Whenever I'm at a conference I very regularly have to ask the person "Hey, your name, your number, etc" and many times I just pass them my phone to enter their contact info. This is no different. Why type it yourself when they're the ones that have ready knowledge on it and can enter it more quickly?
I think Cardflick is a much better solution. It is still not optimal, but definitely a better solution than Evernote's hello:
1) I have evernote Hello and create my profile. You do the same on your device.
2) We meet and each snap a picture of our QR-like codes generated by the app.
3) Data is imported into our devices and we go on our merry way. It's like bump, but using a QR code.
Downsides: both of you would need the app, but if it saved a lot of typing a networking event I could see it being really popular. Why make someone type their details more than once?
So it didn't surprise me that the product demo video demonstrated a shocking lack of understanding of customer problems and behavior. Okay, everyone's first red flag is surely the idea of taking pictures of faces, so let's pass right over that one. Now, are they really juxtaposing their contact list manager with a rolodex instead of Apple's Contacts app? While showing their app on an iPhone? I know you can import people from your address book, but this is just... a bizarre demo.
Anyway, no one has a problem with how to keep notes on their contacts or remember who they are. People have a problem with not bothering to keep notes on their contacts or remember who they are. The obvious (only?) solution is to automatically "add encounters" when they occur.
I haven't tried norada.com yet, but I've been scoping it out because it seems like using it requires no new behavior (it just goes right into Gmail in Chrome). Any norada users care to comment?
The way I WANT contact management to work is that when I email or call someone for the first time, it starts a case for them, and slowly grows that over time.
Final note, from the appstore reviews of Evernote Hello, another big red flag demonstrating myopia:
"Be aware that this app sends a message (without any warning or chance to review) to people when you add them to the contacts list. In my case it was a little embarrassing to tell my clients that I was trying a new app and didn't know it would send them an email without my knowledge."
That being said, I go to a lot of networking events and I have found that not bringing business cards is the best way to make connections - they often are forgotten or thrown out. What I do is I hand the person my phone and say send yourself an email. Then when you get it tomorrow, reply back and we can talk, maybe arrange to meet up later for drinks or something.
This strategy has been incredibly effective in maintaining the conversaton - usually they send an email with something about the event or what we were talking about and it provides context.
This comment isn't really going toward any great conclusion, really. I feel like they are on to something with the 'give them your phone' part, but doing it wrong by replicating a business card. And nobody wants to take a picture of themselves up close, that's just awkward.
First, like you, I don't think business cards are the solution. Not only are they insanely wasteful, but the only way to "stand out" of the pile of business cards someone inevitably has at the end of an event, is by having the best or most clever design, which is of course all subjective anyway.
I too have started handing my phone over to people I meet who I actually want to engage with later, and usually this involves trading phones, so I can give them my information as well (it's more likely one of the two of us will actually follow up).
That said, it's almost always a different medium where we exchange information. It might be sending a text, adding to contacts, friending on Facebook (if we're really hitting it off), following on Twitter, or simply sending an email. By the end of the night I've initiated conversations in multiple places, and it becomes harder to follow up and remember who is who.
This is why I DO think the design of this application is actually pretty great. The idea of it all being centrally located, based on time/encounters, as well as showing faces, does make sense. The execution, and real-world use however, is where it falls short.
Like others in this thread, I also agree that having someone take a picture of themselves is potentially awkward (I'm sure some people would be perfectly happy to do this, but I'd personally feel odd about it).
The last problem is what kills Bump for me, and that's that it's rare that others have Bump as well. We both have to have the application for it to work, and because of that... I've deleted Bump (as have others). I suppose Evernote has half solved this here, but the trading part of the demo does face this problem.
What makes more sense to me is working with a service like Rapportive, and based on one piece of data, instantly pulling in everything I need to know about this person for future reference, as well as all of their networks.
Secondly, "Add an encounter" is too involved.
Can you imagine if I had to go to a client and ask him to take a picture of him, going to "photo booth-mode"?[^1] Or a potential client, met somewhere?
[^1]: The video says the go automatically to "photo booth-mode" so I wouldn't have to ask, but still…
All users hold their phones in one hand. Put their phone-holding hand in the middle. And then, all together, raise their hands at the same time. (Think awesome team building morale boost.)
You would get:
1. The history of which elements were around you during such Captain Planet amazingness.
2. The contact information for whoever possesses: Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, and everyone's favorite... Heart.
3. The location where Captain Planet should find you.
4. A clear reminder you grew up in the 90s.
I still hand business cards to people, but only after 2-3 minutes of conversation and only as a means to prevent having to spell my name and email/twitter in a crowded, noisy environment. I collect all of the cards I get and batch process them later, following folks on twitter, adding contacts, etc. This systems works much better for me and seems more efficient than typing into my phone.
Becky: Friend of Kellie, works at UT. Likes chicken n' waffles.
At Nau's: Omar is young. Lulu is young. Gilbert is older.
I have been collecting a lot of information on Evernote and I am also getting rid of my online social profile. I certainly do not think social networking in Evernote can be of any use.