I am looking for tools to document and present product ideas. I will be using them mainly to share ideas with hackers, but occasionally with others as well, so impressiveness is definitely a criterion. Presentations are too lame and mindmaps are too abstract. I liked prezi but not the pricing plans. Suggestions for alternatives?
One part of my idea tool kit is def balsamiq mockups :) / other than that - evernote is good ,drop box or base camp - but as far as one tool ... perhaps that should be your one idea.
I use Microsoft OneNote for jotting down my ideas. I found it pretty fuctional and free flowing for my use. I can also just output a project notebook as a PDF and send it over.
I am proud of whoever at MS made that piece of app.... for some reason it feels different than any of their other stuff.
I like Evernote because it's free, and makes good use of tags and web publishing/sharing. Yet, it's got a long ways to go to catch up to OneNote in terms of the user interface behavior on Windows.
The interface for the EN native app on Windows feels a lot like (what I imagine the reality is) that they've got other priorities than to make it feel perfect. It's glitchy, the keyboard shortcuts aren't very good, it doesn't remember sorts, it doesn't sync with the share quite as cleanly as I'd like, etc.
Ctrl+Shift+B to start a bulleted list? Really? In a note taking app? What's wrong with detecting an asterisk?
They'll get there-- Evernote is great for adding neat features to it that OneNote will never have (e.g. "View in Google Earth"), but what I really want first is a smoother note-taking experience and I'd happily trade out some of the fun integration features.
I've just tried creating an account and logging in to folist, but I get the "You don't have a board" page, and then nothing happens. Am I doing something wrong? There doesn't seem anyone to ask, any links to click ...
I use a firefox plugin called "Pencil" to make GUIs and design interactions. For more complex stuff I go back and forth between DIA and Paint.NET (a graphics editor.)
The first is good for designing networks and servers, as you can draw lines between "nodes" and the lines snap into place. The second is good because it has layers. I put each object in a separate layer for maximum ease of use.
I usually just use a text file (Textmate is my editor of choice) to create a spec sheet describing what my idea is and how it works. From there I share that planning doc with my partner and we start making mockups together (or more likely, she does, since my Photoshop skills suck). If I need to make a mockup for her to clarify something in the text file, I use Photoshop, or since my Photoshop skills suck, pen and paper (not that my pen and paper drawing skills are any better).
No wow factor, but it works for us.
To present ideas to people on the outside, I usually just do it verbally or via email. You should be able to explain your idea in relatively simple terms using nothing but words, imho. Again, no wow factor, but it works for us.
I like to explore my ideas verbally and wish I had a better way to refer back to those audio brainstorms which I sometimes record. One problem is that the audio file is rarely "tight" in terms of signal-to-noise, which makes review tedious. It would be nice if I could cheaply outsource that work to a secretary type who would listen to my rantings and just return to me the salient bits, eliminate the pauses or maybe just transcribe what I say. I've looked into CastingWords but can't justify their prices (~$120 to transcribe a 90-minute recording, 2+ weeks ETA). I think there are strong opportunities for service developers in this space.
I personally use Things (http://culturedcode.com) with a simple "Projects" project created to dump them in. (at least, for directly recording)
However, I also use a whiteboard to scribble stuff on and these can be a great solution for presenting ideas, especially if you can add to them as you present.
I would suggest Balsamiq Mockups too, especially for drawing up interfaces, although you might find that using a "thinner" solution better for you. (Mostly related to the size of the elements in Balsamiq.
