Makes no difference if you’re a public figure, a business owner, or an average kid on the block – we all have an interest in what the world truly thinks of us. We tally up Likes, views, and tweets online. We comment and feud. We hunger for feedback and the insights that come from taking stock of other viewpoints. But is there a way to make sense of input, to measure it accurately and to make it have real value?
Startup egoBoom thinks so. The company is a feedback platform for constructive criticism. An array of tools such as surveys, photo comparison votes, and critiques, allows users to gather trusted opinions. Responders remain anonymous, which encourages honesty. Sometimes our good friends don’t have the heart to tell us the honest truth even though we place tremendous value on what they have to tell us.
Crowdsource Insight
The key here is arriving at quantifiable data. Anonymity and the ability to collect responses from a select group (of friends, peers, colleagues) are both meant to eliminate the false or crazy replies that skew statistical analysis and obscure the truth.
There are always gaps between self-image and public perception. Understanding the disconnect might make the difference in a company’s fortune or a creative professional’s ability to hold an audience. With real data, it is possible to alter behavior to correct flaws, share positive feedback and thus take more control of online presence, not to mention, finish better work.
In an interview with Tech Cocktail, Founder Steve Kurtz summarized the startup’s intentions this way: “For individuals, egoBoom is primarily used to get constructive feedback about their multi-faceted personality. For business, egoBoom is the best method available for quickly and easily collecting quantified psychometric feedback.”
Imagine being able to ask your closest friends what they really think about your current squeeze. No one is going to tell you to your face if they’re not a fan, yet they might well see the inevitable heartbreak down the road that we’re all blinded to during the initial gaga stage of a relationship. If 150 of your closest 160 confidants anonymously tell you that your partner is a bad match, you’d likely think twice about another date. This should make the potential for personal use of egoBoom apparent immediately.
If you’re a business owner I suppose you could continue reading comments without any filters, but good luck with that. Find yourself a good biohazard suit first. Trying to glean useful information from the average comments section is like trying to assemble lunch from the floor of the subway station. Stay on a platform!
egoBoom is currently in beta. Connect with them on social media here.
