What I Want, What I Really Really Want
June 6th, 2007 | by GTD Wannabe |As discussed earlier, I’m in the process of looking at a metric whack of GTD-friendly applications, both on- and offline. I’ve checked out a few of the online ones, trying to firm up my requirements. Exactly what do I want from a GTD tool? I’ve got my requirements broken down into three categories:
Deal Breakers
For the most part, these are requirements that have to be met. A lack in any one of these areas is enough for me to stop testing and just walk away.
- She’s Got the Look: I have to like the look. I know, it’s shallow, but it’s the reason I’m looking for a new application, after all. It’s not that I have to absolutely love the look at first glance, but it has to be able to grow on me. However, if I see something that makes me say, “man, that’s just ugly”, well, the romance is over then.
- Easy for Me to Install: Note that I didn’t say “easy to install”; it has to be easy for *me*. What’s easy for me may be different than what’s easy for you. You may think nothing of MySQL and PHP-whatever. Me, I run away.
- Search for Next Action: It’s surprising, but you would be amazed at how many applications I’ve seen so far that don’t allow for a basic search. Come on, people, we’re using computers here! There’s no reason that every app can’t have a search, especially if it’s supposed to store dozens, if not hundreds, of items for you.
- No Limits: This is often a problem with free applications, but I have to be able to have unlimited projects, contexts, next actions. And if not unlimited, then pretty damn big. It’s okay if I have to pay to get to limitless his state, but it has to be available.
- See Next Actions by Contexts: Not all applications that I’m looking at have been designed specifically for Getting Things Done, so it’s okay if they don’t have “contexts” per say. However, there has to be some way for me to label or tag an NA, and then see the NAs for that tag/label. After all, that’s one of the tenets of GTD – grouping NAs by your current context.
- Due Date: This is not pure GTD, but I need to be able to put a due date on some of my next actions. Yes, you could argue that I should just schedule them in my hard landscape, but I don’t want to. So, due dates are a must.
- Start Date, or Deferred Start: I actually use my NA list to keep track of ticklers. Stick an NA in there with a start date, hide that NA until the date arrives, and wham, instant tickler. This really only works well if you can hide the “unstartable” next actions.
Really Really Wants
These are requirements that I would really love to have. I don’t necessarily have to have all of them, but if an application doesn’t score positively in a majority of these areas, I won’t consider it as a final contender. For example, I might be able to forgive an application for not having keyboard shortcuts, but not if it is super expensive, doesn’t let me see my NAs by project, *and* isn’t portable. So, a majority of these requirements have to be met.
- Price, Price, Baby: The price has to be reasonable. Or if not reasonable, the application had better be worth it. I do prefer a one-time payment, although I’m not unwilling to consider subscription plans.
- Quick Capture: It has to be easy to enter a new next action, i.e., capture a thought into the system. I don’t mind if it takes a bit extra to process it, e.g., assign it to a project and context, but I have to be able to capture fast. I prefer keyboard shortcuts, but a well-designed form with minimal mouse clicking and good use of the tab key is acceptable.
- Completed Date and Notes: I like to be able to track when I’ve finished something, and occasionally, add notes to it, e.g., mark the results of a phone call.
- Staleness: I’d like to be able to tell how stale my next actions are, and perhaps even have a way of filtering out those that are getting really ripe. I have a bad habit of putting off the “icky” next actions, and this is a way of minimizing that tendency.
- Projects: Although having contexts is a necessity, having the ability to mark a NA as belonging to a particular project is not as required. It’s still pretty darned important though, especially after all the work I’ve done recently getting my Perl script to help me review my projects. I’d like a way to see a list of projects. Even better, I’d like a way to distinguish projects, e.g., by “now”, “waiting”, “later”, etc.
- Portable: I’d like the ability to use this application on any computer. If online, that’s no problem. However, if it’s an offline application, it would be nice if it worked from a USB key. For the online apps, it would be nice if it allowed for offline running, e.g., using the new Google Gears concept.
Bells & Whistles
These are requirements that are nice to have, and can boost the “score” of a particular app. However, not having them doesn’t cause me to turn my nose up either.
- Add Links: It’s nice to be able to attach a file to a next action. I especially like to be able to attach a URL, especially for my @online NAs.
- Printing: It would be nice to have a nice printout of next actions, especially if I’m going to be away from the computer. At the very least, the ability to export the NAs to a text file, or even CSV file for a quick and dirty printing.
- Synchronization: If the app synced to my palm, I would be in heaven. Since I haven’t had my next actions on my palm for over a year, it’s not that high up there on my priority list, but would be cool.
- Reminders, Alarms: I don’t use my next action list for alarms. If an app had this, it would be interesting, but not required.
