received my GTD Coordinator, and a techie question ...

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uniquest

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A quick review of David Allen's GTD Cooridantor in a paragraph ... if you prefer a paper based system buy this binder NOW !!! The index cards, moleskins, coiled binders and all the DIY stuff can never do what this system can. For the price... $50 ... it's a steal! I've used all the systems I've mentioned, trying to piece them together and make sense and have a 'flow' it never quite worked out but DA's system does the trick. It's obviously very well thought out, and in so many respects it's a winner ...

LOL, and the truth is I'm a critcal person and don't often give a review like this to anything. What can I say it's a home run as far as paper is concerned, ALL your active "stuff" in one well organized place ... kudos David!

Now my question ... I'm looking for the same thing as the GTD Coordinator in computer form, preferably web based as we use multiple computers.

I'm a creative person and paper suits me, if I couldn't use paper I'd use the Palm Desktop software. However I use a Blackberry as does my staff and *for sure* we'll never give them up :)

My wife, and a few of my staff haven't had much luck finding a web application that's laid out like or similar to the paper based GTD Coordinator ... in other words a true GTD layout and 'flow' like David's GTD Coordinator.

Can anyone tell me is there such a web based application that is really good, and better yet would sync up with the blackberry?

Thanks!
 
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MarkO

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I can't help you with and electronic version, but I was curious if you know of a more detailed list of things this includes? What does the calendar look like? Weekly, monthly? etc. The websites don't do a good job at selling it. If I am going to buy it, I'd rather know what it all looks like.
 
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fassold

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GTD Coordinator Lust

Hi, MarkO. I agree completely with Uniquest. It's as if DavidCo read my mind about what I want in a paper planner.

Here's the lowdown on the sections (Junior version):

1. Notes/In: The pages resemble the sectioned pads you get at the Road Map seminar.

2. Calendar: Week on 2 pages. 2 columns on each page, 1 for appointments, one for "Actions/Info." Since the calendar is only for the hard landscape, weekly makes sense.

3. Action Lists: Blank lined pages. Several example pages of context lists.

4. Agendas: Same.

5. Projects Goals: Same.

6. Project Plans Notes: Same.

7. Reference Misc.: Same, with copies of the GTD Templates.

8. Contacts: Minimalist phone/address pages.

Each section as several pages of how-to instructions. Nothing new for GTD veterans, but a good review.

Nice padded vinyl binder, better quality than most. 1" rings. Good quality paper, one-sided except for the calendar pages.

That's it. Nice and simple, well thought-out, and a great price. After the infamous Italian desk set, I expected a Lamborghini planner that was priced accordingly. This is a pleasant surprise.

I had planned to go back to Time Design for next year (back to paper from Outlook), since DavidCo/Mead was so slow in getting this out. But having used this for a week now, I have to admit -- ain't nothin' like the real thing.

Jim
 
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MarkO

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Thanks Jim. I appreciate it. While on At A Glance's website where they sell the Coordinator, I came across their "Outlink" product. It seemed to hit home for me. I can't use Outlook anymore, as I find it not very helpful. I am a very paper-oriented and need everything to be visual to do my reviews.
 
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fassold

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Another Advantage to Paper

Here's something else I found since I returned to paper, which someone mentioned on an In Conversation: I take my lists much more seriously. Outlook is just too facile -- you add, you delete, you move around without a second thought. But that second thought is the whole ballgame, and the act of writing down the task with a pen forces me to "Meg-ize" it: Is this really the next action? Is there a definite action verb? Am I really going to get to this in the next week or so? Best of all, I can slip the digital leash and still do a Weekly Review, wherever, whenever.

Jim
 
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ksonnenb

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fassold;62429 said:
Here's something else I found since I returned to paper, which someone mentioned on an In Conversation: I take my lists much more seriously. Outlook is just too facile -- you add, you delete, you move around without a second thought. But that second thought is the whole ballgame, and the act of writing down the task with a pen forces me to "Meg-ize" it: Is this really the next action? Is there a definite action verb? Am I really going to get to this in the next week or so? Best of all, I can slip the digital leash and still do a Weekly Review, wherever, whenever.
Click to expand...

I agree with Jim. I have been using the GTD coordinator for just over a week and love the "realness" of paper. I find I look at the lists more regularly - something that I didn't do in Outlook. Interestingly enough, I have a company issued blackberry and I had implemented GTD in Outlook according to the whitepaper. Technically it's great, but I find my brain is more in tune with writing and paper.

The overall design of the GTD coordinator is great - the different tabs makes sense and there's not too much structure that I feel constricted. The other great thing is that the size of the Jr planner is just right - a couple of years ago I tried to use a Franklin Covey planner and the rings were so big (2") that I found that I didn't want to carry it around.

