Getting User Feedback for Success: Tips and Tools

Today is day 8 of my 29 Days of Open Source Alternatives series, where I'll be exploring open source alternatives to proprietary software in the categories of Game Development and Multimedia, Development Tools and Platforms, Productivity and Collaboration Tools, and more. If you'd like to see the list of the open source alternatives I'll be covering this month, head over to my 29 Days of Open Source Alts Page or check out my bonus lists: open source games and API Development Tools.

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We all need feedback. If we went to grow and succeed, we need to understand our strengths and weaknesses. And I'll bet that many of us have filled out a feedback form to give product feedback.

As a developer experience lead, I'm always looking for ways to get user feedback, to understand better where things could be improved, and how I can be clearer in my writing. It can be really hard to get that feedback, but that's where feedback tools like Typeform, Wufoo, and the open source competitor Formbricks come in.

Formbricks is an Experience Management Suite built on the largest open source survey stack worldwide. Gracefully gather feedback at every step of the customer journey to know what your customers need.

https://github.com/formbricks/formbricks

How to Get Good Feedback

Before you decide on the technology to use to get feedback, you should think about how to get feedback that's accurate, valuable, and effective. Here are some tips to get you started:

1. Define Your Objectives: What do you want to learn from the feedback? Are you looking for insights on usability, features, bugs, or general impressions?

2. Make It Easy to Provide Feedback: Simplify the feedback process to encourage more responses. The less effort it takes to provide feedback, the more likely users are to participate. Ask specific questions, while also providing a space for general comments.

3. Communicate the Value of Feedback: Explain to your users how their feedback will be used to improve the software. Knowing they have the opportunity to shape your product can motivate them to provide more feedback.

4. Act on Feedback: Demonstrate that you value user feedback by responding to it. Whether it's fixing bugs, considering feature requests, or making changes based on usability suggestions, showing that you value the feedback helps to build trust and encourage ongoing engagement.

5. Provide Feedback Channels Early and Often: Integrate feedback opportunities throughout the user journey, from early development stages through to release and beyond. Early feedback can help shape the direction of the project, while ongoing feedback helps with continuous improvement.

Bonus Tip: A welcoming and positive community helps to gain more honest and helpful feedback.

Now that you've thought about how to get effective feedback, let's take a look at how Formbricks could be a solution.

Feedback Spotlight: Formbricks' Features

Formbricks comes with a host of features designed to enhance form building:

• Drag-and-Drop Interface: Simplifies form creation with an intuitive user interface.
• Customizable Design: Offers customization options for form appearance.
• Responsive Layouts: Ensures forms look great on all devices.
• Data Validation: Built-in validation for improved data quality and user experience.
• Integration Capabilities: Easy integration with various backends and services.

I really appreciated being able to use their demo to test workflows and ideas. Definitely check it out if you're interested in using their product.

Comparison with Proprietary Software

Comparing Formbricks with proprietary form builders like Typeform and Wufoo:

Feature	Formbricks	Typeform	Wufoo
Open Source	Yes	No	No
Drag-and-Drop Builder	Yes	Yes	Yes
Customizable Design	Extensive	Limited	Moderate
Responsive Design	Yes	Yes	Yes
Data Validation	Yes	Yes	Yes
Integration Options	High	Moderate	Moderate
Pricing	Free (Open Source) or Paid version with the next-generation features, Pay only for the tracked users.	Subscription-based	Subscription-based

Community

Formbricks has solid health indicators with consistent contributors, a high PR velocity, and high activity rate.

See the full insight page here.

Open Source Stats

• • Stars: 5k
• • Watching: 28
• Forks: 775
• License: AGPLv3

Takeaways

Formbricks offers a great open source form builder alternative with its features and focus on community-driven development. It might not be revolutionizing the field, but it's a strong contender for developers seeking flexibility, customization, and an open source approach. Things to consider before making a decision: your technical expertise, required features, budget, and desired level of support. Remember, the "best" competitor ultimately depends on your specific priorities and preferences.