Comments on: GTD and MindReader Q&A http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/ Implementing GTD for personal and team productivity using MindManager, ResultsManager, and GyroQ Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:33:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: ActivityOwner http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12276 ActivityOwner Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:08:07 +0000 http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12276 I have a highly visual map central that has no tasks or projects on it -- it just has links to mini-map centrals for each area of focus. Each topic has a picture/image. In practice I actually rarely visit the map central map. I do all my navigation from the dailyaction dashboard or with "o mapkeyword" mindreader command. The key role of the map central is that it is the root from which ResultsManager searches out your project maps. If something isn't linked from there or a sub-map, it won't be found. I have a highly visual map central that has no tasks or projects on it — it just has links to mini-map centrals for each area of focus. Each topic has a picture/image. In practice I actually rarely visit the map central map. I do all my navigation from the dailyaction dashboard or with "o mapkeyword" mindreader command. The key role of the map central is that it is the root from which ResultsManager searches out your project maps. If something isn't linked from there or a sub-map, it won't be found.

]]> By: BillS http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12274 BillS Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:41:13 +0000 http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12274 CB, My original Map Central contained Personal, Work, Tid Bits, & Dashboards/Logs. Tid Bits were for abstract templates that I wanted to look into that weren't specific to a work/personal project. The Dashboards/Logs (with the 'exclude icon') was linked to all my dashboards & the complete log (AO's Mark Task Complete macro). Under each of Personal & Work I had only the main project maps as appropriate sub topics. When a sub project was large enough not to be contained in the main project map I would create a subtopic to the main project. Like this: Work->Big1>Big1.Sub1 . I would label each project with a dot notation to the parent "Big1.Sub1". This visually linked me back to the main. Also, b/c I had links to the big sub projects in the Map Central, I didn't refer to them within the parent project map. This reduced complication of excluding the sub in the parent for the dashboard as well as keeping me focused in each map.And I was still assured that everything was getting pulled into the dashboards. Lastly, when breaking down next actions I only break it down until I can make a reasonable estimate on how long it will take to do. This is kind of the novice-expert distinction. For instance "Go to work" - 45 min. I don't need to break this down into Shower, Eat breakfast, get gas, drive to work, etc. However, for something new like "Lose 100 lbs. & be the next Jared" I might want to break down into smaller projects Exercise, Diet, Mental with appropriate task "Run 1 mile / day at 5 days a week", "Reduce intake of cheeseburgers from 10/day to 2/day", etc. Also, I use results (outcome) focus on projects & subprojects and on task I usually just jot what I need to do. Hope this helps, Bill CB,

My original Map Central contained Personal, Work, Tid Bits, & Dashboards/Logs.
Tid Bits were for abstract templates that I wanted to look into that weren't specific to a work/personal project. The Dashboards/Logs (with the 'exclude icon') was linked to all my dashboards & the complete log (AO's Mark Task Complete macro). Under each of Personal & Work I had only the main project maps as appropriate sub topics. When a sub project was large enough not to be contained in the main project map I would create a subtopic to the main project. Like this: Work->Big1>Big1.Sub1 . I would label each project with a dot notation to the parent "Big1.Sub1". This visually linked me back to the main. Also, b/c I had links to the big sub projects in the Map Central, I didn't refer to them within the parent project map. This reduced complication of excluding the sub in the parent for the dashboard as well as keeping me focused in each map.And I was still assured that everything was getting pulled into the dashboards. Lastly, when breaking down next actions I only break it down until I can make a reasonable estimate on how long it will take to do. This is kind of the novice-expert distinction. For instance "Go to work" - 45 min. I don't need to break this down into Shower, Eat breakfast, get gas, drive to work, etc. However, for something new like "Lose 100 lbs. & be the next Jared" I might want to break down into smaller projects Exercise, Diet, Mental with appropriate task "Run 1 mile / day at 5 days a week", "Reduce intake of cheeseburgers from 10/day to 2/day", etc. Also, I use results (outcome) focus on projects & subprojects and on task I usually just jot what I need to do.

