Organising Reference Material and PKMs

Zaneta

Registered
I've recently jumped on the Obsidean bandwagon and absolutely love it.
Though in time, researching the best way to get the most out of the application, I came across a few other Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) systems.
- Johnny Decimal
- PARA
- Zettelkasten
- plus others I don't remember or just haven't stumbled upon just yet

and Wow it has made an impact on my relationship with my reference material in general. I have always had pretty structured set of files that allowed me to locate a file without searching around too much. but the ease and mental relief it gives me to locate information now is amazing.

So far I've only implemented the Johnny Decimal system, its what feels right for where I am in life and what I'm doing currently. I've incorporated it into my file system (personal and what I have control over at work), obsidian notes, and bookmarks. The next area to get migrated is email.

Maybe I'm just a little too nerdy, but it's been amazing how much lighter I feel after having put this in place.
 

schmeggahead

Registered
Johnny Decimal system
He must be Dewey's grandson ;)

This looks intriguing. It's now in my research list (Along with PARA).

My Obsidian vault is a single one (I made the mistake of creating multiple and easily combined them by creating a subfolder of the main vault and set a parameter to create notes in the same folder as the note I create the note within. )

I recommend a single vault.

Since I've been using the Zettlekasten method, I've had much more atomized notes that are easily connected and assembled into larger notes. Creating at least one link is critical. I also view a random note every 4 days, which has enriched the content and connection, allows me to repair any note with new information and leads to the conversation with my information.

I'm still feeling a relief the more I transition prior reference information to the vault. I keep indexes into paper files in the vault and records of every kind. I started processing closed projects to ensure they made it into the reference system - can't wait to see what Johnny's system will do to that process.

The best part is that I have all this information that I can now access (going straight to Rosie's latest vaccination sheet on the go, etc.) very rapidly. It seems like all of the reference I haven't integrated into the vault is unprocessed stuff.

Thanks for new tools!
Clayton

Things are organized when, where they are kept matches what they mean to you. - David Allen (paraphrase)
 

Zaneta

Registered
@schmeggahead I like that idea - to review and update a random note every 4 days. That is part of my sticking point, feeling the large backlog I need to get it where I would be happy with it. OK I also need to do a bit more research to feel more comfortable about implementing Zettlekasten and not feel I will need to rework earlier work. Cause the way the ideas connect to each other really speaks to me.
 

mickdodge

Registered
So far I've only implemented the Johnny Decimal system, its what feels right for where I am in life and what I'm doing currently. I've incorporated it into my file system (personal and what I have control over at work), obsidian notes, and bookmarks. The next area to get migrated is email.
@Zaneta , just wanted to tell you thank you for sharing and making me aware of the Johnny Decimal System. At first glance last week I was utterly confused by it, but after letting it stew in my brain for a weekend, I think I finally comprehend the system and see it's potential. I created a new GTD project to start sorting out my digital file, Joplin notes, and bookmarks "rat's nest" using it. I already use GTD style labels for organizing my emails (e.g. Next Actions, Waiting For, etc.), but I like the idea of linking the emails to supporting files and notes via the area/category numbers! :)
 

Ger80C

Registered
Is there a link between the famous Dewey Decimal System (my better half is a librarian.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) and the Johnny Decimal System?
 

Zaneta

Registered
I like the idea of linking the emails to supporting files and notes via the area/category numbers! :)
I have still yet to do this to email. Though had one of those moments of ease when I wanted to check on some website references I thought I had, and it took me no time to find it.
link between the famous Dewey Decimal System
Not that I've seen expressed on any official site, but there has to be :) I'm sure it was a don't reinvent the wheel kinda moment, so they just adapted.
 

schmeggahead

Registered
and not feel I will need to rework earlier work.

I change the way I use and organize my system all of the time. I adjust it to fit what is currently working for me. The older methods are still useful to me as is, just maybe not quite as useful.

The best part about me reviewing a random note every 4 days is this: Anything I have changed about my system (like implementing the one link and atomization of information) is easily done to that one note. I'm sure I'm taking a minimalist view of the method.

The main thing about the Zettlekasten method was to create a conversation with your information. My conversation happens everyday with things entering into it and/or referencing it and every 4 days with re-engagement with old information in a spontaneous way.

Managing change to my system
I had a large resistance to changing my GTD/Reference systems until I freed myself to complete changes over time. Rather than thinking I found a flaw, I made an agreement with myself that finding old method items was going to make me feel good about the new method; bringing them into this better method would only help. I created a project with the outcome that - my system now has this new attribute or method implemented completely (or at least sufficiently in critical areas).

