Here's why I love Basecamp: they're constantly on the lookout for great new features. Like most good companies, they pay attention to the feedback they get from customers. But, they also keep an eye on how customers actually use the product. Case in point: today's tip about setting an update flag. They noticed how a customer used the system, and improved on it. Very cool.
An aside to the Basecamp guys: Can you add the same replacement features with priorities? I'd love to see [high], [medium], [low] turn into cute little images.
At the same time I read about the Basecamp tip, I was listening to Malcolm Gladwell talk about trusting people's opinions. He gave a couple of nice examples in his talk. Early focus groups hated how the Aeron chair looked but Herman Miller forged ahead and it went on to be a wildly successful product. And Coke executives trusted the results of taste tests and launched the much reviled New Coke.
All of which goes to say that paying attention to how people actually use a product is more valuable than what they say about it.
Update: If you're into Gladwell, check out The Ketchup Conundrum. Good stuff.
Posted by Karl
October 25, 2004 02:53 PM