In Response to Shawn Blanc’s Basecamp Workshop Retrospective

Given my more specific interest in Basecamp lately, I feel compelled to share my thoughts on Shawn’s report. Below are the thoughts of his that struck a chord with me:

“At first I began to feel frustrated — even disheartened. Actually, perhaps jealous is a better term. I couldn’t imagine ever getting to the same point in my business and in my work life that Basecamp and Jason are at.

But then I thought screw that. Of course I can.”

This is the sort of thing I would be honored to develop in others. I want to be a part of an organization that gives people that feeling. The apparent empowerment Shawn took away from spending time with you is outstanding.

“Something Jason said during the workshop was that there is an ‘epidemic of collaboration’ amongst corporate spaces.”

The goal is to build something and the method requires multiple people. The goal is not to have those people ‘work together’. Is integration a better word, if a ‘big’ word is really necessary? All zebras are horses. Not all horses are zebras.

“During a cycle, they will build and ship 1–2 ‘big batch projects’ and 5–6 ‘small batch projects’. These are each done by smaller teams of 3, which are comprised of 1 designer + 2 developers.

After a 6-week cycle, everyone takes 1 or 2 weeks off from project work in order to work on other side projects, to clean up any loose ends, close any loops from the work cycle, etc.”

The recipe can be simple if the ingredients are great.

“There is no backlog of work at Basecamp. Every 6-week work cycle is a new cycle and there is no ‘plan’ or ‘map’ of what they’ll do next. There is only the project at hand.”

To be so in tune with your purpose that you can cut work which doesn’t fit the allotted time. That is a way of of working I would love to achieve.

I’m struck by the likeness the workshop bears to a cooking class, which reminded me of Jason’s comments over the years about his interest in professional chefs. How they offer just about everything they know to anyone, and how that transparency supports their business goals. It’s inspiring to see that model replicated in this industry.

Cheers,

JD Lewin