- Recurring NAs: I have a couple of recurring next actions, but I’m actually moving them to my calendar system, so this isn’t really that important to me.
- Calendar: Some application offer a calendar. This is definitely not required, since I’m not giving up my Remind calendar any time soon.
- Task Timing: It would be interesting to have a way of timing some tasks. These days, I just tend to turn on a timer for when I’m doing “real work” and leave it at that. I’d have to learn to use a timer, but it would be interesting to see how long things took to do.
- Reporting: It would be cool to have some sort of reporting, e.g., how many NAs you got done today, how long it takes you to get things done, how much time you’ve worked, etc.
Now, I’m not sure that I’m going to get involved in a huge table with marks for each requirement met, and weights, depending on the importance of the requirement. Of course, if it comes down to having to make a final decision between a few finalists, I could always do this to find a winner.
My current system is basically a text file and a big Perl script. Interesting enough, it satisfies almost all of the deal breaker and really really want requirements (with the exception of looking cool). It doesn’t meet many of the bells & whistles though.
So, given this list of requirements, I should be able to motor through the HUGE list of applications that I’ve collected. I’m going to end up writing a bit about each one. Bear in mind though, as soon as I determine that an NA doesn’t meet all of the “Deal Breaker” requirements, I’m going to stop testing it out. There’s no point me spending time on stuff that I know won’t make it to the finals. I will try to give you at least a flavour of the application though, so you can decide if you want to try it out.
20 Responses to “What I Want, What I Really Really Want”
By on Jun 7, 2007 | Reply
Cool list – I think your Perl requirement would have my granny in fits :p
Maybe – and this is as one of the developers – say what would fix that app for you? That would help all of us, and get some commenters talking?
Just a thought.
By on Jun 7, 2007 | Reply
Great stuff, I’m definitely looking forward to future posts in this series…
But:
She’s Got the Look
OMG, make it stop! I have a Roxette tune now burning a hole in my brain.
By on Jun 7, 2007 | Reply
Have you checked out “ThinkingRock?” It rocks! You can not only easily find “Next actions,” but you can even filter for items that require “low mental energy” or “high physical energy” etc. The program starts you out with a brain dump, then takes you by the hand and literally walks you through the steps until you have processed them all. Highly recommended.
By on Jun 7, 2007 | Reply
@Richard: My biggest peeve with my home-rolled system is the look. I want a pretty GUI with drag and drop functionality, as well as easy keyboard access. (Nothing major ;)). I briefly looking at that Tkl whatever stuff to use Perl to make a GUI, but: (1) I have no design sense to design GUI, (2) I don’t like the look of the results to start with, (3) I don’t want to invest the time to learn/program in it. Someone suggested Authotkey as way of getting a GUI, but 2.5 of the points still apply.
@Handy: hahahahahah. Actually, I had Vanilla Ice in my head by the end, “Price Price Baby”…. :)
@Betsy: Yup, it’s on my list. It’s a very long list. Right off the bat, I do like the way it’s tailored to GTD, but time will tell :)
By on Jun 7, 2007 | Reply
mylifeorganized.net MLO -
Deal Breakers
She’s Got the Look: In my opinion it’s good. It also has some customizable options.
Easy for Me to Install: just run the exe.
Search for Next Action: search-as-you-type functionality. Press Ctrl+F and type text for advanced outline search.
No Limits: No limits as far as I’m aware of.
See Next Actions by Contexts: Yes – you create an @phone “store” and you can view by that.
Due Date: Yes
Start Date, or Deferred Start: Start and lead time.
Really Really Wants
Price, Price, Baby: Mm. Not so much. $59.95 for the pro version.
Quick Capture: Yes – systray icon with Rapid Task entry.
Completed Date and Notes: Yep.
Projects:Even better, I’d like a way to distinguish projects, e.g., by “now”, “waiting”, “later”, etc. – has in progress, started, suspsended, completed.
Portable: installs on usb, can sync with Outlook so anything that syncs with that like a pda. Also has a PocketPC version (more money, though.)
Bells & Whistles
Add Links: Yes. Also can link to MLO tasks from other applications.
Reminders, Alarms: Yes
Recurring NAs: Yes
Calendar: Noooo, well, there is a little calendar you get when you buy the pro version as a separate application.
Task Timing: Doesn’t time, but does take that information once you get it and you can filter on it “I have five minutes”
Reporting: Yes.
+ responsive devs, active forum and multiple activations (once you buy it, you can install it on multple computers.)
By on Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
Life Balance will do all of what you must have and most of what you want, and it synchs beautifully with its Palm version. The combined desktop and Palm versions are a little pricey, but if you love the Palm you should try it.
http://www.llamagraphics.com
By on Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
I use Bonsai from Natara. Simple outliner/list/proj managment software. I create filters along my contexts, and it probably has 90% of what you want… and it has a windows/palm client. I love it to death.
