Discussion Forum > Create "pull" in AF4R (and variants)
Hate to beat a dead horse...and blatantly copy some of Erik's ideas...but a really good system may be simply writing tasks/projects as they come up on post its and putting them on pages in a notebook.
Some pages for SOMEDAY, one per month for a TICKLER, pages for ASA, a couple of facing pages for THIS WEEK and a couple more for TODAY...maybe pages for DONE too. Move the post its from page to page as they flow through - more VISUAL approach (won't use the K-word). Replenish post its vs notebooks.
No rewriting...Only see what you need to see...Collect accomplishments..."pull"...
I think I'll try it!
Some pages for SOMEDAY, one per month for a TICKLER, pages for ASA, a couple of facing pages for THIS WEEK and a couple more for TODAY...maybe pages for DONE too. Move the post its from page to page as they flow through - more VISUAL approach (won't use the K-word). Replenish post its vs notebooks.
No rewriting...Only see what you need to see...Collect accomplishments..."pull"...
I think I'll try it!
December 13, 2010 at 22:59 |
Scott Hutchins
Scott Hutchins
Oops...ASA = ASAP.
December 13, 2010 at 23:01 |
Scott Hutchins
Scott Hutchins
Curiously, while post-it notes give you a better feel of motion, it's actually AF that gives you a better long-term record of progress: all those pages of crossed-out tasks! While you could keep a box with a pile of notes, it's nowhere near as easy to review as a notebook.
My old AF system was pretty good at giving a written record:
Every day add a new page, divide into two columns.
Go through the pages, following rules not described here.
Whenever you think of a task, enter it last page, left column.
Whenever you work on a task, re-enter it last page, right column. Highlight it when it's finished.
My old AF system was pretty good at giving a written record:
Every day add a new page, divide into two columns.
Go through the pages, following rules not described here.
Whenever you think of a task, enter it last page, left column.
Whenever you work on a task, re-enter it last page, right column. Highlight it when it's finished.
December 13, 2010 at 23:18 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I found my last post to Seraphim so persuasive that I've decided to go back to AF1!
December 13, 2010 at 23:45 |
Mark Forster
Mark Forster
I think like you Alan that a notebook cannot be replaced to have a feel of long term progress record. That's why I keep some records elsewhere and just use my K to help with the flow of work. My biggest problem was at the execution level as you can see.
Mark:
I'm not a list person as you well know but AF1 has a really dear place in my heart. It's the first system I saw that took into account one's intuition to make decisions. You can chuck anything at it and it will make things move without overhead. It's just awesome; not my thing but Awesome! If I had to choose a list system, it would be that one without hesitation.
Mark:
I'm not a list person as you well know but AF1 has a really dear place in my heart. It's the first system I saw that took into account one's intuition to make decisions. You can chuck anything at it and it will make things move without overhead. It's just awesome; not my thing but Awesome! If I had to choose a list system, it would be that one without hesitation.
December 14, 2010 at 4:58 |
Erik
Erik
There is an interesting discussion in parallel to this one on the GTD forum about "lean thinking" (which seems to be a synonym for Kanban): http://www.davidco.com/forum/showthread.php?11906-Lean-Thinking
Wolfgang
Wolfgang
December 14, 2010 at 10:08 |
wowi
wowi
<My biggest problem is that I want to do so many things but I needed to focus on the important ones for me. Looking to always be over my work has lead to very bad habits of doing things even when not needed. The K put me back on track through that pull.>
I think this is the key. Say Erik decides to do a set period of maintenance tasks each day, this creates a 'pull' to fill that period of time.
AF handles this instead with the page dismissal process which is a 'push', a need to to complete or dismiss the page.
You're washing up because it's the next thing that stands out on the list, not because there's a requirement to a period of cleaning tasks each day.
What Kanban conveys is a sense of /when things are needed/, by a empty parts bin, incomplete set of spare cartridges, empty block of time.
Toyota may need 33000 left wing mirrors over the next year, but they don't need to exactly how many and when, just to order when the parts bin falls below a certain level.
I think this is the key. Say Erik decides to do a set period of maintenance tasks each day, this creates a 'pull' to fill that period of time.
AF handles this instead with the page dismissal process which is a 'push', a need to to complete or dismiss the page.
You're washing up because it's the next thing that stands out on the list, not because there's a requirement to a period of cleaning tasks each day.
What Kanban conveys is a sense of /when things are needed/, by a empty parts bin, incomplete set of spare cartridges, empty block of time.
Toyota may need 33000 left wing mirrors over the next year, but they don't need to exactly how many and when, just to order when the parts bin falls below a certain level.
December 14, 2010 at 13:00 |
smileypete
smileypete
Good thoughts smiley.
Seraphim: How's this? AF4R, with a slight mechanical adjustment:
Every time you select something to do, IMMEDIATELY rewrite it to the Unfinished list. Then do it. If you leave it undone, just carry on. If you finish it, highlight it. Then (as per usual) if it's recurring add it back to the recurring list. If there's a next step add it back to the new list.
Every day draw a line at the bottom.
