Classic, Timeless Articles I Keep Coming Back To

Timeless, evergreen articles, some of which have been relevant for almost 20 years now. Posting here to collect them in one place. Enjoy.

I’ve consistently found myself coming back to these pieces throughout the years. To either remind myself or share with others. The subjects are diverse; ranging from business, tech, copywriting and more.

  • How Long Should Your Pages Be?
    Joanna Wiebe, of Copyhackers fame, answering the question of whether to write short or long (sales) pages. Excellent breakdown of the Stages of Awareness your prospective buyers are in.
  • The ladders of wealth creation: a step-by-step roadmap to building wealth
    By Nathan Barry, founder of ConvertKit. Title basically says it all. A great metaphor and reference to keep in mind when you’re plotting how to get rich.
  • Excuse me, is there a problem?
    Jason Cohen, Founder of WP Engine, on how to accurately gauge the viability of your business idea. Includes a wonderfully simple model you can use to assess yours.
  • Making sense of MVP (Minimum Viable Product) – and why I prefer Earliest Testable/Usable/Lovable
    Henrik Kniberg, one of the few credible “agile coaches”, presents an alternative to the beloved, yet often misunderstood, MVP.
    (Fun fact: He created the (in)famous visual metaphor for MVP’s: a product evolving from skateboard › scooter › bike › motorcycle › car!)
  • Simplicity
    Joel Spolsky, founder of Trello, Stack Overflow, and Glitch, on balancing simplicity with valuable features for long-term product success.
  • Falsehoods Programmers Believe About Names
    Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) laying down the law regarding all of your assumptions about names you put in databases.
  • Small tools for shaping
    Ryan Singer, from Basecamp/37 Signals, dissecting some very useful methods to use when thinking through problems and planning the work.
  • Priority Guides: A Content-First Alternative to Wireframes
    A classic among classics from the venerable A List Apart: Heleen van Nues and Lennart Overkamp present their — still to this day — criminally underrated solution to the problem of wireframing. Sites, pages, documents, workflows, screens — form follows function.
  • Salary Negotiation: Make More Money, Be More Valued
    Patrick McKenzie (@patio11) with another banger. What it says on the tin.
  • What Is Code?
    Paul Ford, for Bloomberg, explains programming in a non-technical way, covering topics such as programming languages, algorithms, culture, and the economic impact of code.
  • The Great Works of Software
    Paul Ford again, this time presenting a ‘software canon’, highlighting significant software programs that have shaped technology and culture.
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About Casper Klenz-Kitenge

I live in Copenhagen, Denmark with my wife and our two kids. My day-to-day is about finding solutions to real problems, making my work matter by helping people achieve their goals. You should sign up for my newsletter to get a fresh perspective on work.