G
GTDer88
Guest
I have I project that has no NA because I'm still waiting for client approval. My client says I would know by this week or next week. Should I put this project and it's support materials on active or pending list?
GTDer88;45761 said:
Doesn't really matter, as long as you review its status weekly. I would keep it as a project, not as a someday/maybe (this is the terminology I use), with a waiting for on my waiting for list. If the client says yes, the project moves forward; no, and I check it off as done after any needed follow-up on why it didn't get green-lighted.
G
GTDer88
Guest
I use 3 listings types: active, pending, and someday/maybe.
Thanks. I'll put it on my pending list.
Thanks. I'll put it on my pending list.
@Waiting For
Personally I would keep an entry on my Waiting For list. That IS your next action. I am using Outlook Tasks with a category, "@Waiting For". I've also started using the notes section for details and clarification. Example,
Task subject (@Waiting For category)
Joe Smith re: Project XYZ
Task note:
02/07/2007 - should have an answer by the end of the week.
I would also have a separate Task (Projects category), "Project XYZ is delivered".
I started using dates to help me in the Review & Do GTD phases. I also try to phrase my Next Actions so doing a Find (e.g. Project XYZ) pulls up both the project and all related Tasks.
Mark
Personally I would keep an entry on my Waiting For list. That IS your next action. I am using Outlook Tasks with a category, "@Waiting For". I've also started using the notes section for details and clarification. Example,
Task subject (@Waiting For category)
Joe Smith re: Project XYZ
Task note:
02/07/2007 - should have an answer by the end of the week.
I would also have a separate Task (Projects category), "Project XYZ is delivered".
I started using dates to help me in the Review & Do GTD phases. I also try to phrase my Next Actions so doing a Find (e.g. Project XYZ) pulls up both the project and all related Tasks.
Mark
I generally consider delegated actions as 'active,' and consider them as moving my project forward. So I'd have:GTDer88;45761 said:
o a master projects entry
o a folder for your support materials
o an entry on your waiting for list
To keep the project moving ahead, I'd check the waiting for list as often as necessary.
A waiting project, active or pending?
Hi Brent
The original question was where should GTDer88 put the project and it's support materials not the NA.
I would leave the project on the main list and not move it to the someday maybe list because it is current and not something I have decided not to work on at the moment. If the customer came back and said that they want to do it but not right now then I would move it to the Someday Maybe list and perhaps put something in my tickler file.
Pixlz
Brent;45837 said:
Hi Brent
The original question was where should GTDer88 put the project and it's support materials not the NA.
GTDer88;45761 said:
I would leave the project on the main list and not move it to the someday maybe list because it is current and not something I have decided not to work on at the moment. If the customer came back and said that they want to do it but not right now then I would move it to the Someday Maybe list and perhaps put something in my tickler file.
Pixlz
G
GTDer88
Guest
GTDer88;45766 said:Thanks. I'll put it on my pending list.
Actually, I meant on my active list. lol
pixlz;45841 said:
I wouldn't put it on my Someday/Maybe list, because for me, that list contains only things that I haven't committed myself to. So 'learn Japanese' and 'travel to France' would be two things on there.
If I have committed to something, but I'm not ready to start it yet, it goes on my Pending list with a reminder in the tickler file. This way, I keep a clean division between things that I'm committed to and things I'm not, which keeps the reviews pertinent.
A waiting project, active or pending?
Hi Alison how is life in your part of the world?
Actually mine is called pending too. I don't like Someday/Maybe, I have another 'would like to....' list which is where all of the things such as Learn Japanese etc would go but these are all personnal things as I work for someone else at the moment and so they control the strategic stuff
Pixlz
unstuffed;45863 said:
Hi Alison how is life in your part of the world?
Actually mine is called pending too. I don't like Someday/Maybe, I have another 'would like to....' list which is where all of the things such as Learn Japanese etc would go but these are all personnal things as I work for someone else at the moment and so they control the strategic stuff
Pixlz
pixlz;45864 said:
It would be all sunshine, except that it's currently night time. ;-) How are your plans going?
Actually mine is called pending too. I don't like Someday/Maybe, I have another 'would like to....' list which is where all of the things such as Learn Japanese etc would go but these are all personnal things as I work for someone else at the moment and so they control the strategic stuff
I've renamed all of my trays: my Someday/Maybe is called "Dreaming", my Pending is called "Ignoring", and my Waiting For is called "Foot-tapping". One of the things I got from a combination of GTD and a book on Chronic Disorganisation was the realisation that things didn't have to be serious and office-like. Folders don't have to be grey (they're purple
), in-trays don't have to be beige (they're magenta), and names don't have to be dull.It makes working so much nicer.
K
kangmi
Guest
I've never liked Someday/Maybe, so I use Mayhap.
Because any of those items may in fact happen. Or not.
I like Dreaming, however, and I love Foot-Tapping. I may start using that.
Because any of those items may in fact happen. Or not.
I like Dreaming, however, and I love Foot-Tapping. I may start using that.
E
emkay
Guest
I seem to remember someone on this forum (sorry, can't remember who exactly) who named her Outlook columns things like "who's bugging me now" and "when they want this nonsense" and more. It would be worth a look to find that thread, both from a naming options perspective and for its refreshing outlook on work in general.
