Ask questions creatively — Wonder Tools
OpinionX, a new survey service, plus useful newsletters and Refind, a helpful aggregator
In this post, I’m sharing a couple of quick updates on services I like; a new way to create feedback surveys; a bunch of useful newsletters; and a new useful aggregator.
If you find Wonder Tools posts useful, I have a quick favor to ask: would you share input in this survey? It’s a new kind of quick questionnaire with mostly agree/disagree questions and a game-like feel. I designed it with a new service called OpinionX. Thanks in advance!
Quick Updates
Grain 2.0 launched this week with new features. Use it to save and share highlights from Zoom meetings. I like the way it transcribes a recording and then lets you scan the meeting text, highlight the notable part, and share a link to the video clip. I wrote about Grain and other online meeting video tools.
mmhmm is a useful app that helps you present more creatively on Zoom, Google Meet or any other online meeting service. Today, May 27, marks the app’s 1st birthday & the launch of version 2, dubbed Chunky, with lots of new features. To see what’s new, there’s a summer demo series. I wrote about how and why I find mmhmm useful, along with a short 🎥 video.👇
OpinionX — a new approach to surveys
Check out the new OpinionX tool in action here, while also helping me keep improving this newsletter for you. I’ll share what I learn soon. What’s unique about this survey approach is that rather than asking open-ended questions, OpinionX allows you to surface preferences by asking quick yes/no questions, then quick comparison questions. Then you can add your own thought. It’s a new paradigm for surveys.
You can use it for free for up to 50 survey respondents to gather input on anything you’re working on. Take my survey to see how it works with a real example.
On the subject of asking questions, StoryCorps has a terrific collection of great questions to ask to spark a good conversation, and great guides for StoryCorps-style interviewing.
Newsletters to Help Expand Your Toolkit
If you like discovering useful sites, apps and services, here are some I read and recommend.
Creativerly— Helpful sites, apps and other resources, mostly new tools. See a recent issue. (For newsletter nerds: publishes using Ghost and Mailgun).
Cool Tools Newsletter— Useful tools of all kinds, from nifty staplers to cool apps. See back issues. (Publishes via Mailchimp).
Journalist’s Toolbox Newsletter— Useful sites for anyone who works with words and information, whether or not you’re a journalist. See a typical issue. I guest-wrote this issue. (Publishes via Substack)
Creator Tools Weekly— “Five fantastic apps or tools to help you create, publish or sell your content. Sent on Thursdays by the team at Content OD.” See a recent issue. (Publishes via Revue).
Product Hunt Newsletter — One of the best spots online to discover new digital things, Product Hunt posts a summary email — choose daily or weekly.
Poynter Try This Newsletter— Published periodically, includes a wide range of useful tools. I guest-write this sometimes. See a typical issue.
Refind
Refind gives you five useful links every day. Start by picking topics or publications that interest you. Then get give useful articles by email on those topics daily or weekly. Or opt out of email and check the recommended links when you return to the site.
Pricing: Refind is free on the Web or on iOS or Android. If you love it, you can choose to pay $10 monthly or $89 a year for premium, which lets you read ad-free, listen to articles, and make your own collections.
Refind curates deep dives on some great topics, like “better thinking” by Anne-Laure Le Cunff, who is great (and who apparently just got married).
Her weekly newsletter, Maker Mind, is excellent— with neuroscience-based insights on creativity, learning, and productivity. For smaller doses, follow her on 🐦 Twitter. Or watch 4-minute videos 📺 on learning and creativity on her YouTube channel. I recently paid to join the Ness Labs community she runs - I consider her one of my teachers-from-a-distance, though we’ve never met.
If you do occasionally read this newsletter, thanks in advance for sharing your thoughts on Wonder Tools in this new survey. Your input is appreciated. Thanks.