Ok, ConceptShare has launched now, so there’s no more excuses to send designs by email anymore right?. (Free to try)

I have learned alot watching people using ConceptShare what I found most intriguing is that the design is now being used to initiate conversations. People now are just getting an invitation with a link to a workspace with a bunch of visuals and then they just start talking. – no verbal cues – no phone calls – Its an interesting thing to watch. If you show any one that walks by a few logos and ask what do they think, you will get an answer. For some reason people feel very comfortable giving opinions on visuals rather then obligatory politics or world issues. Visual feedback is usually easy for people because it is in their gut, it’s personal, yet they know they won’t be judged by it. And it’s faster for them to point out what they don’t like about something rather than write a story about it.

A lot of people from an outside perspective that hear about ConceptShare in passing like to say, “It’s neat but not sure I would use something like that, I’m not a designer…”. Trust me I have invited alot of these people into a ConceptShare workspace, and they have ALOT to say once they are in there. Almost anyone can make comments about usability of both interfaces and objects. Comments about color choices, ease-of-use, hard to read text, wrong language. You don’t have to be a designer to play, just a human. Sure, designer to designer feedback is always good but remember wisdom of crowds?.With email alone people are reluctant to share early designs or concepts. I say screw that. Put stuff up early and often. Scan sketches and post them. Do anything… just start a conversation. You would be amazed and how fast and how far you can take simple ideas when you have the frequent evolving feedback of others.

Have fun,

Bernie

Categories: Ideas, Innovation, Product Design, Usability ~ ~ Trackback