Comments on: The process of being productive http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/ The Omni Mouth: standing outside your bedroom window playing \"In Your Eyes\" since 2006. Tue, 02 Dec 2008 04:23:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: j-lon http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-43095 j-lon Wed, 21 Mar 2007 07:53:59 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-43095 Just make the iCal syncing work, so I can get everything into my PDA. If that worked in KGTD, I'd pretty much be set. I also hope that in simplifying it, you don't completely abandon the outline metaphor from OO. At least for me, being able to organize projects as collapsible outlines really makes them easier to work with. I have certain project types that repeat over and over again with relatively minor changes. It's great to open a template in KGTD, name it and then have the thing active there. But because the syncing does really work, I can't differentiate which repeated task goes with which project. Just make the iCal syncing work, so I can get everything into my PDA.

If that worked in KGTD, I’d pretty much be set.

I also hope that in simplifying it, you don’t completely abandon the outline metaphor from OO. At least for me, being able to organize projects as collapsible outlines really makes them easier to work with.

I have certain project types that repeat over and over again with relatively minor changes. It’s great to open a template in KGTD, name it and then have the thing active there.

But because the syncing does really work, I can’t differentiate which repeated task goes with which project.

]]> By: Nieske http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-35596 Nieske Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:59:39 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-35596 Also, the ability to give tasks priorities is something I liked about one of the apps I tried out (I don't even remember which one it was). I'm not sure if it's completely in line with GTD, but since I always have dozens of tasks to do at a time, that'd be a nice way to add some more structure. Also, the ability to give tasks priorities is something I liked about one of the apps I tried out (I don’t even remember which one it was). I’m not sure if it’s completely in line with GTD, but since I always have dozens of tasks to do at a time, that’d be a nice way to add some more structure.

]]> By: Nieske http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-35151 Nieske Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:42:55 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-35151 I've been working with OO/kGTD off and on for a while, but I'm not completely satisfied with it. I've tried some of the software that was mentioned in previous comments to this post, and actually it's just made me appreciate the OO/kGTD combi more. For example, Midnight Inbox looks delish, but it's terribly slow on my year-and-a-half-old iBook G4. What I've also come to appreciate about kGTD is that you can edit your projects and actions anywhere, in any view. What I did like about Midnight Inbox is the ability to add notes easily from anywhere in the program (command-enter), but I think Quicksilver integration would be even better. I’ve been working with OO/kGTD off and on for a while, but I’m not completely satisfied with it. I’ve tried some of the software that was mentioned in previous comments to this post, and actually it’s just made me appreciate the OO/kGTD combi more. For example, Midnight Inbox looks delish, but it’s terribly slow on my year-and-a-half-old iBook G4. What I’ve also come to appreciate about kGTD is that you can edit your projects and actions anywhere, in any view.
What I did like about Midnight Inbox is the ability to add notes easily from anywhere in the program (command-enter), but I think Quicksilver integration would be even better.

]]> By: Daniel http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-34855 Daniel Tue, 27 Feb 2007 22:00:02 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-34855 Eh, I just throw everything up in the air and run away as fast as I can. I'm considering a career in the circus. Then I won't have to be productive – everybody will just pay me for my ridiculously good looks and naturally green hair and red nose. Actually, I must say my life "being productive" was slightly easier when my PowerBook wasn't out of commission, like it has for the past two months. I used kGTD a *lot* more, then, in conjunction with a Weekly Moleskine Planner and index cards (which very conveniently fit nicely right in the Moleskine). Now I'm leaning heavy on the Moleskine and index cards. And while I usually always have my PowerBook with me (granted, when it's working), I'm really starting to think I'll rely from here on out on either my current paper-based system or wait to see what goodies the iPhone has. I'm planning on it now being pretty much only handheld (i.e. something that fits in my pocket; and not quite a 17" PowerBook at that... I don't want people asking anymore, "Is that a 17" in your pants?") all the way. I recently attempted to replace my txt "scratch" file that I use for random thoughts/general inbox with Stikkits, and while it was easy to upload thoughts and such (presuming I was near an internet connection and a computer), I really got in the habit of never again thinking about them. Stikkits was sort of the Land of No Return, and since there's no mechanism yet (a widget maybe?) that keeps those stickit notes in front of me, I don't think it's a reliable system for me. So now I'm just waiting... Leopard has some nifty stuff coming up of course, but based on what we know (system-wide to-dos, feeding into iCal), I really don't know if that'll do it completely for me. (And iCal lacks contexts and projects. That really sucks.) Hopefully OmniFocus will be able to replace kGTD when it comes out (and system-wide integration! woo hoo!), and it'd be just sheer coolness if you guys were able to create a full-featured iPhone counterpart version. That would really be one well-contained system. I think then I'd be happy. Oh, and with a cookie. I'd want a cookie too, then I'd be really happy. Eh, I just throw everything up in the air and run away as fast as I can. I’m considering a career in the circus. Then I won’t have to be productive – everybody will just pay me for my ridiculously good looks and naturally green hair and red nose.

