Checkvist and customer responsiveness

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Posted by jaslar
Aug 26, 2015 at 03:51 PM

Based on comments here, I tried to use Checkvist not as a PIM but as a writing tool (for a longer article). While it doesn’t have the streamlined simplicity of Workflowy, I found it by far the most capable writing tool I’ve used since MORE: Checkvist has word count (EVERY writer needs this), lots of export functions, and a multi-modal design (you’re editing a paragraph, or you’re working with structural commands) that works pretty well.

But my work wanders across several platforms in a day: a Windows 7 laptop, Linux desktop, Android tablet, iPad, which is a crazy way to work, I know, but it means that an outliner that doesn’t work with a Bluetooth keyboard’s cursor keys just can’t stay in my work flow. That’s the problem with several apps: Fargo, Checkvist, and even Workflowy (to a lesser extent). So I find it all pushing me toward markdown editors, ideally with folding (Smartdown, Haroopad, Editorial, and even WriteDown), all working off Dropbox files.

But I’m writing to report that when I didn’t use Checkvist for a while, I got an email from one of the founders (Sasha Maximova), inquiring politely if there were any problems with the software that prevented me from using it more? I find that a remarkable attention to customer interests, and the assurance that writing is definitely a “major use case” was reassuring. Sasha encouraged me to post my feature request (which was already on their radar), and check back. I probably will.

Posted by Ken
Aug 26, 2015 at 06:54 PM

While I suspect that these types of messages are automatically generated under certain criteria, I do applaud companies for reaching out to their customers as well as prospective customers. I am not sure what they do with any feedback provided, but then again, I do wonder what they do with forum/blog feedback when hundreds of customers voice their opinions about changes in software. Asana was taken to task for a few changes, and it is not clear if they took their feedback to heart. As I have said before, it would be helpful to understand why some unpopular changes are implemented against customer wishes. You have to wonder if the developers know a better way of approaching a situation, or did they just miss the ball completely? I suspect the latter happens more than we want to see, but it seems like software development in companies, as opposed to solo developers, seems to be dominated by very young staff, and it is not clear that they have the benefit of having used software, good and bad, over the ages unless they make a point of doing so. I’ll drag out my favorite program here, Ecco, and say that some of its features have made their way into modern web 2.0 software, but it seems like marketing at large companies has a large say in what features get included, and that means that many programs converge on the LCD and/or the FOTM sometimes at the expense of functional improvements and features. Nonetheless, any form of open communication is welcome, and should be encouraged. I know that I greatly appreciate the few developers who have chosen to post here over the years.

—Ken

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