"Although like many designers, I am often driven by the desire to create something different and to avoid following what others have created, I have begun to realise that in some situations, following a tried and tested pattern or convention can benefit a person's experience of a design and therefore help the company I am designing for achieve their goals. Conventions can be used as a starting point for design and a platform for innovation. 37Signals and in particular their Basecamp product site and sign-up process are what I consider to be the benchmark in this area. Their pricing and sign up page has become the standard that others have followed, as you'll see if you look at the examples featured by Györay Fekete."