4 ms·

Facebook - Developer driven Apple - Designer driven Google - Data driven Amazon - Testing driven Zappos - Service driven You could argue semantics on these

by GavinB 16y ago

Facebook - Developer driven Apple - Designer driven Google - Data driven Amazon - Testing driven Zappos - Service driven You could argue semantics on these, but it seems clear that they are all successful and yet all put the greatest focus in different areas. Maybe the key is not that one emphasis is the best, but that it's important to have a priority and stick to it. It's the companies that let different groups with different priorities fight over things that are paralyzed.

aresant 16y ago
That's an oversimplification. Facebook - Design was their early traction - clean and exclusive, with regimented testing in every release. Apple - Built on incredible engineering and developers, leading case for vertical integration. Google - Key innovation behind pagerank was scaling it with a node-based hosting architecture which was built by incredible engineers. Not to mention google maps which won on design alone and is becoming their #2 most important product. Amazon - Innovations in shipping, distribution, and line automation are far more important than testing in the razor thin book marketplace that put them on the map. Zappos - Ran out of steam here, probably a good combo of the above four :) I see your point, that's what the companies are known for. But in reality there are deeper innovations that are have powered those to the levels they are today - seems like each of the above GREAT companies above has at least 3 of the 5 areas hitting on all cylinders.
- ThomPete 16y ago
  In case of Apple, GavinB is actually spot on. Apple is all about design but not in the way it's often used (visually).
- jorkos 16y ago
  Couldn't agree more. I see these companies as much more similar than different. All of them are very 'user driven' and that's what has made them such impactful companies.

4 ms·

Facebook - Developer driven Apple - Designer driven Google - Data driven Amazon - Testing driven Zappos - Service driven You could argue semantics on these

by GavinB 16y ago

aresant 16y ago
That's an oversimplification. Facebook - Design was their early traction - clean and exclusive, with regimented testing in every release. Apple - Built on incredible engineering and developers, leading case for vertical integration. Google - Key innovation behind pagerank was scaling it with a node-based hosting architecture which was built by incredible engineers. Not to mention google maps which won on design alone and is becoming their #2 most important product. Amazon - Innovations in shipping, distribution, and line automation are far more important than testing in the razor thin book marketplace that put them on the map. Zappos - Ran out of steam here, probably a good combo of the above four :) I see your point, that's what the companies are known for. But in reality there are deeper innovations that are have powered those to the levels they are today - seems like each of the above GREAT companies above has at least 3 of the 5 areas hitting on all cylinders.
- ThomPete 16y ago
  In case of Apple, GavinB is actually spot on. Apple is all about design but not in the way it's often used (visually).
- jorkos 16y ago
  Couldn't agree more. I see these companies as much more similar than different. All of them are very 'user driven' and that's what has made them such impactful companies.