Backpack survey results Jason 13 Apr 2006

19 comments Latest by ff

A few times a year we conduct anonymous surveys with people who use our products. We ask a few hundred people what they like most, what they like least, what’s the one thing they could remove if they could, what’s the one thing they would add add if they could, and anything else they have to share. The survey is completely anonymous.

In our continuing quest to give everyone a 360-degree view of what it’s like to run a business, here are the results of the latest Backpack survey from a few weeks ago. You’ll see the #1 request is an integrated calendar which we are hard at work on right now actually.

Thanks to everyone who participated. If you have a Basecamp account you’ll see a link to take a survey on your Dashboard right now. We hope you’ll consider participating.

19 comments so far (Jump to latest)

Andy 13 Apr 06

Speaking of calendars, what’s your take on the new Google Calendar? Do you think it should be “less”?

I quite like it after playing with it for a while. I think it is easy to use (you can select a period in the calendar and immediately add an event, or enter “dinner tomorrow 10pm”) but is still quite powerful if you navigate through the options.

JF 13 Apr 06

Like everyone else, we’ve only played around with the Google Calendar for a few minutes (it just came out this morning). We like what we see. They’ve done a very nice job bringing an Outlook-style calendar to the web. But we think there’s a better way to do a calendar. That’s what we’re working on for Backpack.

Brad Garland 13 Apr 06

If there is a better way to do a calendar that hasn’t already been done or tried i’m interested.

The SMS features are what is going to make Google Calendar for me. Now, can you do CRUD functions back via the cell? Oh, and do it easily? We shall see.

Ken Walker 13 Apr 06

JF, any thoughts on 30 Boxes? Are you interested in implementing a similar “sharing” metaphor that GoogleCal and 30B share?

JF 13 Apr 06

Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I don’t have time to comment on everyone else’s implementation of a calendar. You’ll see our thoughts when we release ours.

Brad, Backpack reminders are sent via email/SMS. Have been since day one.

Ruminator 13 Apr 06

Back to the survey, about the only thing I wished for behind calendars was a variety of style sheets to pick from (I like the current style, but something a little wider would be nice).

Don’t worry, I did put that in when I filled out the survey (along with quite a few other people).

Thanks for sharing the results. Too many companies don’t do that.

Jan 13 Apr 06

I must say, Google Calendar is pretty nice. It’s very nice how you can directly manipulate your events. Moving a meeting from 5pm to 11am is a simple drag. Same thing for creating a meeting. Simple smooth drag.

I do feel that setting up a meeting over the internet could be a lot easier. Instead of using email, just point all guests to the same page on the internet. Collaborate through that page instead of mail.

Another annoying thing: no support for foreign languages. So the add to calendar links in gmail don’t appear, and quickly adding an event with natural language is out of the question.

Integration with google page creator would be nice too. (easily adding the google calendar web button, without editing the html code) (on another note, google pages creator is also very nicely done. Smooth as a desktop app, but sometimes buggy)

Matt 13 Apr 06

I hope you won’t interpret the survey results to mean nobody wants writebaord in backpack… their integration into specific pages has become one of backpack’s key attractions for me.

Ruminator 13 Apr 06

Me too, Matt.

JF 13 Apr 06

Writeboards aren’t going anywhere.

Gayle 13 Apr 06

I so appreciate how much 37s shares with the general public - positive, negative, or simply interesting. It’s entirely fascinating and speaks to me of a fundamental integrity in the people involved.

Wow, that sounded pretentious. Um… ignore the haters? :D

Bri 13 Apr 06

A very nice web calendar implementation can be found at 30Boxes

Don Wilson 14 Apr 06

30Boxes is entirely too bloated.

Gregg 15 Apr 06

What are your thoughts on the Mayan Calendar.. jk

I look forward to see the new calendar and its interaction with an already great product.

Cheers.

Ryan 16 Apr 06

What are your thoughts on survey monkey?

PabloPicasso 18 Apr 06

Firstly, i think backpack is brilliant and it is great to see you take such care to get user input.

Have to admit I’m very impressed with the Google calendar, and as well as it having a nice look, and speaking as someone whose life can revolve around sports fixtures, I think the calendar event publishing idea is very good.

I’m really looking forward to see what you come up with as an alternative. For me, the thing that would make an online calendar stand out is easy integration with the calendar on my mobile phone. Many people I’ve talked to find that the calendar option on the mobile phone is the only one of all the extra fancy features of a phone that they actually use.

Kjes 20 Apr 06

Speaking of calendars, what�s your take on the new Google Calendar? Do you think it should be �less�?

i think the google calendar is brilliant, but there is one major drawback. You only get notifications on one calendar. That puts a really big dent in the usabillity.

But we think there�s a better way to do a calendar.

Will there be a standalone version, like the Ta-Da list?

JF 20 Apr 06

Will there be a standalone version, like the Ta-Da list?

Not planned at this time, no.

ff 28 Apr 06

ff