By on Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
A couple more offline to look at:
Accomplice
http://www.accomplice.com/
TimeTo
http://www.davidberman.com/software/timeto.php
By on Jun 8, 2007 | Reply
cool. I can’t wait to see your final picks. I just put together a big list of GTD apps out there. And my readers added even more. I’m still searching for the best one too. Looking forward to seeing your results.
By on Jun 9, 2007 | Reply
I have to put in a second nomination for MyLife Organized (Pro version). It has almost all your are asking for. I use MLO and a Hipster PDA and I feel fully covered with this system.
The only thing I don’t like about it is it doesn’t run on Linux, but you can’t have everything.
Cheers
By on Jun 9, 2007 | Reply
The just released 1.2 version of Ready-Set-Do! for the Mac — specifically designed around the GTD method and the OS X Finder — measures up to most of your criteria. The 1.2 version has due dates, color-coding for seeing urgent and important tasks, and even “scores” you on your productivity along the way.
Todd V
Ready-Set-Do! Creator
By on Jun 13, 2007 | Reply
I still don’t believe anyone is doing this very tactfully, fully integrated, or with deep thoughts of the GTD tenets yet. I can say without a doubt, it’s coming.
By on Jun 14, 2007 | Reply
Nozbe is worth checking out – http://www.nozbe.com/
By on Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
I am on a similar quest. Though, my “values” are different. I don’t mind less than “beautiful”, if it is small, extremely portable and very accessable; a useful, less than ugly, straight DOS independent .exe is a “GORGEOUS” thing.
Being familiar with 43folders, I assume you know about this:
TiddlyWiki-d3 GTD flavor (http://www.dcubed.ca/)
The “looks” would require a personal touch. Enabling formatted content WOULD require some time and effort, but the “parts” are pretty easy to find and “install” (typically little more than clicking “import tiddler”, referencing the site with what you want, then picking WHICH of that site’s extensions you want to add to yours). As for your Palm, while looking for a Java enabled Mobile PC browser for myself it seems the Palm has more choices.
For anything related to “billing” or log records for invoicing, I have NEVER found anything better than TimeTTracker. The $50-60 I spent several years ago for this has been among the best tech. money I have ever spent. And I think it has complete, syncable function on your Palm (Pocket PC function was the most USEFUL aspect). And, while I have not used it, they now integrate with QuickBooks and some other Acct.ing apps.
My “personal” interest in EverNote (where I came across your thread) is a “quick” and “simple” bookmark manager that overcomes the near universal shortcoming of BkMk Managers; MULTIPLE catagories/topics/USE. Something more suited in structure than “creating” a Wiki solution, with a template, process, model etc.
Face it; what we want is “access” so immediate it doesn’t interupt thought (a tiny, hot-keyed text editor), that knows why in hell we wrote it down, and then reminds us to do what we were going to with it, in a way that “looks pretty”. A simple request.
What I have “accepted” is that NOTHING out there is going to SIMPLY do EVERYTHING; I’m not sure I could even figure out a way if I decided to spend the time programing/coding it myself.
Good luck. And remember (I sometimes forget), Getting Things Done “better” can easily distract from getting things done “at all”.
By on Jun 15, 2007 | Reply
authotkey might be perfect for setting up custom hotkeys in whichever app you decide to go with. I’ve never done the GUI work you mention in your comment, but the hotkey stuff is insanely easy to code.
By on Jul 2, 2007 | Reply
Check out Is There Something to Do, it has the feature set you seek
http://www.altstone.com/itsd/index.php
By on Jul 2, 2007 | Reply
please take a look on “Achiever”.
Here is the link for its Site:
http://www.rightzing.com/
The application seems to be unfinnished yet, but I especially love the way how I can arrange single steps while listing my single steps of an project.
The forums seems to be dead.
No information about future releases.
Anyway I recommend to take a look on it.
By on Jul 3, 2007 | Reply
I agree with Betsy – the new version of ThinkingRock has a lot of the requirements you seek (and it almost seems like they looked at your list and added those to V2.0!).
I still use Remember The Milk for repeating tasks (since TR didn’t have that function in V1), but I’m getting ready to take the leap.
By Daniel on Sep 2, 2007 | Reply
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article What I Want, What I Really Really Want, but I guess I just need to check some more resources regarding this, because it sounds interesting.
By JM on Sep 30, 2007 | Reply
I am using Thinking Rock now – the only real gripe I have with it is that the larger the file (more tasks) the slower it is to load. Mine is quite slow to load and update at the moment.
Perhaps it is due to being xml based?