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Common Craft - Social Design for the Web

Don't Forget about Zombies! (in Plain English)October 8

We made this video about a year ago to help make sure our fans protect their brains during the scary Halloween season. Enjoy!

You can help protect the brains of others by sharing this video using this code:

You've Spoken: Common Craft and PoliticsOctober 6

Through nearly 50 comments and 15-20 emails, you have spoken. You don't want to see politics on Common Craft. I agree that it is the right move - political discussions will not appear on the Common Craft web site. We may make videos about events that relate to government, but these will not reflect personal/partisan views.  A couple of things:

1) First, wow.  We are both so excited to see such amazing comments. The thoughtfulness is inspiring. Thank you so much for being involved - we are lucky to have people like you around us. My Mom even got involved via email (thanks Mom!)

2) I was surprised to see so many responses in email. One of my favorites simply said "Listen to Sachi." It's good advice. As I mentioned in a comment on the entry, it seemed as though people were more open to the idea of talking politics when they emailed me directly. 

3) This discussion highlights the ways in which Sachi and work together. On our "About" page, Sachi is named (lovingly) as the "Chief Party Pooper."  It fits well - Sachi is ultimately reasonable, rational and risk-averse.  In this way, we are a team.  It's my nature to dream and to take risks.  Together, we create a sense of balance.  When I mentioned our "ongoing discussion" in the last post, it doesn't just apply to politics. We have ongoing discussions about everything, all the t

Not Talking Politics is HardOctober 3

Sachi and I have an ongoing discussion that I want to share with you, dear reader, because I want to hear your feedback.

When I was a consultant, people would ask me what subjects are appropriate for a blog.  Inevitably I would say that it should reflect the person behind the blog and what is important to them. It should be multi-faceted and provide personality along with on-topic content.  I would also say that context matters - company blogs deserve special care, for instance.

So here I am with the Common Craft blog and there are two things that are very important to me right now:

1. Making videos

2. The Presidential Elections

My instinct is to talk about both on this blog.  I have a lot to say about the elections and I'm very passionate. However, I'm making a conscious effort to keep Common Craft on-topic and apolitical.  A few reasons:

1. You didn't subscribe or visit to hear my thoughts on politics.

2. Common Craft is a brand and a business. It could be a risk to make political positions a part of a brand that hopes to  appeal to as many people as possible.

3. Common Craft is both Sachi and me.  While we agree on some things, I would never speak on Sachi's behalf regarding politics.

However, I am very passionate about this election and I feel that it's my duty to stand up for what I believe and to be a part of the discussion in places where I can have the most impact, including thi

Interview with Principled InnovationSeptember 25

Yesterday I had a great talk/interview with Jeff DeCagna of Principled Innovation for his P.I. Podcast.  We talked about the Common Craft story, but also about "Being Lightweight", based on the recent series of posts. Big thanks to Jeff for the invitation. 

Have a listen on Jeff's site.

Video: Web Search Strategies in Plain EnglishSeptember 24