Writing

Long-form essays on technology, business, design and human behaviour.
Shorter, rawer notes live on the Journal.

Latest writing

06 Feb 2010Maintain a Child-like Attention to Things Around UsJoshua Bell playing unnoticed in a Washington Metro station is a reminder to keep a child-like awareness of beauty, even when it appears somewhere ordinary.Thoughts
2 min 05 Feb 2010Apple averages $200 per iPad soldA look at the economics behind the original iPad, Apple’s healthy hardware margins, and how pricing and carrier subsidies could shape what buyers ultimately.Marketing
3 min 03 Feb 2010FounderitisBeing a startup founder takes optimism, stubbornness and a little madness. A light-hearted checklist of the symptoms that come with a serious case of.Business
2 min 30 Jan 2010iPad is for Everyone Except UsThe iPad was never really designed for power users like developers and designers. Its real opportunity was making computing simpler for everyone else.Technology
2 min 20 Jan 2010Realistic UIGreat interface design is less about decoration than understanding why objects feel real, dimensional and intuitive when translated onto a flat screen.Design
1 min 20 Jan 2010Parkinson’s Law vs. Project ManagementParkinson’s Law explains why work expands to fill the time available. Better project scheduling means setting constraints without manufacturing unnecessary.Career
1 min 14 Jan 2010Be Patient, or Lose Your JobRepeated follow-ups rarely win the work. When someone goes quiet, patience often looks more professional than leaving a trail of needy emails and voicemails.Career
4 min 12 Jan 2010Sugared Water vs. Changing the WorldSteve Jobs challenged people to build things that matter. A reflection on ambition, meaningful work and choosing to change the world instead of selling.Business
2 min 07 Dec 2009EnoughDerek Sivers offers a simple lesson in knowing when you have enough: wealth means little if the pursuit of more prevents you from recognising what you already.Business
1 min 04 Dec 2009The Curious Pricing Case of the Apple 27″ iMacApple’s 27-inch iMac bundled a remarkable display with an entire computer at a price that made the economics of the machine surprisingly difficult to explain.Marketing
2 min 30 Nov 2009Cost of a CarrotA single carrot can teach a business lesson: understand the value hidden in every resource, minimise waste and make every ingredient work harder before.Business
1 min 07 Nov 2009Warren Buffet and the $44 Billion RailroadWarren Buffett’s $44 billion railroad purchase is almost impossible to comprehend, so here are a few more relatable ways to imagine that enormous sum.Business
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