Need someone to lead product management at your software company? I build high-craft software and the teams that build it. I'm looking for my next opportunity. Check out my resume and get in touch.

Adam Kalsey

This is the blog of Adam Kalsey. Unusual depth and complexity. Rich, full body with a hint of nutty earthiness.

User Experience

Becoming standard

Freshness Warning
This blog post is over 21 years old. It's possible that the information you read below isn't current and the links no longer work.

6 Aug 2003

A year ago it was notable when a company redesigned with Web standards. Now it is less so.

There are a variety of companies that are using CSS instead of tables for page layout. AIn October, I mentioned Mercedes-Benz and Wired. Since then Cingular and ESPN have both redesigned with CSS layouts and been mentioned here.

It is interesting that CSS is becoming the norm instead of an exception. I’m even doing the site for a California state agency with pure CSS layout. As far as I know, it’s one the first state government sites to be done this way. (The state of Montana site uses a bunch of absolutely positioned layers instead of tables, but this technique isn’t much better than using tables.)

Is anyone else finding less resistance to the concept of CSS layout from clients and bosses?

Recently Written

Think Systems, not Symptoms
Dec 15: Piecemeal process creation frustrates teams and slows work. Stop patching problems and start solving systems. Adopting a systems thinking approach helps you design processes that are efficient, aligned with goals, and truly add value.
Your Policies Aren’t Your Culture
Dec 13: Policies guide behavior, but culture is the lived norms and values of your team. Policies reflect culture -- they don’t define it. Netflix’s parental leave shift didn’t change its culture of freedom and responsibility. It clarified how to live it.
Lighten Your Process Burden
Dec 7: Everyone hates oppressive processes, but somehow we keep managing to create them.
Product Add-Ons Are An Expansion Myth
Dec 1: Add-ons can enhance your product’s appeal but won’t drive significant market growth. To expand your customer base, focus on developing standalone products.
Protecting your Product Soul when the Same Product meets New People.
Nov 23: Expand into new markets while preserving your product’s core value. Discover how to adapt and grow without losing your product’s soul.
Building the Next Big Thing: A Framework for Your Second Product
Nov 19: You need a first product sooner than you think. Here's a framework for helping you identify a winner.
A Framework for Scaling product teams
Oct 9: The people, processes, and systems that make up a product organization change radically as you go through the stages of a company. This framework will guide that scaling.
My Networked Webcam Setup
Sep 25: A writeup of my network-powered conference call camera setup.

Older...

What I'm Reading