These projects are sitting there as a quick hit when I am needing some feelings of accomplishment, like cleaning a drawer.
When they are completed, they very much go into my accomplishment column in my honing GTD skills AOF.
Clayton

When in doubt, clean your lap drawer. - David Allen
 

Jinho

Registered
Is there a link between the famous Dewey Decimal System (my better half is a librarian.... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ) and the Johnny Decimal System?
Yeah after reading a bit looks like it was inspired by DDS and took a few of its core principals, hence the name to "honor" the original :D
Getting an extra e-book made a huge difference for me organizing stuff(ordered of amazon obv, been researching a lot of amazon stuff lately, specifically listing optimization since I know a couple of folks at Weby Corp - pretty cool stuff :D )
 
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cpaMark

Registered
I love Obsidian, such an incredible tool!

For my storage system, I landed on a PARA/Zettlekasten hybrid. Essentially a Zettlekasten contained within a PARA structure. The JD system is a great system, but it has a fundamental flaw, in my opinion, and that is the reservation of huge, unused blocks of the system.

For instance, the AC.ID system should, in theory, allow for 10,000 possible storage locations. The problem is that's not functionally what happens. Take the structure like below:
  • 30-39 Marketing
    • 31 Campaigns
      • 31.01 Launch Campaigns

In this structure, we've technically reserved 31.00 to 31.99 to the "Campaigns" category and 30.00 to 39.99 to "Marketing". That's not really a problem with this specific case, but in the case that more than 100 things are needed, this becomes a problem. So even though you technically have 10,000 possible locations to categorize things, you don't functionally have that number to work with. Johnny addresses this problem by introducing the "project ID", which adds the three-digit number (PRO.AC.ID) which gives a possible 10,000,000 locations to store things. That's a lot! But again, the problem of "reserving" space for specific things isn't really solved, just mitigated.

The JD system helped me frame the problem of "Where to put things" as fundamentally a storage problem similar to writing files on a hard drive. A file/folder takes up X space, can grow or can shrink in size. When the computer writes to a hard drive, it places that file in a location that is "distant" from other files so that they don't "bump" into each other. Unlike the JD system, however, when they do bump into each other, the computer automatically moves the file to the end of the memory strip and puts it there. That's a difficult procedure in the JD system. And you can't really "add" storage space because you're tuck in the AC.ID system. 10,000 is all you get.

Zettlekasten solves this problem by introducing infinite sub-IDs for notes and files. But the Zettlekasten introduces a new problem: how to find things. Thus, the "Maps of Content" is critical to a Zettlekasten. So, my structure is:
  • Projects
    • a Project (folder)
      • a file.txt
      • a file2.txt
      • a1 [folder]
        • a1 file.txt
        • a1 file2.txt
        • a1a [folder]
          • a1a file.txt
          • etc...
  • Areas
  • Resources
  • Archives
This way, my IDs only ever grow as needed but are contained in the "Maps of Content" of a PARA structure.
 

mcogilvie

Registered
@cpaMark, would you please explain briefly PARA, JD and AC.ID for those unfamiliar with the terms? Or anyone else? As it happens, I know what PARA is, but not the others.
 

Murray

Registered
I figured JD was in reference to earlier discussion in this thread of the Johnny Decimal system...
 

cpaMark

Registered
@cpaMark, would you please explain briefly PARA, JD and AC.ID for those unfamiliar with the terms? Or anyone else? As it happens, I know what PARA is, but not the others.
Of course!
The PARA method is a simple file/documents organizational method created by Tiago Forte. The system is named after the four categories it consists of: Projects, Areas, Resources, and Archives.
  1. Projects: This category includes any work that requires multiple steps to complete and has a specific deadline or outcome. Examples of projects could be planning a trip, creating a presentation, or launching a new product. Projects are usually time-bound and require planning, organizing, and tracking progress towards the final outcome.
  2. Areas: Areas represent broad categories of life that require ongoing attention and maintenance. These could be personal or professional and may include things like health, finances, career development, or relationships. Unlike projects, areas are not time-bound and require continuous effort to maintain progress.
  3. Resources: Resources refer to any information that you want to keep for reference or future use.
  4. Archives: Archives are the category where you store completed projects and inactive areas.
More information can be found here: https://fortelabs.com/blog/para/

Projects would map and tie to GTD projects, Areas would tie to GTD areas of focus. The primary benefit of using PARA is that the simple structure is system agnostic. Email, file explorer, Obsidian, Evernote (and more) can be organized in this fashion. In Tiago Forte's book, he made a very good argument that we cannot operate in a single system, and should embraced the idea that we operate in multiple systems.

