This week, the newly formed XPLANE Press achieved its first milestone: The reprinting of Bob Horn’s classic book Visual Language. Horn’s book makes the case that visual language is truly an emerging international language, and – like all languages – it has an inherent order, syntax, and grammar that can be learned and applied. While the world of information design has come a long way in the 10 years since Visual Language was first published, the book’s core message remains relevant today.

Visual Language has been out of print for the last few years, but is now back on the market via the XPLANE store. We will soon be offering it on Amazon as well, where used copies have been selling for upwards of $100.

“Another way to look at it is this: I can classify all incoming personal email into three broad categories: (a) messages that are either very important or very interesting; (b) messages that are utterly non-interesting; and (c) those which fall somewhere in-between.

The vast majority of my email falls into the latter category. Under my previous ’system’, I let them pile up in my inboxes, under the assumption that some day I’d get around to answering many of them. Under the new system, if I don’t respond immediately after reading them, they go right into my archive. Out of sight, out of mind.

I don’t consider what I’ve done to be a declaration of email bankruptcy on those old messages that had been in my Mailsmith inboxes. Rather, in one fell swoop I’ve done with all those messages what I should have been doing to them all along: archive them.”

“…if you run across someone who just really wants to stand their ground on ROI, suggest that to improve your estimate you’d like them to provide examples of the top ROI estimates that most closely matched the results (…watch for the response). Why bother creating an ‘estimate’ that isn’t going to be validated and/or has no consequence? How is an unsubstantiated estimation model superior to one in which we try out very simple things and measure the results, and don’t invest more without desired results?”

The list features the fastest-growing companies in America…

What it does: Consulting and design firm that helps companies drive better, faster business results through visual communication.
Why it’s growing: Client list includes 35 of the Fortune 500, including Autodesk, Boeing, BP, Apple, Microsoft and Nike.
What’s noteworthy: Has developed a culture map to guide their thinking and decisions, so they can keep the spirit of the company alive as they grow, says CEO David Gray.

“I’ve been spending much time with ad agencies and focus groups lately and can only conclude that–with some exceptions–they are mostly clueless. Three years ago they had a traditional knowledge about consumers but didn’t know much about social networking and web 2.0 technology. Today, most of them don’t know about consumers and don’t know much about social networking and web 2.0 technology either. Mainstream ad agencies have one refrain–one message to their corporate clients–do social networking, do social networking, do social networking.”

“Do you have trouble keeping up with meetings because you can’t take notes as fast as the speaker talks? If you do jot down some thoughts and ideas, by the time you re-read your notes they make no sense? If this sounds like you, a meeting mind map may be just what you need. Here is a quick start guide that will give you some pointers and a printable template you can use to get off to a great start with mind mapping.”

” The most basic aspects of leadership and change are a function of human nature. I’ve found there are specific steps in the process of how people make significant changes. The steps tend to be universal, independent of the content of change. They apply to process reengineering, the need for more innovation, new business strategies, you name it.

The eight steps are to create a sense of urgency, put the right team together, create a sensible change vision and strategy, communicate the plan to obtain buy-in, empower people to act, garner some short-term wins, then pound away the changes you are trying to make until you implement them and can make them stick. That basic process is at the heart of leading change.”

“If we’re going to make any headway in figuring out the new rules of leadership, we might as well say it up front: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to leadership. Leadership mantra #1: It all depends. Years ago, Yale professor of organization and management and professor of psychology Victor Vroom developed a model that was later adapted and popularized by Ken Blanchard. Their point: We need to think about situational leadership — the right person, the right style, for the right situation.”

“Do you stagger out of meetings moaning how you hate, hate, hate meetings? Do you yearn for anything — earthquake, hurricane, building collapse — to get out of the meeting you’re in? Do meetings have to be so awful?

The bad meetings always stand out in my memory, but actually, I’ve attended many good meetings, as well. They had a few things in common.”

“There are two basic approaches to advertising or lead generation… the shotgun approach… or the rifle approach.

There is only one cost efficient way… the rifle approach.

By carefully selecting specific niche markets, and presenting a compelling message directly to that audience, you will begin to reap the real profit rewards of direct marketing.

“There have been a couple of interesting articles lately in the Wall Street Journal on the topic of dress. One had to do how appropriate business clothing is defined differently in New York and Los Angeles and the other had to do with how Thomas Barrack, CEO of Colony Capital dresses when he’s in deal-making mode.

Choosing the right dress and adornment is a communication skill. If we’re smart, we can use our clothing choices to send important messages. Chief among them is that we fit in, we belong.”

“At the end of every interview someone inevitably asks ‘Where do you see 37signals in five years? Ten years? 20 years?’ My answer remains the same: ‘Still in business. Beyond that I have no idea.’

Five years ago I had no idea we’d release Basecamp. Four years ago I had no idea we’d release Ta-da List. Three years ago I had no idea we’d release Backpack or Campfire. Two years ago I had no idea we’d release Highrise. Did I ever think we’d write another book? Not until we started it. And what about next year? I’m not entirely sure what we’re going to be working on.”

“Interviewing can be a gut-wrenching process. Most books on how to interview list hundreds of questions you need to be ready to answer, but few talk about the questions you need to ask. Take more control at your next interview by asking some pointed questions of your own. Here are six must-ask questions and why you should know the answers.”

“A startup’s initial business plan doesn’t matter that much, because it is very hard to determine up front exactly what combination of product and market will result in success.

By definition you will be doing something new, in a world that is a very uncertain place. You are simply probably not going to know whether your initial idea will work as a product and a business, or not. And you will probably have to rapidly evolve your plan — possibly every aspect of it — as you go.’