Palm To Do List--How does DA use this for projects?

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doyoudesign

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I read his book and his PDF (on how to set up your Palm To Do list for projects). DA says he uses it for 60 + projects? HOW??

If I have a project "remodel bathroom." How does he use the To Do list?

Does he start each To Do with "ReBath" then include the action?

Such as:

ReBath: 1) measure room
ReBath: 2) research vendor on google
ReBath: 3) go to Home Expo and take photos of fixture

Then does he catagorize the 3 NA as "projects." Then change the catagory to "@action" when the NA comes up?
 
Projects and NAs tied in the head

I don't particularly know about PDAs, and I don't know exactly how DA would do it, but I would like to make a comment: the actions such as

ReBath: 1) measure room
ReBath: 2) research vendor on google
ReBath: 3) go to Home Expo and take photos of fixture

are really artificial; you don't really need such markers in order to identify which actions belong to which projects. If you write out your actions in a bit of detail, you would know by looking at an action which project it refers to. And the weekly review is an important factor to keep going. I would have written

measure bathroom
research bathroom fixtures vendor on google
go to home expo for taking photos of bathroom fixtures

Now as soon as I see any of these actions, I know that I have project for remodeling bathroom, and this action belongs to it.

In a PDA, I suppose you would keep the actions that are not next actions in the notes section of project items as support materials, which will be reviewed sufficiently frequently in order to keep projects active. But I have never handled a PDA, so I won't know about the notes section.

Sorry for changing the track.

Abhay
 
in the same boat...

doyoudesign:

have had your question as an item on my 'things to post on connect site' list for months--so will be very curious to hear more.

regards
 
doyoudesign;56792 said:
I read his book and his PDF (on how to set up your Palm To Do list for projects). DA says he uses it for 60 + projects? HOW??

If I have a project "remodel bathroom." How does he use the To Do list?

Does he start each To Do with "ReBath" then include the action?

Such as:

ReBath: 1) measure room
ReBath: 2) research vendor on google
ReBath: 3) go to Home Expo and take photos of fixture

Then does he catagorize the 3 NA as "projects." Then change the catagory to "@action" when the NA comes up?
Click to expand...

I believe he sets up the following categories in the Palm tasks application:

Projects
Someday/Maybe (S/M)
@Agenda
@Calls
@... etc, etc.

The "@" categories are for Next Actions (NA's).

For Projects and S/M, you define the project in the task description and then use the task note to enter future NA's, and other project support info. You then cut and paste the NA from the project note into a new task, using the "@" categories to define it as the active Next Action. Ideally you want to have only one NA task for each project to keep your context "@" lists manageable.

You don't have to define each and every NA for every project in the note, and can create them on-the-fly as you check off the previous NA.

Also, you don't have to use Tasks for Projects & S/M. I prefer using Memos, and keep the Tasks applications strictly for NA's and other non-project tasks.

Whether you use a code like "ReBath" to help link NA's to their project is a subject of great debate. Search this forum for something like "link next action project" and you'll see what I mean.

Hope that helps more than it confuses ;)
 
ScottL;56807 said:
AM I misremembering, or has David changed? I thought he did not keep track of future NAs, only the next NA?
Click to expand...

I know many people will map out future tasks for their projects, particularly the complex ones. Perhaps that is what is meant by "future NAs"?
 
got it

Thanks! I didn't think about adding a note to the "task list." Now it all makes sense. The only thing you don't get is the satisfaction of the task completion feeling until you complete the entire list of NAs of each project.
 
"checking off" NAs in notes section

I, too, use a single Palm task for each project with NAs in the notes section.

I put as few or as many NAs in the notes whenever I think of them (might be just one to get the project started - or if I'm brainstorming the project it might be many). This allows me to "capture" a project quickly by having a single NA, often "Brainstorm this project"

The very next NA is always at the top of the note.
The Palm task category is the context for this NA
When I complete that NA, I cut it from the top, and paste it at the bottom of the note preceeded by a date stamp showing date completed.
Then the next NA is at the top and I edit the task category (context) if necessary.
 
anothe option

I have always found using one todo for a project with the actual tasks in the note a little weak. Seeing the same todo day after day, what if there are multiple NA's in different contexts? I use ShadowPLan, an outliner, for detailing the project tasks, then i just link out the true NA's to the ToDo with the correct context. completing them in ToDo completes them in ShadowPlan, and then i just go back to Shadow to determine the next NA. the "project plans" in Shadow really help with weekly review too.
 
You can download a pdf from the DA site on how he does this but (on the version I have) there is no mention of what he does when planning a Project. I tend to use the notes section like others here.

Michael
 
I am still using an old Clie NX70, and I haven't made any software changes in years. I have a ShadowPlan file named Projects where i list and detail all my projects. It allows me to link out any of the tasks listed to the ToDo app or the calendar for hard scheduled NAs. I use ToDo+ because it gives me more categories and better recurring task management, and I use A5 as my claendar view, which gives me a good overall view with color and icons. If i complete a NA, I can follow the link back to Shadow to determine what the next next action should be. The outline also give me a very nice view of my projects for weekly review- I have one group for work and one group for personal and one group for someday/maybe, and I can "zoom" to see just the context that I want. I'm really quite happy with the way this works, and have been complimented several times at work. It keeps me from upgrading to a new smart phone or BB so far :rolleyes:
 
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