Actually, I must say my life “being productive” was slightly easier when my PowerBook wasn’t out of commission, like it has for the past two months. I used kGTD a *lot* more, then, in conjunction with a Weekly Moleskine Planner and index cards (which very conveniently fit nicely right in the Moleskine).

Now I’m leaning heavy on the Moleskine and index cards. And while I usually always have my PowerBook with me (granted, when it’s working), I’m really starting to think I’ll rely from here on out on either my current paper-based system or wait to see what goodies the iPhone has. I’m planning on it now being pretty much only handheld (i.e. something that fits in my pocket; and not quite a 17″ PowerBook at that… I don’t want people asking anymore, “Is that a 17″ in your pants?”) all the way.

I recently attempted to replace my txt “scratch” file that I use for random thoughts/general inbox with Stikkits, and while it was easy to upload thoughts and such (presuming I was near an internet connection and a computer), I really got in the habit of never again thinking about them. Stikkits was sort of the Land of No Return, and since there’s no mechanism yet (a widget maybe?) that keeps those stickit notes in front of me, I don’t think it’s a reliable system for me.

So now I’m just waiting…

Leopard has some nifty stuff coming up of course, but based on what we know (system-wide to-dos, feeding into iCal), I really don’t know if that’ll do it completely for me. (And iCal lacks contexts and projects. That really sucks.)

Hopefully OmniFocus will be able to replace kGTD when it comes out (and system-wide integration! woo hoo!), and it’d be just sheer coolness if you guys were able to create a full-featured iPhone counterpart version. That would really be one well-contained system.

I think then I’d be happy. Oh, and with a cookie. I’d want a cookie too, then I’d be really happy.

]]> By: Stephen Chakwin http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-34750 Stephen Chakwin Tue, 27 Feb 2007 16:26:48 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-34750 I'm using an applet called Actiontastic and it's pretty good, but am looking for something that can serve me better. I don't want to repeat what's already been posted, a lot of which I agree with, but instead share my needs. To my mind, there are a couple of issues: first, I have to be able to jump back and forth from level to level - if I'm working on listing projects and suddenly I think of a next action on an old one, I want to get there, throw it in to where I can find it, and get back to what I was doing without losing concentration. Same for adding a context. The level-to-level issue works in a different way as well. I need to flick back and forth between seeing all my projects and drilling down into any one of them to see next actions (and even be able to create sub-projects for any given project [if I'm writing a book about Haydn quartets or Mesopotamian architecture, I will have the book as an overall project with its own action items (meet with publisher, design cover, whatever) and have subprojects that are part of it, but will have their own constellations of next actions (Opus 33 quartets chronology, history of zigurrats, whatever) BUT - and here's where it gets tricky - I need to be able to generate my context-driven lists so I can see them clearly and work off them, either from the computer screen or from printouts. The point of an app like this one has to be ease of use in both inputting information and in retrieving it. If the information is in there but buried or obscured by the display, it's going to be useless. Also, even though this is probably GTD heresy, a given acton item might have two contexts or perhaps more, so I should be able to tag it so that it appears in my "NYC", "on-line" and "talk to Dan about" contexts if it happens that I need to be on line to do this, have to be using the computer in my NY office for it, and need to coordinate with Dan about how best to make it happen. You as a company seem resistant to the idea of cloning (ethical concerns?? ) - I'm amazed that I still can't do this in OO, after years of requests by all kinds of people and some pointed comments by Ted Goranson in his outliner series in ATPM - but you are probably going to have to have some kind of cloning (finally) in this product if you allow multiple contexts of action items. It doesn't make much sense for me to look at the item in my "discuss with Dan" context, fine-tune it there, and then when I'm at the right computer find that I'm dealing with an iteration of my task that doesn't have my latest thinking in it. I think your beta-testing is going to be really helpful to you, since it's going to involve people using this intensely on things that are important to them and that they have to deal with on a constant basis (and I think that means that you'd better find some way for people to protect the data they entrust to the beta so that the price of being a beta tester doesn't include having the organizational structure of your life crash and burn beyond retreival). So, that's what I think. Good luck and move fast. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's anxious to see the result. I’m using an applet called Actiontastic and it’s pretty good, but am looking for something that can serve me better. I don’t want to repeat what’s already been posted, a lot of which I agree with, but instead share my needs. To my mind, there are a couple of issues: first, I have to be able to jump back and forth from level to level - if I’m working on listing projects and suddenly I think of a next action on an old one, I want to get there, throw it in to where I can find it, and get back to what I was doing without losing concentration. Same for adding a context.
The level-to-level issue works in a different way as well. I need to flick back and forth between seeing all my projects and drilling down into any one of them to see next actions (and even be able to create sub-projects for any given project [if I’m writing a book about Haydn quartets or Mesopotamian architecture, I will have the book as an overall project with its own action items (meet with publisher, design cover, whatever) and have subprojects that are part of it, but will have their own constellations of next actions (Opus 33 quartets chronology, history of zigurrats, whatever) BUT - and here’s where it gets tricky - I need to be able to generate my context-driven lists so I can see them clearly and work off them, either from the computer screen or from printouts.
The point of an app like this one has to be ease of use in both inputting information and in retrieving it. If the information is in there but buried or obscured by the display, it’s going to be useless. Also, even though this is probably GTD heresy, a given acton item might have two contexts or perhaps more, so I should be able to tag it so that it appears in my “NYC”, “on-line” and “talk to Dan about” contexts if it happens that I need to be on line to do this, have to be using the computer in my NY office for it, and need to coordinate with Dan about how best to make it happen. You as a company seem resistant to the idea of cloning (ethical concerns?? ) - I’m amazed that I still can’t do this in OO, after years of requests by all kinds of people and some pointed comments by Ted Goranson in his outliner series in ATPM - but you are probably going to have to have some kind of cloning (finally) in this product if you allow multiple contexts of action items. It doesn’t make much sense for me to look at the item in my “discuss with Dan” context, fine-tune it there, and then when I’m at the right computer find that I’m dealing with an iteration of my task that doesn’t have my latest thinking in it.
I think your beta-testing is going to be really helpful to you, since it’s going to involve people using this intensely on things that are important to them and that they have to deal with on a constant basis (and I think that means that you’d better find some way for people to protect the data they entrust to the beta so that the price of being a beta tester doesn’t include having the organizational structure of your life crash and burn beyond retreival). So, that’s what I think. Good luck and move fast. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s anxious to see the result.