I'd encourage everyone to check it out. Congratulations to DavidCo for their great work on this tool.

- Kevin S.
 
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fassold

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Outlook to Paper

Can someone help me with a ragged edge in my conversion from Outlook to the Coordinator Junior? I can't decide what to do with all my Notes.

Following Meg, the white paper, and numerous In Conversation gurus, I've used Outlook to store lots of important info: books to read, books I've read, passwords, checklists, cool spots in SF and other places -- I probably have 30 or so, and some of them are quite lengthy.

Since all of this syncs nicely to my Treo, I'm inclined to keep the Notes where they are. That way the guts of the system -- what I need for the Weekly Review -- is on paper and in my face all the time. The Notes stay out of sight but available, and easy to sort, rearrange, add, delete, etc.

Not as "pure" as all-paper, but I can't think of a better method, other than the laborious and ongoing job of copying over.

Any thoughts?

Jim
 
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GTDWorks

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fassold

I think you're on track with your assessment - keep your Outlook notes digital and enjoy the paper planner for it's inherent strengths. I use a hybrid system myself and have no issues with notes and contacts in my PDA.
 
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spalmer47

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Next Actions placed on the calendar?

Isn't that anathema to the rest of the system? I've always understood that Next Actions should never be placed on a calendar, which is only for hard landscape items. How do you (or do you) use this section of the weekly calendar?
 
mcogilvie

mcogilvie

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spalmer47;62673 said:
Isn't that anathema to the rest of the system? I've always understood that Next Actions should never be placed on a calendar, which is only for hard landscape items. How do you (or do you) use this section of the weekly calendar?
Click to expand...

You use that section for day-specific tasks, as well as information specific to that day. These would be posted as all-day events in most electronic calendars.
 
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visualartgirl

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I have been using mine also and enjoy it. Easy to use. But for $50, I felt a tad bit overpriced for blank pages, because most of the pages other than the calendar are lined sheets of paper. Even the contacts they are only lined on one side of the page so you will have to use twice as many pages.

Just my opinion, but I've already gone out to get thicker paper also, so I can make my own templates and fill in the areas that are more useful for me.
 
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GTDWorks

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I ordered one for my wife for Christmas. Will she be disappointed with the quality of this product?

What about the calendar? How do you like it?
 
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visualartgirl

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Well overall I think she will like the product and the thought. But the calendar I haven't used yet other than to mark birthdays, and appts I have made already, as it starts for January.

If you are pretty good with the computer maybe work out some templates for her so she can tweak them. She will love you for that.

Don't get me wrong, it's a good product overall not better or worse than any other on the market. It's just for $50 you get a vinyl binder and pages you could have done yourself. They just spiff it up a bit by putting their stamp of approval on it. Am I complaining overly, perhaps. Did I expect something more substatial than something I could have done myself, absolutely. The best feature of the whole binder is that they give you examples or directions of the intent of the sections.
 
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GTDWorks

Registered
Thanks for the review, visualartgirl!

I had hoped that Mead might offer it at a cheaper price than davidco and that davidco might have released a leather binder of higher quality. It's a bit disappointing to hear that the "guts" of the system are less than what we might expect from the makers of the notetaker wallet, Italian leather inbaskets, etc.
 
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tavish

Registered
I contacted DavidCo about buying just "the guts" of the planner since I already have a nice leather planner that I use. I would really like to see the examples included with the planner, but don't want to have to drop $50 (US and I'm in Canada) for a binder I probably won't use, just to get the blank pages that I can create and the examples. I was told that the guts of the planner are not currently for sale without buying the whole package.

I would love to just see some of those examples.
 
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JBDLCSW

Registered
Poor paper quality

I don't mind the cover for the Jr GTD Coordinator I purchased at Staples. What I find beyond annoying is the pages rip out - if the paper were any thinner it would be Kleenex. I read that you can print out the pages - but does this apply to the Jr size? I really love the system (I actually became aware of it when looking for a planner at Staples) but I am not excited to print out all of the pages after paying for the set.
 
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klf

Registered
Gtd coordinator

I have to say, I don't think the binder is good at all. Mine won't stay closed without an "elegant" rubber band holding it closed. The paper is ok, and the dividers are good. I think the time-design system is much nicer, but they don't make a 7 hole version anymore. Gtds version at least allows the use of other systems' stuff with it.

Now what I think would be cool is 3x 5 cards with context symbols on top. Levenger has one that is almost right but not quite. One of the David Allen conversations is with someone who designs his own sheets and prints them, as I remember. But he is an engineer!
 
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