and actionable methods for talking about designs with executives, managers, developers, marketers and other stakeholders who have influence over the project with the goal of winning them over and creating the best user experience.

    You should also check out books like Articulating Design Decisions by @tomgreever https://t.co/Zvvj06DQ7z

  • Unlearn

    Barry O'Reilly

    The transformative system that shows leaders how to rethink their strategies, retool their capabilities, and revitalize their businesses for stronger, longer-lasting success. There’s a learning curve to running any successful business. But once you begin to rely on past achievements or get stuck in outdated thinking and practices that no longer work, you need to take a step back—and unlearn. This innovative and actionable framework from executive coach Barry O’Reilly shows you how to break the cycle of behaviors that were effective in the past but are no longer relevant in the current business climate, and now limit or may even stand in the way of your success. With this simple but powerful three-step system, you’ll discover how to: 1. Unlearn the behaviors and mindsets that prevent you and your businesses from moving forward. 2. Relearn new skills, strategies, and innovations that are transforming the world every day. 3. Break through old habits and thinking by opening up to new ideas and perspectives to achieve extraordinaryresults. Packed with relatable anecdotes and real-world examples, this unique resource walks you through every step of the unlearning process. You’ll discover new ways of thinking and leading in every industry. You’ll identify what you need to unlearn, what to stop, what to keep, and what to change. By intentionally and routinely applying the system of unlearning, you’ll be able to adapt your mindset, adopt new behaviors, acquire new skills, and explore new options that will totally transform your performance and the business you lead. This book will help you let go of the past, and encourage your teams and organization to do the same. When you think big but start small, choose courage over comfort, and become curious to tackle uncertainty, you can achieve new levels of success you never dreamed possible. Good leaders know they need to continuously learn. But great leaders know when to unlearn the past to succeed in the future. This book shows you the way.

    I suspect this plays nicely into the Unlearn book by @barryoreilly https://t.co/24YOk3GKi0

  • Everything we use, from social media, to our homes, to our highways, was designed by someone. But how did they decide on what was good for the rest of us? What did they get right and where have they let us down? And what can we learn from the way these experts think that can help us in how we make decisions in our own lives? In How Design Makes The World, bestselling author and designer Scott Berkun takes readers on a journey exploring how designers of all kinds, from software engineers, to urban planners, have succeeded and failed us. By examining daily experiences like going to work, shopping for food, or even just using social media on their phones, readers will learn to see the world in a new and powerful way. They'll ask better questions of the things they buy, use, and make, and discover how easy it is to use ideas from great designers to improve their everyday lives.

    New book claxon. "How Design Makes The World" by @berkun drops today. I was lucky enough to see an early draft and It's pretty bloody good. In fact @cameronmoll likened it to "Design of Everyday Things". https://t.co/hrcLqqysuZ More details here: https://t.co/GlX0ZhHFpv

  • A behind-the-scenes look at the firm behind WordPress.com and the unique work culture that contributes to its phenomenal success 50 million websites, or twenty percent of the entire web, use WordPress software. The force behind WordPress.com is a convention-defying company called Automattic, Inc., whose 120 employees work from anywhere in the world they wish, barely use email, and launch improvements to their products dozens of times a day. With a fraction of the resources of Google, Amazon, or Facebook, they have a similar impact on the future of the Internet. How is this possible? What's different about how they work, and what can other companies learn from their methods? To find out, former Microsoft veteran Scott Berkun worked as a manager at WordPress.com, leading a team of young programmers developing new ideas. The Year Without Pants shares the secrets of WordPress.com's phenomenal success from the inside. Berkun's story reveals insights on creativity, productivity, and leadership from the kind of workplace that might be in everyone's future. Offers a fast-paced and entertaining insider's account of how an amazing, powerful organization achieves impressive results Includes vital lessons about work culture and managing creativity Written by author and popular blogger Scott Berkun (scottberkun.com) The Year Without Pants shares what every organization can learn from the world-changing ideas for the future of work at the heart of Automattic's success.

