Just started the book - is this even relevant anymore?

[Allaway1]

Hi All -

I just started reading the book, but stopped when I got to the section about file folders and organizing your paper. I am the CEO of a software/services company, and I don't have any paper. The mention of printed software manuals, filing systems, printed reference materials, and written notes makes me think this is a system for a different age. I am excited by the premise/promise of the system, but I want something practicable for an online lifestyle.

Is it worth it to keep reading?

Is there an updated version that is relevant to this decade?

Thanks!

 

[Folke]

I am sure you still have paper, but I do get your point. It may feel a bit strange to read about manila folders in an age when many people use tags and other categorizations in a software app.

But of course it is still relevant. It describes how you can (mentally) categorize the stuff in your life (next actions, someday/maybe, areas of responsibility etc) and in what order and manner you can deal with these. Then you can implement that on paper, if you like, or you can use simple list apps (e.g. GTasks, Wunderlist etc) or some more advanced GTD/todo app.

I agree that there would seem to be a market for a modern version of GTD which elaborates more on the useful additional things you could do with an appropriately designed advanced app on a computer, which would be impossible or not worthwhile when using paper or a simple list app, but which would be perfectly in line with the GTD approach and would help users with special demands. Let me mention one such possibility just as an illustration:

The book (perfectly correctly) describes that you can prepare your actions for convenient access by separating them by "context" (a place, tool, person etc that is required to be at hand in order for you to be able to do the task). Obviously, when using paper or a simple app, you can only place each task on one such list (in one such context), and that poses certain limitations on how you can define your contexts. With a more powerful computer app it is perfectly possible to place a task on as many "lists" as you want without having to duplicate it. All you need to do is "tag" the task (categorize it) with all the relevant contexts, as many as you like, and then use the appropriate filtering/grouping/sorting options. This can enable you to use contexts much more dynamically, being able to create an ad hoc list (define a temporary "aggregate context") that much more closely resembles the situation you are actually in right now (e.g. errands; requiring laptop, not requiring John or Elsa).

Unfortunately there is no updated version (yet) that I am aware of. The more advanced computer apps tend to add functionality that may or may not be in line with the GTD line of thought. In many apps, GTD's emphasis on reviews and dynamic choices seem to has been only perfunctorily addressed (minimal creativity), whereas date planning has been exploited and relied upon excessively (despite GTD's cautioning against it).

Please note that many people prefer the minimalistic original "paper version" of GTD even when they have a computer. You will find many proponents for that approach on this forum, and I think they will be able to advise you on how and why you should use it.

 

[PeterW]

I just started reading the book, but stopped when I got to the section about file folders and organizing your paper. I am the CEO of a software/services company, and I don't have any paper. The mention of printed software manuals, filing systems, printed reference materials, and written notes makes me think this is a system for a different age. I am excited by the premise/promise of the system, but I want something practicable for an online lifestyle.

Is it worth it to keep reading?

Yes, it's absolutely worth it to keep reading. Many of us still use paper but the media isn't really important. It's the processes, the handling of the information, the concepts that are important and still totally relevant.

For example, the section about keeping a supply of file folders, dividers, and a labelling machine handy are all about workflow and ensuring that information is easy to find. For you, this may translate into ensuring you have appropriate folders on your server and shortcuts so that electronic documents can be filed quickly and easily rather than just accumulate on your computer's desktop or everything being saved into an amorphous 'documents' folder. The "stuff" you have to process might be all electronic, e.g. email or information from a helpdesk or project planning system or development system rather than pieces of paper. But the workflow remains the same for processing this information, e.g. what is it?, is it actionable?, what is the next action?, etc.

 

[Oogiem]

Hi All -

I just started reading the book, but stopped when I got to the section about file folders and organizing your paper. I am the CEO of a software/services company, and I don't have any paper. The mention of printed software manuals, filing systems, printed reference materials, and written notes makes me think this is a system for a different age. I am excited by the premise/promise of the system, but I want something practicable for an online lifestyle.

Is it worth it to keep reading?

Is there an updated version that is relevant to this decade?

Thanks!

