Prototyping for Elmo’s Monster Maker iPhone App. from IDEO on Vimeo.

I woke up this morning and found the following iPad setup. This has got to be one of the most common iPad use cases. Hey Steve, maybe a good commercial? If I had one of these, I probably would read email on the can too…

It is a little surreal to not go into the office this morning but after 5+ great years at Intuit, I am currently permanently on vacation. I figured the occasion warranted a blog post about 5 things (one for each year) I have taken away from my first and only job out of college.

1. People make all the difference – This is pretty obvious now, but at first I was convinced that a good strategy and project were more important. It is natural to focus on project outcomes, but it seems clear that the journey is what teams will remember.
2. The best question is “why” – You feel like a 6 year old kid, but constantly asking “why” leads to some valuable lessons. Don’t be afraid to sound stupid. Hell, if it helps, pretend like you are.
3. Don’t get wound up over things you don’t control – People make decisions that you may or may not agree with. It is pointless to get all stressed out over stuff you can’t control. Deal with it and move on.
4. Devil is in the details – The best product managers that I have learned from can adjust themselves depending on their audience. They can convey bite size, clear messages to management while getting their hands dirty with the gritty details.
5. Data is powerful - Not all people are as convincing as Steve Jobs so for the rest of us, data is the best weapon. Don’t underestimate the power of a customer testimonial. Warning: like most things, this should be also applied in moderation. Analyzing can become paralyzing… sometimes you have to roll with your gut.

(picture: compliments of Bernadette and her son who misinterpreted her instructions)

How it started:

The string has broken from Michelle Chang on Vimeo.

How it ended:

The next morning from Michelle Chang on Vimeo.

Please pardon our profanity… Chris, thanks again for the tent. We did our best to keep that thing upright.

My point-and-shoot was working great until we hit Pismo Beach where the fine sands decided to get inside my camera and drown the lens… More shots from everyone in Lijen’s Picassa.

Tomorrow is Day 1. Let the ride begin.
Day 1: SF to Santa Cruz
Day 2: Santa Cruz to Big Sur
Day 3: Big Sur to Big Sur 2
Day 4: Big Sur 2 to San Simeon
Day 5: San Simeon to Oceano
Day 6: Oceano to Gaviota
Day 7: Gaviota to McGrath (1) Gaviota to McGrath (2)
Day 8: McGrath to Santa Monica

*Note: The Gaviota to McGrath is broken up into two parts, because Google maps didn’t let me go on highway 1 for bike maps even though my book instructed to do so. As a result it is ~5 miles short.

Also, in case you need even more eye candy, I have also included the official Swagger Wagon video. Thanks Lan.

From the initial “drive” on Saturday night @ Bar Basic, I can honestly say that this culturally diverse meal is delicious. Not sure where the truck will be next… but you might want to follow their twitter account…

Congrats Cho. The truck is dope.

P.S. You might have noticed that I added some new Facebook “Like” buttons to the blog. Not sure if they are working properly, so if they don’t… my bad.