On a recent customer call, after I demonstrated Box Canvas, the admin said this looks great and it all makes sense, but don't you find all that white space intimidating? How do you even get started?
While I'm never surprised when I get asked this question, I'm always a bit taken aback because to me a blank Canvas means possibilities. I find all that white space exhilarating, and I can't wait to fill it up with everything from adoption brainstorms and training icebreakers to marketing plans and editorial calendars. There's just something about having everything in place so I can jump from idea to idea and connect it all that just makes sense ... (let's caveat that with "it makes sense to me").
But, what's great about collaboration is there is more than one way to do it and that holds true for Canvas as well... so, here are some quick tips for getting started based on the feedback I've received from Boxers and customers...
- Start small ... you don't have to jump in and tackle your biggest project. Kick things off with an icebreaker at your next team meeting and get everyone in the mood to be creative.
- Ditch perfection in favor of creativity ... Getting creative can mean being messy. You don't need to line up all your boxes or arrange your sticky notes just so. Sometimes, just getting things on the Canvas is enough to spark ideas.
- Try a template ... if you need help getting started, templates are the perfect way to fill some of that white space. And, you can modify them and make them your own.
- Don't be afraid ... visual thinking helps to layout all the possibilities and get us out of our own heads. I sometimes get stuck on my drawing (is it a cat? a horse? a mobile phone?) but once I get going it's less about the quality of drawing and more about getting ideas on the Canvas.
During the beta, we've seen a ton of amazingly creative Canvases. A few of my favorites were
- a marketing flow diagram that mapped out how users could navigate between pieces of content
- a Boxer who created a Canvas to intro herself to her new manager
- a team who used Canvas for their holiday ugly sweater contest
I can't wait for our roundtable discussion and to hear all the ways you're using Canvas... feel free to drop a use case in comments and give us all a sneak peak.