    The WONDERFUL @berkun has convinced his publishers to release his book on managing remote design and engineering teams for FREE for the next week. So grab it while you can! https://t.co/kpOmx7LDaW

  • The bible for bringing cutting-edge products to larger markets—now revised and updated with new insights into the realities of high-tech marketing In Crossing the Chasm, Geoffrey A. Moore shows that in the Technology Adoption Life Cycle—which begins with innovators and moves to early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards—there is a vast chasm between the early adopters and the early majority. While early adopters are willing to sacrifice for the advantage of being first, the early majority waits until they know that the technology actually offers improvements in productivity. The challenge for innovators and marketers is to narrow this chasm and ultimately accelerate adoption across every segment. This third edition brings Moore's classic work up to date with dozens of new examples of successes and failures, new strategies for marketing in the digital world, and Moore's most current insights and findings. He also includes two new appendices, the first connecting the ideas in Crossing the Chasm to work subsequently published in his Inside the Tornado, and the second presenting his recent groundbreaking work for technology adoption models for high-tech consumer markets.

    @TheSonOfThomp @michielterlouw May I suggest you read Crossing the Chasm https://t.co/5Hg9iP1BFE

  • In this hilarious and highly practical book, author and professional speaker Scott Berkun reveals the techniques behind what great communicators do, and shows how anyone can learn to use them well. For managers and teachers -- and anyone else who talks and expects someone to listen -- Confessions of a Public Speaker provides an insider's perspective on how to effectively present ideas to anyone. It's a unique, entertaining, and instructional romp through the embarrassments and triumphs Scott has experienced over 15 years of speaking to crowds of all sizes. With lively lessons and surprising confessions, you'll get new insights into the art of persuasion -- as well as teaching, learning, and performance -- directly from a master of the trade. Highlights include: Berkun's hard-won and simple philosophy, culled from years of lectures, teaching courses, and hours of appearances on NPR, MSNBC, and CNBC Practical advice, including how to work a tough room, the science of not boring people, how to survive the attack of the butterflies, and what to do when things go wrong The inside scoop on who earns $30,000 for a one-hour lecture and why The worst -- and funniest -- disaster stories you've ever heard (plus countermoves you can use) Filled with humorous and illuminating stories of thrilling performances and real-life disasters, Confessions of a Public Speaker is inspirational, devastatingly honest, and a blast to read.

    @UXLondon @LDconf Here are some follow-up resources. Please add your own. https://t.co/hK2NnRb8de https://t.co/OWnsivwvUx https://t.co/yRZO5o5L8J https://t.co/Z6lril1dB7

  • Slide:ology

    Nancy Duarte

    Presents practical approaches for developing an effective presentation, covering such topics as creating diagrams, displaying data, arranging elements, creating movement, and interacting with slides.

    @UXLondon @LDconf Here are some follow-up resources. Please add your own. https://t.co/hK2NnRb8de https://t.co/OWnsivwvUx https://t.co/yRZO5o5L8J https://t.co/Z6lril1dB7

  • Presentation Zen

    Garr Reynolds

    Provides lessons to help users design and deliver creative presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint.

    @UXLondon @LDconf Here are some follow-up resources. Please add your own. https://t.co/hK2NnRb8de https://t.co/OWnsivwvUx https://t.co/yRZO5o5L8J https://t.co/Z6lril1dB7

  • High-Rise: A Novel

    J. G. Ballard

    "Harsh and ingenious! High Rise is an intense and vivid bestiary, which lingers unsettlingly in the mind." —Martin Amis, New Statesman When a class war erupts inside a luxurious apartment block, modern elevators become violent battlegrounds and cocktail parties degenerate into marauding attacks on “enemy” floors. In this visionary tale, human society slips into violent reverse as once-peaceful residents, driven by primal urges, re-create a world ruled by the laws of the jungle.

    @LDconf Day 4 of my #SummerSabbatical. Spent the morning on the beach reading “Highrise” by JG Ballard. Cycled to Portslade Airport. Had a flying lesson. Took off and landed successfully (if a little bumpily). Cycled back. Cooked dinner. Now watching Stranger Things.