---

The Johny Decimal (JD) system is a file organization system, primarily for use in a file directory and is not system agnostic, though the unique project IDs can link back to the files. The system is organized in a numerical fashion by: area, category, identifier. Area is assigned the first digit. Category the second digit. ID is two digits, separated from Area and Category by a decimal (thus the Johnny Decimal system).

For example, an area might be "Personal", Category of personal might be "Taxes" so the file structure might be:
  • 10 Personal
    • 11 Taxes
      • 01 Tax Year 2023
        • 11.01 File.docx
        • 11.01 File2.docx
        • etc.
Thus, the files in the organization (11.01 File.docx) would always be tied to the Area (10 Personal), Category (11 Taxes), ID (01 Tax Year 2023). Thus, by using the file's identifier (11.01), we will always know where it goes and what it relates to.

The shorthand "AC.ID" is simply [AREA][CATEGORY].[IDENTIFIER]

Because of the limitations I mentioned in my previous post, "Project" is later added to the JD system to make up a structure of [PROJECT].[AREA][CATEGORY].[IDENTIFIER], or in shorthand "PRO.AC.ID"

JD has certain principles (though there are exceptions):
  1. Never put a folder inside of an "ID" folder
  2. Files are always tagged with the complete path, ie., 11.01.
  3. Files are only stored inside the ID level folder. No files under "11 Taxes", for example.
More information is here: https://johnnydecimal.com/
 

Oogiem

Registered
I've recently jumped on the Obsidean bandwagon and absolutely love it.
My jump has taken almost 2 years but I'm moving out of a bunch of older systems into Obsidian and yes, it's all much more smooth and easy to navigate now.

My own organization is adapting what has worked for me in the past, single notes for most projects, templates to collect consistent info, larger projects get a folder to collect related documents, MOCs for navigation, strict controlled vocabulary for tags so they don't get out of hand, several top level folders to collect similar types of notes, one big folder for everything else but in the structure of markdown files that Obsidian uses.

I've added Git for some sections where I want version control and can do it on a folde by folder basis whch is easy to implement.
 

mcogilvie

Registered
I figured JD was in reference to earlier discussion in this thread of the Johnny Decimal system...
Makes sense, thanks. I learned Dewey Decimal early on, and I know Library of Congress pretty well for physics and related fields. However, the thought of making up numerical codes for classifying personal information seems like a step backwards to me.
 

Cookie

Registered
For general reference I only use the A-Z method. In OneDrive, for specialized categories of reference - I use the PARA method with the A-Z file sorting.
I use Zettelkasten in Onenote as a separate notebook and I see it as a specialized reference file. Each idea gets a new page, an area of my interest gets a section to keep the ideas I have generated , and I also use section groups to keep the whole system manageable.
 

Jared Caron

Nursing leader; GTD enthusiast
I've recently jumped on the Obsidean bandwagon and absolutely love it.
Though in time, researching the best way to get the most out of the application, I came across a few other Personal Knowledge Management (PKM) systems.
- Johnny Decimal
- PARA
- Zettelkasten
- plus others I don't remember or just haven't stumbled upon just yet

and Wow it has made an impact on my relationship with my reference material in general. I have always had pretty structured set of files that allowed me to locate a file without searching around too much. but the ease and mental relief it gives me to locate information now is amazing.

So far I've only implemented the Johnny Decimal system, its what feels right for where I am in life and what I'm doing currently. I've incorporated it into my file system (personal and what I have control over at work), obsidian notes, and bookmarks. The next area to get migrated is email.

Maybe I'm just a little too nerdy, but it's been amazing how much lighter I feel after having put this in place.
I fell into this rabbit hole a few months back… tried a couple different things but eventually weren’ went right back to textbook GTD - single alphabetical file of folders. Though I will admit I use database folders (amazing obsidian plugin btw) and some tags but others between a simple folder structure and search Ioving my obsidian setup.
 

mksilk2

Registered
Some of these structures discussed I find too constraining. That is why I use and love TheBrain. A great way to link multiple thoughts and ideas. You can be as structured or unstructured as you wish and link to any thought or idea in a lovely visual way.
 
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