Top all-time · #4951
Erin Casali
Personal blog · intenseminimalism.comdesignphilosophy
Erin Casali writes Intense Minimalism, a personal blog at intenseminimalism.com about design and philosophy. Since 2010, 16 different Hacker News readers have linked it 20 times, most often “From Logins to Seamless Identity, a new paradigm for the web”. It is still writing: the last post was on 2026-06-07, and you can follow it by feed.
Too few sampled comments (7) to say how often HN recommends it.?
Why HN links it
HN readers link Erin Casali's blog for posts on design, team thinking and feedback, such as Pixar's "plussing" technique, a problem-solving framework chart, and an interview with Erik Spiekermann on typography.
Summarised by Claude from a sample of 7 HN comments that link here. Each comment is marked recommending, critical or neutral (citing without judging); how this works.
by Erin Casali on design, leadership, complexity, psychology, business, and more.
Most-linked posts?
- From Logins to Seamless Identity, a new paradigm for the web3 people · 3 mentions · first linked 2012-01-17
- The Misconception about Money and Motivation2 people · 2 mentions · first linked 2012-07-31
- The Impact of Toxic Influencers on Communities2 people · 2 mentions · first linked 2020-08-04
- Change in Complex Systems2 people · 2 mentions · first linked 2019-03-04
What Hacker News says?
Pixar use a technique called "plussing"[1] where any critique given is framed as a positive constructive addition. Eg you accept something for what it is and suggest a way to improve it rather than saying it's bad or wrong. I've tried to use it, and continue to try, but it's hard work. When I manage to do it properly it works very well. [1] https://intenseminimalism.com/2015/pixars-plussing-technique...
Comment linking /2015/pixars-plussing-technique-of-giving-feedback/
on “Ask HN: What people skills do you wish you learned earlier in your career?”Submitted The “designers should code” bullshit and a not so new idea as a story · 99 points
HN discussionIn my experience, the issue is not presentations actually. Whatever can be presented using documents can be presented using slides too. The real challenge is that slides present much less word-count space to deliver the right message, and most authors fail to do that right. A phrase commonly attributed to Blaise Pascal comes to mind [1]. That presentations being synchronous vs. everyone reading their own pace is not…
Comment linking /2010/if-i-had-more-time-i-would-have-written-a-shorter-letter/
on “The Document Culture of Amazon”Submitted The Impact of Toxic Influencers on Communities as a story · 9 points
HN discussionReminds me of this incredible chart / graph which you can use to apply to a lot of situations. I actively refer to this and show it to teams constantly. The gist of it is that you require many skills and capabilities to create alignment. Without that, you have different outcomes which we may initially experience as frustration / failure. https://intenseminimalism.com/2015/a-framework-for-thinking-...
Comment linking /2015/a-framework-for-thinking-about-systems-change/
on “Understand, Design, Build: A Framework for Problem-Solving”Submitted From Logins to Seamless Identity, a new paradigm for the web as a story · 9 points
HN discussion"If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter." Refs: https://intenseminimalism.com/2010/if-i-had-more-time-i-woul...
Comment linking /2010/if-i-had-more-time-i-would-have-written-a-shorter-letter
on “Longform.org is shutting down its article recommendations service”Submitted The importance of the frame as a story · 3 points
HN discussion>I don't think a single compile cycle per half day Hm... I read this quite differently than you do. Not compile cycles, but actual test-driven product iterations. Do you have more solid sources than I do? https://intenseminimalism.com/2012/a-brief-history-of-agile-... https://brettwgreen.com/2014/01/25/rockets-before-rovers/
Comment linking /2012/a-brief-history-of-agile-methods/
on “AgileFall – When Waterfall Sneaks Back into Agile”Submitted Change in Complex Systems as a story · 2 points
HN discussionSomething which is functional but lacking polish trumps something that is extremely polished but doesn't do much. Putting it another way, which Minimum Viable Date would you choose? 1. Cute and sociable. Smells nice, good conversationalist. Date involves picking up two packages of cup-a-soup from 7-11 and sitting on the curb outside. 2. Heroin addicted, hasn't showered in a week. Withdrawn from conversation. Date in…
Comment linking /2011/apple-design-myths-a-summary/
on “SeatGeek Launches iPhone App”Submitted The Misconception about Money and Motivation as a story · 2 points
HN discussionYes. Yes. And I can say that this happens in every field. Check this small interview to Erik Spiekermann about typography: http://intenseminimalism.com/2011/everybody-is-influenced-by...
Comment linking /2011/everybody-is-influenced-by-somebody-else-erik-spiekermann/
on “UI: nice look vs distinctiveness and branding”Submitted The superstar effect. as a story · 2 points
HN discussionSubmitted The ethic of social networks: let's start considering it as a story · 2 points
HN discussionSubmitted The Impact of Toxic Influencers on Communities as a story · 1 points
HN discussionSubmitted The Misconception about Money and Motivation as a story · 1 points
HN discussionSubmitted The Dot Loop, the simplest process possible as a story · 1 points
HN discussionSubmitted From Logins to Seamless Identity, a new paradigm for the web as a story · 1 points
HN discussionSubmitted From Logins to Seamless Identity, a new paradigm for the web as a story · 1 points
HN discussion