]]> By: Linda R. http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-33672 Linda R. Sat, 24 Feb 2007 17:15:19 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-33672 I take a little blue pill, and married a super-organized person. Now I can remember that I have a great organizational program on my new macbook, but fortunately I don't have to learn how to use it..... I take a little blue pill, and married a super-organized person. Now I can remember that I have a great organizational program on my new macbook, but fortunately I don’t have to learn how to use it…..

]]> By: Mauricio http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-33458 Mauricio Fri, 23 Feb 2007 12:22:03 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-33458 And i also find very useful the way KGTD allows me to structure (indent) tasks in a project And i also find very useful the way KGTD allows me to structure (indent) tasks in a project

]]> By: Mauricio http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-33414 Mauricio Fri, 23 Feb 2007 08:12:44 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-33414 I follow the GTD system very close in my daily work and i find KGTD a great tool for doing that. The key ingredient KGTD has for me beside GTD implementation, it is the fact that is based on omnioutliner and i can easily add new columns for useful data, like the hours spent in a task. I organise my work projects in this way and i have new hopes in omnifocus I follow the GTD system very close in my daily work and i find KGTD a great tool for doing that. The key ingredient KGTD has for me beside GTD implementation, it is the fact that is based on omnioutliner and i can easily add new columns for useful data, like the hours spent in a task. I organise my work projects in this way and i have new hopes in omnifocus

]]> By: LostinaFog http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-32797 LostinaFog Wed, 21 Feb 2007 00:04:53 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-32797 My whole system broke down after my PowerBook got stolen last summer. Then I started a new job in November and was issued a new MacBook Pro. But my 20 person company uses Daylite for its calendaring and they want to control all the category settings in order to use reporting from Daylite for some financial engineering and allocation. Sigh....it all worked with kGTD and ical last summer, but I am being singularly unsuccessful today trying to shoehorn a real computerized system on top of a Daylite,Apple Mail, Treo 650 toolset. I really just need it to work. I really just need it yesterday. You know you want me on your beta list! Cheers, David My whole system broke down after my PowerBook got stolen last summer. Then I started a new job in November and was issued a new MacBook Pro. But my 20 person company uses Daylite for its calendaring and they want to control all the category settings in order to use reporting from Daylite for some financial engineering and allocation.

Sigh….it all worked with kGTD and ical last summer, but I am being singularly unsuccessful today trying to shoehorn a real computerized system on top of a Daylite,Apple Mail, Treo 650 toolset.

I really just need it to work. I really just need it yesterday. You know you want me on your beta list!

Cheers,
David

]]> By: front http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-32789 front Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:12:16 +0000 http://blog.omnigroup.com/2007/02/05/the-process-of-being-productive/#comment-32789 Can you PLEASE, give us a rough date for the beta, and for the final release? Can you PLEASE, give us a rough date for the beta, and for the final release?

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