  • We create human-centered interactions and experiences in our eld. Empathetic purpose drives our every decision. Mobile First? In reality, it's humans first. This same mentality, turned inward, forms the cornerstone of something amazing: a creative culture. Designers and front-enders have a unique advantage in solving the cultural problems in business that are sucking the life out of us. Several, in fact. The principles discussed in this book derive from the perspectives and skillsets we already use daily: empathy, objectivity and, yes, ample creativity. Join Justin Dauer as he notes through examples, case studies, and human-centered tactics how we can all get there. Foreword by Jeffrey Zeldman, founder of A List Apart / co-founder of A Book Apart.

    Finally got round to reading “Cultivating a Creative Culture” by @pseudoroom https://t.co/0uJIkjszT4

  • Japanese Whisky

    Dave Broom

    Since 2002 (the year it appeared on export markets) Japanese whisky has been consistently winning major international spirits awards. As export production increases and export markets - the USA and France in particular - open up to embrace the quality of these fine malt whiskies, all eyes are on Japan. Award-winning author and internationally recognized whisky expert Dave Broom has visited Japan 25 times in the past 12 years, studying and learning about its whiskies. In this major new book he shares his personal journey around Japan's whisky distilleries and the unique whisky culture of the country. Each chapter details the history of the distillery in question, its production and current whiskies (with tasting notes). Dave considers along the way why Japanese whisky is different, questions of tradition vs innovation, and how whisky links with many aspects of Japanese culture. Breathtaking photography from Kohei Take leads the reader deeper into the philosophy behind the drink, making this a must-have edition for any whisky lover, whisky drinker, whisky collector or Japanophile.

    @Littlemad If you;re interested in exploring Japanese Whiskey some more, I highly recommend this book https://t.co/X93q6T4M2b

  • Argues that a manager's central responsibility is to create and implement strategies, challenges popular motivational practices, and shares anecdotes discussing how to enable action-oriented plans for real-world results.

    The next edition of The Strategy Club has launched, and their chosen book is the very excellent "Good Strategy, Bad Strategy". If you don't have time to read the book, Audible has a good version. https://t.co/0CxM5XuWXZ

  • Make Time

    Jake Knapp

    'If you want to achieve more (without going nuts), read this book.' Charles Duhigg 'Essential reading for anyone who wants to create a happier, more successful life.' Gretchen Rubin Nobody ever looked at an empty calendar and said, 'The best way to spend this time is by cramming it full of meetings!' Or got to work in the morning and thought, 'Today I'll spend hours on Facebook!' Yet, that's exactly what we do. Why? In a world where information refreshes endlessly and the workday feels like a race to react to other people's priorities faster, frazzled and distracted has become our default position. But what if the exhaustion of constant busyness wasn't mandatory? What if you could step off the hamster wheel and start taking control of your time and attention? That's what this book is about. As creators of Google Ventures' renowned 'design sprint', Jake and John have helped hundreds of teams solve important problems by changing how they work. Building on the success of these sprints and their experience designing ubiquitous tech products like Gmail and YouTube, they spent years experimenting with their own personal habits and routines, looking for ways to help individuals optimize their energy, focus, and time. Now they've packaged the most effective tactics into a four-step daily framework that anyone can use to systematically design their days. Make Time is not a one-size-fits-all formula. Instead, it offers a customizable menu of bite-sized tips and strategies that can be tailored to individual habits and lifestyles. It isn't about productivity, or checking off more to-dos. Nor does it propose unrealistic solutions like throwing out your smartphone or swearing off social media. Making time isn't about radically overhauling your lifestyle; it's about making small shifts in your environment to liberate yourself from constant busyness and distraction. A must-read for anyone who has ever thought 'If only there were more hours in the day...' Make Time will help you to stop passively reacting to the demands of the modern world and start intentionally making time for the things that matter.

    Finally got round to reading @jakek’s Make Time book #theironynotlostonme Full of lots of useful tips and tricks. Going that start trying some of them out tomorrow. https://t.co/zKdzlpBmrw