Another good question

Bernie asks in the comments for my post A Good Question:

Can you tell us how the Final Version improves upon DWM?

My answer

1. It doesn’t rely on expiry deadlines to provide the motive power.

2. It’s much more immediate in producing the right task at the right time.

3. It doesn’t leave you with an indigestible chunk of difficult tasks which have to be done or lost.

4. It deals with all tasks on the same basis.

5. It produces a much greater degree of psychological readiness.

6. It’s easier to keep the entire list under control.

7. It doesn’t allow tasks to build up resistance.

8. It works equally well with a short list as a long list.

9. It’s easy to extract a shorter list (e.g. for travel) and use the same methods to process the shorter list.

I’m sure I can think of some more if I try!

Comments

[Laurent]

I actually meant point 3., not 1.

[Margaret1]

Mark, that sounds fantastic, and I'm sure I'm not the only one waiting with bated breath for the release of the Final Version. Recently I've been dotting around between AF, SF and DWM (using the same list throughout), which provides the novelty factor, but always ends up getting a bit muddled because I'm not using one system consistently. Also, when things get hectic, I tend to ditch the list, other than using it as a catch-all for capturing non-urgent tasks and ideas, even though I know that all of the systems can handle hectic times if they're used correctly and with the 'common sense' rule that 'if it needs doing now, do it now'. It will be exciting to try out a new system with the advantages you've listed. Thanks for all your hard work.

[Bernie]

That all sounds near-magically great, Mark!
Points 3 and 9 are my favorites.

[Alison Reeves]

I just can't wait either. Hurry up and write that book Mark!!!

[nuntym]

+JMJ+

Huh.

So Mark, does FV still distinguish between new tasks and re-entered/recurring/unfinished items like in DWM and AF4R?

[Mark Forster]

nuntym:

<< So Mark, does FV still distinguish between new tasks and re-entered/recurring/unfinished items like in DWM and AF4R? >>

Not as such.

[Mauricio]

The points that pike my interest are 1, 3, 6, 7 and 9!

[Laurent]

Mark,

I think my first comment did not make it to publication. Here it is again, in essence :

- Were these improvements all intended, or are some of them feedback from experience ?
- I like point 3. But, is there any dismissal process in the system ?

Laurent

[Mark Forster]

Laurent:

<< - Were these improvements all intended, or are some of them feedback from experience ? >>

That's a bit difficult to answer because I am always intending to find new improvements, so yes they were all intended but some of them I didn't know until I got them.

<< - I like point 3. But, is there any dismissal process in the system ? >>

No, not as such.

[nuntym]

+JMJ+

Now Mark I am really intrigued. It is becoming clear to my mind that there are pretty big differences between FV and your previous systems. The differences you put here between FV and DWM, your blog entry about FV vs. SF, and your previous comments on Colley's rule, point to the fact that "standing out" as defined in AF, SF, and DWM is not being used anymore in FV, correct?

[Laurent]

Mark,

<< That's a bit difficult to answer because I am always intending to find new improvements, so yes they were all intended but some of them I didn't know until I got them. >>

That's what I thought.

<< No, not as such. >>

Ah-ha!

I have been experimenting a new system for three weeks now, based on your recent posts and comments, and the photographs of your FV list you published.

The list I am getting bears an indecent resemblance with the photographs, regarding count and distribution of the dots and lines (although my lines do not look as good as the ones you're drawing). It's tremendously efficient. It seems to cover points 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 9. I have not been able to judge point 5 yet, and about point 7 I am still getting resistance from some of the remaining tasks, although it seems to diminish with time, not build up.

Why I asked this question is that dismissal has vanished from my system, which enables point 3. I am just waiting until I do the tasks. Too soon to judge what I should do about the tasks.

[Laurent]

<<No, not as such. >>

Thinking again, let me rephrase :
- Did you dismiss anything with FV up to now?
- Do you have a way to recognize tasks that are not going anywhere? If so, is this way part of the rules of the system?