Absolutely worth reading. First off I doubt anyone, even the most ardent electronic office user has zero paper. Second, you can organize your electronic documents in the same fashion. I'm just going through and cleaning out, renaming as necessary and filing in appropriate folders my entire computer filing system. Something over 20k documents. The debris and crusty junk built up over several decades of use with out a really clear plan and with several aborted attempts to manage those files. I have pulled old files forward into new formats from when I got my first personal computer and a few from when I was working on mainframes and minicomputers so some files are over 35 years old. I just translate the paper references to electronic ones.

Plus, the most common recommendation when people are asking about a list manager, especially if youa re new to GTD is to use paper. The initial mind sweeps are also often best done on 1/4 of a page of paper, one thought to a page so that they are easier to organize.

Stick it out, GTD is a methodology that is more appliocable now than it ever was.

As to a new version, yes, David Allen is working on a new revision of the original Getting Things Done book. I have it pre-ordered for my kindle from Amazon. The expected release date is in March of this year.

But I still suspect that he will talk about paper because that is still so important for all users.

 

[Allaway1]

Thanks all!

I read past the file folder section and it is starting to make a little more sense.

And for the doubters about paper, you are sort of correct. I did a "pre-collection" dry run, and did find some receipts that have not yet been scanned and physical copies of my tax returns, but that's it for paper. So my physical filing system will have two folders!

Now that I understand the "in box" can be a metaphor and not just a physical thing, it's starting to make more sense.

 

[mcogilvie]

Hi All -

I am the CEO of a software/services company, and I don't have any paper. The mention of printed software manuals, filing systems, printed reference materials, and written notes makes me think this is a system for a different age. I am excited by the premise/promise of the system, but I want something practicable for an online lifestyle.

Is there an updated version that is relevant to this decade?

There is a 2nd edition scheduled to appear in 2015. However, I anticipate that paper will still feature prominently as many people have to deal with it. However, the basic principles are the same for digital information: you have to put it where it needs to be for you. I am almost completely digital, but it has been highly nontrivial to get everything where it needs to be. Briefly, I use a yearly archive for email and use search, threading and flags to find email as needed. I use a folder hierarchy (in Dropbox) based on areas of focus and projects for action-related digital files. Reference material is in Evernote. None of this is close to what David Allan recommends for paper, but I did have to figure out what worked for me. I suck at paper, though, so it's all good. The details of implementations vary, but the principles are the same.

 

[Oogiem]

So my physical filing system will have two folders!

Now that I understand the "in box" can be a metaphor and not just a physical thing, it's starting to make more sense.

I'm surprised at your lack of paper and would question whether you are being complete in your assessment. I have things like social security and medicare information, passports, insurance certificates, motor vehicle ownership documents, birth and marriage certificates, documents regarding investments with original signatures, federal inspection certificates for the sheep flock with original signatures that I have to keep, by law, for 7 years, sheep sales records, medical testing results for federal monitored sheep diseases that are certified with embossed seals, sheep registration papers with embossed seals that must be surrendered when the sheep are sold, manuals for equipment and hardware that are not available on the Internet, genealogical data and some original documents related to family history, photos, slides, books, magazines, some reference and some just for reading, paper bills for companies that do not provide on-line options, articles of incorporation with original signatures and embossed state seals, official finding regarding water rights, water share ownership certificates, deeds to real estate, lease agreements with signatures and more. Even if you are not managing those files yourself, someone is and you may need to interact with them. So it behooves you to understand where they are, how they are filed and what actions might be required regarding them.

I'd be a lot more expansive in your search for materials that need to be included in your GTD system.

As for inboxes, I have a physical paper one, I also have an e-mail inbox that collects messages from 12 different e-mail accounts that I must monitor. Then there are inboxes like my list manager inbox for direct digital inputs, Ravelry, Twitter, Facebook business pages and forums like here.

I'd strongly suggest you finish the GTD bvook, and then go read Making it All Work and Ready For Anything as all 3 expound on the GTD concepts and I think you get more out of the entire program if you look at all aspects.

Also don't think that GTD is only for your work life. Is equally if not more relevant to personal life situations.