Seraphim: How's this? AF4R, with a slight mechanical adjustment:
Every time you select something to do, IMMEDIATELY rewrite it to the Unfinished list. Then do it. If you leave it undone, just carry on. If you finish it, highlight it. Then (as per usual) if it's recurring add it back to the recurring list. If there's a next step add it back to the new list.
Every day draw a line at the bottom.
December 14, 2010 at 13:37 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Mark wrote << found my last post to Seraphim so persuasive that I've decided to go back to AF1! >>
It is odd how one thing leads to another...I myself was drawn to the AF2 variant after you posted a link to a post about it. It has the twin advantages of being able to deal with the urgent stuff with the loop back approach, and has a built in block dismissal feature which prevents atrophy.
I had forgotten how powerful these 2 elements working together were for me.
It is odd how one thing leads to another...I myself was drawn to the AF2 variant after you posted a link to a post about it. It has the twin advantages of being able to deal with the urgent stuff with the loop back approach, and has a built in block dismissal feature which prevents atrophy.
I had forgotten how powerful these 2 elements working together were for me.
December 15, 2010 at 15:29 |
JD
JD
Alan Baljeu wrote:
<<<Every time you select something to do, IMMEDIATELY rewrite it to the Unfinished list. Then do it. If you leave it undone, just carry on. If you finish it, highlight it. Then (as per usual) if it's recurring add it back to the recurring list. If there's a next step add it back to the new list.
Every day draw a line at the bottom.>>>
Seems like it would work for AF4R. You'd get a list of accomplishments at the end of the day.
I've been following my rule of writing down each FINISHED task on a daily list (in the back of my notebook). It is surprisingly motivating! I still forget sometimes to write the task there -- but trying to learn the habit. It makes me really want to have a list of solid accomplishments to look back on.
<<<Every time you select something to do, IMMEDIATELY rewrite it to the Unfinished list. Then do it. If you leave it undone, just carry on. If you finish it, highlight it. Then (as per usual) if it's recurring add it back to the recurring list. If there's a next step add it back to the new list.
Every day draw a line at the bottom.>>>
Seems like it would work for AF4R. You'd get a list of accomplishments at the end of the day.
I've been following my rule of writing down each FINISHED task on a daily list (in the back of my notebook). It is surprisingly motivating! I still forget sometimes to write the task there -- but trying to learn the habit. It makes me really want to have a list of solid accomplishments to look back on.
December 16, 2010 at 3:31 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
What a discussion, just catching up. Back to the quote or idea from Steve Jobs, about each day we have. When I started using the kanban I was taking care of an elderly friend. Seeing the day completed made me feel I did the best I could that day. I use a post it to represent a half hour of time. It is often the 5 or 10 minutes left in the session that I polish things up. I keep a small "list" in the back of my notebook but most of my task are recurring or come from my project tasks.
December 16, 2010 at 4:57 |
Erin
Erin
Humorous post, completely untested idea, but who knows maybe it will turn on a lightbulb somewhere. Set the coffee down, Seraphim. ;-)
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'
- Edward Lear
A kanban system can be likened to a bird nests in a beard. :-)
No more birds can come to roost while the beard is full, so the enterprising Old Man will set to work *pulling* birds out of the beard. Then new birds will fly in to replace the ones removed. So here now is a system like 3T but separates task types and exhibits downward motion.
Take a blank sheet of paper, a pencil, and two highlighters. Draw 4 columns on the paper . We're running this kanban vertically rather than the usual horizontal. At the top of each write what *kind* of task goes in the column: owls, hens, larks, wrens er, recurring, project, urgent, tasks. Write limits for each (e.g.4,1,2,1 only because that fits the rhyme :-D you may change these numbers) then draw "nests" (large ovals) below each column (e.g. 4 below the first, 1 below the second, etc.).
Now run through your AF new/old list. Pick something, and write it in a nest/oval. (You may work on it now.)
Rules:
1 You may work on anything in an oval.
2 You may any time write something into a recurring oval.
3 If you finish an item, highlight it yellow and draw a new oval below it.
4 If you abandon an item, highlight it pink (unfinished) and draw a new oval below it.
5 If you have an empty oval, you may search your AF list for something and fill it in. If you don't have an empty oval, YOU MAY NOT work on anything else.
A full nest represents a task either you are working on, or have committed to working on.
A guiding principle of this system is that it's better to have empty nests than full. It's better to work fewer items than many.
To get a feeling of progress, do one of two things:
A) draw a horizontal line at the start of each day. Try to kill as many birds from previous days as possible, and start as many new birds as possible.
B) Do like Erik does. Start with all nests empty, then fill them and empty them by day's end.
There was an Old Man with a beard,
Who said, 'It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!'
- Edward Lear
A kanban system can be likened to a bird nests in a beard. :-)
No more birds can come to roost while the beard is full, so the enterprising Old Man will set to work *pulling* birds out of the beard. Then new birds will fly in to replace the ones removed. So here now is a system like 3T but separates task types and exhibits downward motion.
