Some recent posts at the 37signals Product Blog:

Basecamp
How INTO uses Basecamp as a content management system and wireframing tool
“Upon browsing 37signals we saw three letters on the footer, “API,” we did a quick search for a way to connect to the backdoor of our favorite web application. After seeing the available data and the need for a simple server-side CMS that worked like Basecamp, we figured why not just use Basecamp as a CMS. We’re a transparent company, so if it works — use it. We did, and we’re happy to say it works great.”

CMS
A script checks Basecamp, sees what new news posts are available, then writes a new content file and refreshes it for the next visit.

Periscope Gadget: “Basecamp control on iGoogle & in GMail too”
“I really needed (and wanted) a simple way to punch-in to a project I was busy on; work; then punch-out and write a quick description of what I did. It’s really important to me to charge my clients by the minute: who wants to be charged 1hr of my time for a small copy change that really only took me 4 minutes to do? Enter Periscope.”

periscope

Highrise
Author uses Highrise to manage contacts (and integrates it with HelpSpot too)
“I’m using it with my assistants to manage the contacts for the marketing of my new best selling book Blog Blazers. Not only does it allow us to manage who’s who, we also use it to manage who’s been sent books to review, who to follow-up with, and when to follow-up with them. Basically it’s a great tool to keep track of our marketing efforts for the book. I can’t imagine being without it! What’s also very exciting for us is that we use HelpSpot to manage internal emails, and they’ve created an integration plugin for Highrise right into their products. So as we email people, we can do what’s called a ‘Live Lookup’ right into the software and get the benefits of Highrise with our email client.”

Multiple products
[Case study] BootStudio uses 37signals tools to build websites for large organizations in Central America
“We’ve found that the most value can be obtained from these collaboration apps when everyone can easily find the information they need, when they need it. In order to achieve this, all team members need to be clear on where different items should be posted. Consistency is the name of the game, and over time our team has developed naming schemes that make it easier for us to know where to look for things later. Thinking carefully about the information architecture of the things we can customize in these tools — category names, project labeling schemes, message titles, etc. — has made a big difference in how usable (and useful) they are to us and to our clients.”

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