(Disclosure: Behance is a sponsor of Cranking Widgets – but that doesn’t mean I am obligated to give anything but my honest opinion regarding their products. The following review is comprised of my untrammeled thoughts and reactions – nothing more, nothing less)
The first thing I noticed about the sample product I received from Behance was the almost Apple-like attention to detail. Everything came in high-quality plastic packaging (no shrink-wrapping for these folks) and simply looked great. Even the stationary looks awesome. It’s the kind of thing that makes you excited to be more productive (much like Moleskine products, especially for me). You can tell that a good deal of hard work and thought went into the design of products like this, and you feel like you’d almost be insulting them if you didn’t use their powers for good.
Of all of the products I received, my favorite hands-down is the Action Pad. For me, it’s the ideal tool for meetings and other brainstorming sessions. At the top left, you jot down the main idea/purpose of what you’re doing. Below that, in the Notations section, you empty your head or scrawl down the relevant information from the meeting. From that, you fill in the Action Steps column on the right (as well as the Backburner field at the bottom for anything that’s not immediate). You’ve got all of your raw brain contents right along side the resulting list of actions, all on a single page.
These pages are laid out how I believe most people think. You start off with a general area of focus, get everything down on paper, then organize it into a logical, intelligent workflow. It’s even 3-ring binder ready!
Another product I found to be stellar is the Action Pad Mini. Essentially, it’s a more compact version of the Action Pad. Perfect for organizing action items after you just had an impromptu meeting with your boss in the lunchroom and all of your notes were hastily written on the back of an envelope or a paper towel. Again, giving you a fantastic place to collect and organize the otherwise-chaotic data that comes shooting out of your head when the creative juices start flowing. As an added bonus, it’s small enough to easily fit in your backpack or briefcase for productivity on the go.
Obviously no product is a silver bullet for helping you accomplish your tasks, but Behance has certainly taken great steps in the right direction with their outfitter products. Definitely take a closer look and try them out, I’ve found them to be extremely helpful.
Technorati Tags: productivity, tools, paper, behance, action items, moleskine
Written by Brett Kelly
Productivity, The Office