Why do you use The Dots?
There are so many other platforms that have better established design communities. I want to know why you use The Dots and what are the benefits compared to sites including Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Replies9
- Great question!I use it mostly for interaction: Asking questions I couldn't ask elsewhere, or answering to others in a spirit of sharing without looking over one's shoulder. There are things I say or ask here, I wouldn't on LI or Instagram. I never really looked for work here, and I admit I only look at other's people projects when I see a post about it in the feed or I get connected with one person for the first time. I suppose everyone is the same. I know people hanging out here are in the same boat as me, and I can shoot random rants or silly questions and people may want to answer or not. And I answered the same random rants and silly questions from others. I feel it's a very relaxed environment where I don't have to pretend.I also took on a few events (online) when they became a big thing at the beginning, and really no longer do it routinely now. Other stuff going on, some felt like those endless meetings you're stuck in 😂. But maybe it was just down to the provider.I don't go on this website everyday, maybe once or twice a week, and sometimes more if I want to check on specific people or a question I asked. As I said, no pressure.I am also on LinkedIn and still feel very uneasy interacting there (the prospect of landing projects seems higher on LinkedIn though), but the amount of insightful quotes and "life lessons" delivered in one liners (well multiple one liners) is really cringing, which is a thing we don't see here, for now. I hope it'll stay that way.
- Honestly, I'm not sure anymore.As someone who was always intimidated and put off by the 'pissing-match'/coporate feeling of Linkedin, but who wanted to have a space seperate from my website and social media to share my work, The Dots seemed like the logical solution. And for a while, interactions were there; the events were interesting and of course over Lockdown(s), it was booming, with the 'feed' jam-packed every single day— that was a time when the site really came into its own.Yet in the 3+ years I've used it, the tens of projects I've shared, people I've connected with and reached out to, and times I've been featured on here, I've literally been offered one freelance job from it. Nowadays, I see genuine, sensible or interesting questions asked by people which generate hundreds of views but zero interactions. Job sections stay sparse for days or weeks on end. I feel like The Dots suffers a similar fate of many other apps in other fields in that it's completely original, looks the part, is innovative and yet can't seem to generate the level of interaction needed for it to function in the ways that would make it a truly helpful and useful resource.The events are still great, some questions/conversations are still insightful/useful and I see the odd decent job on here, so it's not totally useless, and as far as a portfolio is concerned, it looks really professional, but I just don't think it's worth any real investment as far as time is concerned.
- @Chris Sanders I see, at first it's a job search and opportunity platform but as a I am outside of London, I see the other side of the platform. I have not found gigs here and it's not my focus anymore. For creatives who are actively looking for jobs the dots is a good place to be but not the only one.
- @Keva Epale I think I use it because it’s what’s expected of me.
- Pre-Covid I spent many years in shared studios, between 5 and 10 creatives at any time. We all work at home now and potentially The Dots is part of the process of filling that void. Although we are all happy working independently I think we all miss the support, conversation and debate we used to have. Some platforms are quite mercenary and territorial, and Linkedin is a bit ruthless and superficial, so creatting a safe space that also has the potential to generate new work streams and contacts is important.
- It’s more of a creative/design community-driven, with the perks of allowing your portfolio to be seen in your portfile among your peers and for opportunities for a career or find a freelance gig or two.Then there’s tangible connect between The Dots @Pip Jamieson which organically will promote users among her social channels. Such as “women of the year”.Unlike LinedIn it’s become a social media platform which employees/founders etc are seen as influencers, find LinedIn algorithm to bias not allow users to found amongest their peers.
- Connect, Connect, Connect....BTW, i sent you a connect request
- The Dots does what is states: ''The _Dots'' it connects the dots. That dash we can unlock here, ask and question here.We can share insights, questions, feedback, topics of our industry and emotions on our journey as creatives. The community is the reason why I am on the Dot. By connecting my dots, I can help raise light on certain dots and vice versa for anyone here.It's a positive digital gathering that empowers to share, ask, promote, observe and learn. What about you @Chris Sanders?
- Find work
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