On Tuesday, April 17th BT launched the v1.0 production version of BT Tradespace.  BT Tradespace is designed to create a web-based conversation between buyers and sellers (via the Tradespace itself) and between businesses (potentially partners) as well as buyers/sellers via BT-sponsored and promoted Communities (like Gardening, Home Improvement, Photography, London, and on and on).  Here are some interesting examples:

Tradespace Site - Jill's New and Used Office Furniture

Community - Photography

In the cold reality of a web-based naked conversation, feedback (good, bad, indifferent) comes in quickly and with a sharp eye.  As examples, here's some feedback from GoonerChris posted on the forum boards at discuss.bttradespace.com.

"Hi all at BT Tradespace, my name is Chris (the hints in the user name lol) and came across this site by accident and how good is this!! My site is aimed at all PC users and i provide a remote cleaning service. I have been providing this service for about 3 years and even though i have a website most of my new clients are word of mouth. With this site i hopfully will gain lots more customers and find more services that i can use."

But Dennis Howlett of AccMan Pro has a different perspective in his article titled 'BT Tradespace is Grim'.  Some very valid feedback in his bullet points that I know the development team are looking at closely.  It's always hard to hear the word 'vomit' in a review, , but it gets your attention!  In the same vein, some of his concerns actually conflict with direct feedback from alpha and beta test users and focus groups, so then there is the challenge of balance.

So what are the Conversational Web lessons?

1.  Just like web conversations are key to buyers actively connecting with sellers, so to are they key to developers actively connecting with a passionate and invested audience.  Feedback has never been more available.  If you don't listen to feedback from your customers, whether you're a furniture shop or a large telco, you will suffer the consequences.  The Conversational Web is all about ensuring everyone, from tech-focused dev team to sole trader, has access to the tools that enable this dialogue.  I expect the BT Tradespace team to be actively responding to Dennis over the coming days and weeks.  A real web conversation with big impacts.

2.  Every conversation must be weighed and prioritized.  My friend JHoskins (who I would link to if I knew where!) made a very solid point on the signal-to-noise issue with conversational/interactive web tools.  How do you value a rating or a referral?  How do you know if the feedback you're seeing is from a single bad experience, or a series of experiences?  This extends to the tough reality of building software.  There are a lot of itches out there, and it's hard to scratch them all.  I think when things don't hit the mark, it's often because the functionality was designed to scratch too many itches, none as well as potentially possible.  And so the task of the Conversational Web is to provide tools that help a seller (of furniture or software) receive as much feedback as possible, parse through it, and see trends.  Maybe that means the next generation of blog-scraping and RSS feed tools could also include some functionality to help me collect like feedback, rank that feedback based on the individual providing it, 'bubble up' recurring themes, and respond more effectively.

3.  You have to want and encourage interactions.  The conversational web only works when everyone is engaged and pushing forward.  For SMEs, this means actively asking their best customers to rate and refer them.  For software developers, it means actively recruiting the smartest in the industry and inviting them to hold a public dialogue with you.

Will watch and see how things unfold.