Projects based on using books

[Greyone]

I'm hoping this question will be answered simply. But it truly gives me a mental block , so the answer must be obvious.

Occasionally I have projects based on reading a book. So I read the book follow the actions and as I'd expect the project completes.
One such project I have is called "Get new job". I'm basing it on a book called "How to Create a successful CV". Quite simply ,my problem is this. Some of the actions in the book need to be completed before carrying onto the next chapter. So for example, I create skills charts of my 10 achievements and then identifying my transferable skills from the skills charts based on my achievements. So in this case I cannot just read the book, generate actions and then carry them out. I have to complete the exercises as I go.

So instead of having a project that starts with read chapter 1 , then create actions from chapter 1, I need to read chapter 1 , create actions from chapter 1 and also complete some actions before I read chapter 2. Is it sufficient that my initial project has a list of chapters to read and then I add to my project plan a list of actions this generates, some of which I need to complete before I read chapter 2 and some actions I can complete at a later date.

Please note that I am interested in any comments on how I should manage this type of project rather than my choice of literature..

Thx

 

[Oogiem]

I have projects like that for my school work. What I've done is try to plan out as much as I can at the beginning, so read chapter 1, any obvious tasks from chapter 1, read chapter 2 etc in a sequential project, i.e. one that the next action isn't available until the previous is completed. As I am reading I add to my list any new actions generated by the book in the appropriate place.

So the project may start out with a simple lsit of read chapter X for each chapter but along the way it gets more refined and complex. I review it during my weekly review as I sometimes don't add the exercises from a book until then,

I do that for almost all self-help books or other books with tasks or exercises to do.

 

[Folke]

I think Oogie's advice is good. Amend your list as you go. You do not need it to be complete when you start. In this particular case it is not even possible to do it in advance since you do not know.

Personally I probably would not even list actions for the individual chapters, perhaps not even for the whole book. You do not necessarily need to list the obvious if you do not worry about forgetting it. But I probably would enter new actions as I go, as I get to think of them for one reason or another, either because they were recommended in the book or I came to think of them for some other reason.

In a way, I think you could probably regard the book as such as "project support material".

 

[Greyone]

That's good to know thanks both. I was sort of aiming for that but I've always had a problem with starting projects when they are not fully specified. But you've both put my mind at ease.

It does beg the question where. My project has me to read each chapter of the book so as you say I have a sequential list of actions. Do either of you think there is a best place to put the additional tasks ? Under the chapter I have just read or at the bottom as they appear ?

 

[Oogiem]

It does beg the question where. My project has me to read each chapter of the book so as you say I have a sequential list of actions. Do either of you think there is a best place to put the additional tasks ? Under the chapter I have just read or at the bottom as they appear ?

I use Omnifocus and I put them under the chapter I am reading or just read so they come up before the next chapter is ready since I've set the project to be sequential. For example I have one right now. I am in an on-line course and it's broken up into weeks. I have a current project for Week 8

Actions under it were what I had from the syllabus and originally:

Watch lecture
Read kindle book chapter 5
Read kindle book Chapter 8
Draft lesson plan
Answer this week's discussion questions on-line

Well I've just finished the lecture and in it were several other assignments so my plan now looks like this:

Watch lecture
Turn in my lesson plan topic
Create 3 SMART goals for my lesson plan
Write the focus statement for my lesson plan
Read kindle book chapter 5
Read kindle book Chapter 8
Draft lesson plan
Answer this week's discussion questions on-line

 

[Folke]

I'd say it does not matter in the least, but if it is your intention to first read chapter 1, then list all the actions the book recommends, then do those actions, and then read chapter 2 etc, list the recommended actions for that chapter, then do those, then read chapter 3, etc, then maybe you will feel more comfortable if you list them in precisely that order, in other words fisrt write all the "read chaper x" actions, and then add the chapter 1 recommended actions between chapters 1 and 2 when you have finished chapter 1. And so on.

Personally I would probabably settle for just having one single task for "Read the book" and then keep adding actions beneath it as I go.

 

[Greyone]

Thanks Folke - Keeping it as simple as possible is always best.

One of the problems I was wrestling with was that of completeness. If at a later date I went back to review a chapter and found what I thought was a missing action then it would be easier for me to check with the new actions directly after each chapter.

Oogiem - Yours also is still simple and i can make sure each chapter is complete when all the actions immediately under that chapter are complete.

Thanks very much to you both - you've put my mind at rest.

Greyone - signing off