Hope this helps,
Bill

]]> By: Chuck Brown http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12271 Chuck Brown Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:36:41 +0000 http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12271 Thank everyone for the great input! I get several new and interesting perspectives every time I ask a question here. On one hand, it's overwhelming because of the depth of capabilities here, on the other it's exciting and enlightening to see what you can do! I'd like to get some input on what your "Map Central" should look like. I know there will be comments that there is no "should" that's the same for everyone, but what's useful here? How much depth do you find success with here, vs pushing the 'depth' out to the next level? Right now, I have a simplistic "Work Projects" and "Personal Projects", but I've played with breaking each of these down to having more project oriented stuff here. With MR working, though, I'm not exactly sure how much it matters what is on the Central map??? It seems like you're going to push to specific maps with MR, and you're going to review those maps with RM, so when/why does the Map Central come into play? Thank everyone for the great input! I get several new and interesting perspectives every time I ask a question here. On one hand, it's overwhelming because of the depth of capabilities here, on the other it's exciting and enlightening to see what you can do!

I'd like to get some input on what your "Map Central" should look like. I know there will be comments that there is no "should" that's the same for everyone, but what's useful here? How much depth do you find success with here, vs pushing the 'depth' out to the next level? Right now, I have a simplistic "Work Projects" and "Personal Projects", but I've played with breaking each of these down to having more project oriented stuff here. With MR working, though, I'm not exactly sure how much it matters what is on the Central map??? It seems like you're going to push to specific maps with MR, and you're going to review those maps with RM, so when/why does the Map Central come into play?

]]> By: Jose Miguel Bolivar http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12270 Jose Miguel Bolivar Sat, 29 Mar 2008 00:58:55 +0000 http://www.activityowner.com/2008/03/27/gtd-and-mindreader-qa/#comment-12270 That's a very good question indeed. David Allen's point is that "building a house" is not a single action but many, therefore it is not a Next Action but a Project. In fact, strictly speaking, even if there are just two actions but one cannot be started until the other one is done, that is also a project or, at least, a subproject. The way I would normally tackle the "build a house" project is as follows: I would first try to identify the main subprojects, say a) Blueprint completed, b) Contractors engaged and so on. Then I would think of further subprojects within a), trying to focus on those subprojects and related next actions that do not depend on others to get done. Once subproject a) is completed you can start dealing with b) and then c)... The grocery list is another good example of the usefulness of ResultsManager. On the one hand I have a kind of "default" list with items I normally buy every time I go to the store. Buying all the items on that list would be a single next action in itself. The principle is to cluster as single next action everything that can get done at once. Whenever I realize I need to buy something that is not part of that default list I add it as a separate next action. When I plan to go to the grocery store I run my "Go Shopping Dashboard" that collects all the next actions belonging to the category "Buy", grouped by context, and I get all the "unusual" items I need to buy grouped under the "Grocery Store" context. That is all I need in addition to my standard list when I go to the grocery store, being sure I will not forget anything! The great think about ResultsManager is that I write down "buy butter" when I realize I do not have any at home and then I can forget about it forever knowing that I will be reminded to buy it when I am going to the grocery store. JM That's a very good question indeed.

David Allen's point is that "building a house" is not a single action but many, therefore it is not a Next Action but a Project.

In fact, strictly speaking, even if there are just two actions but one cannot be started until the other one is done, that is also a project or, at least, a subproject.

The way I would normally tackle the "build a house" project is as follows:

I would first try to identify the main subprojects, say a) Blueprint completed, b) Contractors engaged and so on.

Then I would think of further subprojects within a), trying to focus on those subprojects and related next actions that do not depend on others to get done.

Once subproject a) is completed you can start dealing with b) and then c)…

The grocery list is another good example of the usefulness of ResultsManager.

On the one hand I have a kind of "default" list with items I normally buy every time I go to the store. Buying all the items on that list would be a single next action in itself. The principle is to cluster as single next action everything that can get done at once.

Whenever I realize I need to buy something that is not part of that default list I add it as a separate next action.

When I plan to go to the grocery store I run my "Go Shopping Dashboard" that collects all the next actions belonging to the category "Buy", grouped by context, and I get all the "unusual" items I need to buy grouped under the "Grocery Store" context. That is all I need in addition to my standard list when I go to the grocery store, being sure I will not forget anything!

The great think about ResultsManager is that I write down "buy butter" when I realize I do not have any at home and then I can forget about it forever knowing that I will be reminded to buy it when I am going to the grocery store.

JM

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