..and my folders are purple too...
emkay
..and my folders are purple too...
emkay
waiting vs pending
Forgive me if I missed the point but I think that there are two different functions being considered, a single action for which one waits and the recording of the "existence" of a project that is not yet underway. And, each may require somehwat different management.
For an action: Generally one would use@waiting:
If you are waiting for a reply or some other response, and you are waiting for it with a clear expectation that it is forthcoming, your next action is to remind yourself that you are waiting so that if you don't get the response, you are cued to do something.
But, if you expect it by a certain date, and that date is very important, you put it on your calendar (possibly using @waiting as well, if you are a belt and suspender type).
And, if you communicate with the individual about other matters, add it to @adgenda for that person.
If telephoning or using computer (or whatever the context might be) is a special and rare event (e.g., you are in the mountains and can only make calls when you drive to town), you might put it in your @phone to remind you to call and querey (nag).
Regardless, all of the above are a specific action.
In contrast, many of us are not sure what to do with projects that are not active but are not pipe dreams, you believe you are committed to them but can't or won't work on them in the next 7 days. These seem to fall into certain categories:
1. Known start date and you believe you will and can start on that date: put this on calendar. That is pretty clear. On Memorial Day I will pave the driveway. If it rains, I will do it the 4th of July weekend.
2. Start date depends on something you know will happen but you don't know exactly when (I will pave the driveway anyweekend when it is 60 degrees out this spring). I can only guess that crop farmers have worked out best practices for this kind of thing. Maybe watching the weather report needs to go on a checklist??? Maybe they have an @weather=60 degrees context. Maybe you need a list for other things you will do when the weather is warmer.
3. Doing it at all depends on something that could happen. (if I get my bonus, I will repave my driveway). Maybe a list of things you might do if you get the bounus would help.
So why the SDMB for projects that are not really active but not pipedreams? I suspect that David is not worried about people losing track of these but is worried about people loseing track of their wishes and hopes. He is encouraging people to treat the wishes and hopes as if they merit our consideration as much the ones that are clearly in the realm of possibility. He may suspect that if you have a list of active projects and a list of pending projects that you will not review the pipedream projects and thus limit yourself only to our committments.
That being said, I still feel a need for something like To Be Arranged. Kind of like the graduate seminar that you know will atend and you know will start aroudn the first week of schoo but you don't know exactly where or when it will meet. However, you will note that a TBA would have a n/a, such as @school:ask Prof. X where and when the first meeting will be, or that might be on you calender to find out on the date that classes first meet.
But the bigger question for me if what you do with projects that you an only do after certain ones. Do you keep them on SDMB and keep reviewing them?
Forgive me if I missed the point but I think that there are two different functions being considered, a single action for which one waits and the recording of the "existence" of a project that is not yet underway. And, each may require somehwat different management.
For an action: Generally one would use@waiting:
If you are waiting for a reply or some other response, and you are waiting for it with a clear expectation that it is forthcoming, your next action is to remind yourself that you are waiting so that if you don't get the response, you are cued to do something.
But, if you expect it by a certain date, and that date is very important, you put it on your calendar (possibly using @waiting as well, if you are a belt and suspender type).
And, if you communicate with the individual about other matters, add it to @adgenda for that person.
If telephoning or using computer (or whatever the context might be) is a special and rare event (e.g., you are in the mountains and can only make calls when you drive to town), you might put it in your @phone to remind you to call and querey (nag).
Regardless, all of the above are a specific action.
In contrast, many of us are not sure what to do with projects that are not active but are not pipe dreams, you believe you are committed to them but can't or won't work on them in the next 7 days. These seem to fall into certain categories:
1. Known start date and you believe you will and can start on that date: put this on calendar. That is pretty clear. On Memorial Day I will pave the driveway. If it rains, I will do it the 4th of July weekend.
2. Start date depends on something you know will happen but you don't know exactly when (I will pave the driveway anyweekend when it is 60 degrees out this spring). I can only guess that crop farmers have worked out best practices for this kind of thing. Maybe watching the weather report needs to go on a checklist??? Maybe they have an @weather=60 degrees context. Maybe you need a list for other things you will do when the weather is warmer.
3. Doing it at all depends on something that could happen. (if I get my bonus, I will repave my driveway). Maybe a list of things you might do if you get the bounus would help.
So why the SDMB for projects that are not really active but not pipedreams? I suspect that David is not worried about people losing track of these but is worried about people loseing track of their wishes and hopes. He is encouraging people to treat the wishes and hopes as if they merit our consideration as much the ones that are clearly in the realm of possibility. He may suspect that if you have a list of active projects and a list of pending projects that you will not review the pipedream projects and thus limit yourself only to our committments.
That being said, I still feel a need for something like To Be Arranged. Kind of like the graduate seminar that you know will atend and you know will start aroudn the first week of schoo but you don't know exactly where or when it will meet. However, you will note that a TBA would have a n/a, such as @school:ask Prof. X where and when the first meeting will be, or that might be on you calender to find out on the date that classes first meet.
But the bigger question for me if what you do with projects that you an only do after certain ones. Do you keep them on SDMB and keep reviewing them?