The New LinkedIn… “way cool”

There have recently been rumblings of a new user interface for LinkedIn. I’ve been waiting for more information along with everyone else, trying to find time to read the relevant blogs. Getting Mike’s book off to the publisher and getting through a very busy week were my highest priorities however, so I was surprised to see the new interface when I logged on this evening.

I had intended to accept pending invitations quickly before heading out to some networking events. My plans for the evening changed. We immediately sat down to start working through the changes to see what changed, what worked and what questions might come up because our clients, friends, and fans couldn’t find familiar features on new screens.

What a pleasant environment to navigate! The screens are cleaner, the important information I want is easier to find, the profiles more readable. It is as if a three column blog site morphed instantly into two wider columns with easier navigation at the top instead of taking up so much real estate on the left. The home page is less cluttered and the screens more intuitive to navigate.

If you don’t see the new interface yet, be patient. I am sure this will roll out systematically. There are no “Beta” comments and with the rumors of the new styling, I am fairly confident it is here to stay.

With the recent addition of intelligent Twitter integration, the addition of the SAP application, and the reinstatement of being able to sort by number of connections, it is possible that LinkedIn designers and management are listening to users. This could be heralding a shift in the relationship of LinkedIn with its user community. Way cool guys… way cool.

Tagged as: LinkedIn, Lori Ruff, Social Media Expert, Twitter, user