Comments on the GTD Coordinator
I bought the Coordinator (jr. size) and have the following comments on it:
--If you're new to GTD, this is a great way to learn it. The Coordinator is already set up with the right sections, and each section contains pre-printed guidelines for that section (e.g., Contexts), which is extremely helpful as instructions/reminders.
--Even if you prefer going electronic with GTD, experts have told me that paper is a good way to learn the GTD flow.
--The construction quality of the binder seems to be good.
--If you prefer another paper/binder format, like Filofax, you probably could replicate the Coordinator. Supposedly At-A-Glance(?) inserts will also fit in the Coordinator (I haven't looked into that yet).
--The junior size might be too small for those who like more space for writing, so look at the letter-size version as well. Of course, it's a bigger book to carry around.
--One drawback with paper is that you have to carry it around, so if you don't carry a purse or briefcase, then maybe you want to replicate the Coordinator in a zipped binder, so that nothing falls out. (I haven't looked into that either, but Filofax and other companies sell zipped binders.)
--The one major drawback to the Coordinator (other than having to carry it around and having no backup), in my opinion, is that the grayish text and grayish color of the paper make it much harder to read than black text on white paper. In my case, I will definitely look for a black-and-white calendar insert for the Coordinator to replace the calendar section that comes with it (the other sections don't bother me as much, as there is less text on them, other than, of course, my black-ink pen). I also prefer a different layout for the default calendar, so I will explore that as well. I have an old zipped Filofax binder, so I might eventually replicate the Coordinator in that format (although Filofax inserts are not cheap!).
All in all, though, I think the GTD Coordinator can be a very good purchase for anyone new to GTD who needs to learn the GTD flow or anyone who is a paper-based GTD'er and looking for ready-made sections with guidance.
Andy
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