Creativity and Customization in New Media

One of the interesting trends of new media we’ve discussed is the ability of virtually anyone, anywhere to share their story online through various tools and services. But are those tools tailored to the people who are using those features?

The answer increasingly is yes. Instead of clashing with its users on what the desired features should be, Twitter is adapting to the demands of its user base, and is extremely attentive to usage trends.

An in-depth article in the New York Times analyzed these trends and noted that many of the core features of the site such as search, #hashtag, referring to posts as tweets, Lists, and Retweets came from user-driven creativity.

The article also mentions various cases where users re-purposed a service with completely different intentions:

1. The photo-sharing site Flickr initially was a photo-based game. The photo-sharing feature was a small aspect but eventually outshone the other features in popularity, its founders reinvented the website to be geared to purely sharing.
2. Open source firms and the movement as a whole relies on user innovation, and startups such as Bug Labs enable customers to create their own hardware.
3. Ford Motor – a traditional, non-technology company – became that Sync, a voice-activated platform for its cars, was being modified. Originally intended for pulling GPS coordinates and directions and blasting music from either the CD player or iPod, advanced users were customizing the on-board computer. Ford recognized its potential and formally invited researchers and students to develop new features.

The harmony between the user community and the creators is a positive step within business and reflects the fact that new media bolsters both creativity and collaboration. More services in the future will likely offer customization features to an increasingly savvy userbase, and we can expect initial features to eventually be refined.

Works Cited

Twitter Serves Up Ideas From Its Followers by Claire Cain Miller, the New York Times, October 26, 2009. Available at: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/26/technology/internet/26twitter.html