Take a blank sheet of paper, a pencil, and two highlighters. Draw 4 columns on the paper . We're running this kanban vertically rather than the usual horizontal. At the top of each write what *kind* of task goes in the column: owls, hens, larks, wrens er, recurring, project, urgent, tasks. Write limits for each (e.g.4,1,2,1 only because that fits the rhyme :-D you may change these numbers) then draw "nests" (large ovals) below each column (e.g. 4 below the first, 1 below the second, etc.).
Now run through your AF new/old list. Pick something, and write it in a nest/oval. (You may work on it now.)
Rules:
1 You may work on anything in an oval.
2 You may any time write something into a recurring oval.
3 If you finish an item, highlight it yellow and draw a new oval below it.
4 If you abandon an item, highlight it pink (unfinished) and draw a new oval below it.
5 If you have an empty oval, you may search your AF list for something and fill it in. If you don't have an empty oval, YOU MAY NOT work on anything else.
A full nest represents a task either you are working on, or have committed to working on.
A guiding principle of this system is that it's better to have empty nests than full. It's better to work fewer items than many.
To get a feeling of progress, do one of two things:
A) draw a horizontal line at the start of each day. Try to kill as many birds from previous days as possible, and start as many new birds as possible.
B) Do like Erik does. Start with all nests empty, then fill them and empty them by day's end.
December 16, 2010 at 14:09 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Interesting!!!
December 17, 2010 at 1:20 |
Erik
Erik
LOL, it makes my beard itch, just contemplating your new system, Alan! :-)
December 17, 2010 at 6:01 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
It may be worth pointing out this is nothing other than a kanban system without cards and without excessive rewriting. It gives you a visual of current and past work, and constricts your work efforts to encourage focus.
It relies on a feeder system to answer the harder question of what should you work on.
Also (as per kanban generally) the categories and limits are intended to be customized for your situation.
It relies on a feeder system to answer the harder question of what should you work on.
Also (as per kanban generally) the categories and limits are intended to be customized for your situation.
December 17, 2010 at 13:35 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
When I really need to track my time (such as for billing), I record each time I start a task.
Often, it's in the same book I use for everything else. (I'm a fan of the "everything" book. The right book is always with me, notes are automatically sorted by date, and I use a system of symbols and clipped corners to highlight action items.)
When I start a task, I also look at the last task, just to make sure I haven't missed something in between. If I started the kitchen at 9am and at 10 I'm about to start laundry, I know the "I'll only be online for 5 minutes, no need to record it" was wrong.
If I need to know how many times I've done something over a week (study or aerobics), I use a chart -- days across the top and tasks down the side, or I use regular lined paper with a list of tasks down the side and write the date I do something on the right line. It varies.
This week I'm using a Daily Focus list. Each day with a review of previous open DF lists and any other lists with tasks, and selecting what I expect or hope to do, to make the DF list. Then I draw a line, estimate times, and look at the total.
Any new tasks get added below the line.
When I close a DF list, I mark things as done that day (check mark), sufficient progress that day to make me happy (also a check mark), moved to another DF list (arrow), or admit I won't do it (X). The DF list becomes a permanent record of success on the list, but isn't a good record of time spent on things not on the list.
Often, it's in the same book I use for everything else. (I'm a fan of the "everything" book. The right book is always with me, notes are automatically sorted by date, and I use a system of symbols and clipped corners to highlight action items.)
When I start a task, I also look at the last task, just to make sure I haven't missed something in between. If I started the kitchen at 9am and at 10 I'm about to start laundry, I know the "I'll only be online for 5 minutes, no need to record it" was wrong.
If I need to know how many times I've done something over a week (study or aerobics), I use a chart -- days across the top and tasks down the side, or I use regular lined paper with a list of tasks down the side and write the date I do something on the right line. It varies.
This week I'm using a Daily Focus list. Each day with a review of previous open DF lists and any other lists with tasks, and selecting what I expect or hope to do, to make the DF list. Then I draw a line, estimate times, and look at the total.
Any new tasks get added below the line.
When I close a DF list, I mark things as done that day (check mark), sufficient progress that day to make me happy (also a check mark), moved to another DF list (arrow), or admit I won't do it (X). The DF list becomes a permanent record of success on the list, but isn't a good record of time spent on things not on the list.
December 17, 2010 at 14:42 |
Cricket
Cricket
Cricket - The "Daily Focus" list sounds a lot like DIT.
Alan - Yes, it is just a vertical kanban (but it still makes my beard itch, LOL). But one thing I DON'T like about Kanban in general is the strict limit on the number of current "work in progress" tasks. If I have a lot going on, but then I need a break, or need to deal with something urgent, I have to go outside the system to deal with it, or break the rules by moving an unfinished task out of the slot to make room for the new thing.
This is one reason I like SuperFocus so much. The second column works very much like the "work in progress" section of a Kanban. But it flexes and breathes as needed. Also, things can be dismissed from it if something seemed important enough to start, but then later loses its luster.
My SF method that has Recurring and New pages is working very well, by the way. And I've become addicted to writing down each completed task on a daily list -- it is GREAT to see that list grow -- very motivating -- and surprisingly just as motivating to see an EMPTY list of accomplishments, or a list of things that don't really matter. The latter two scenarios prompt me to focus on accomplishing things that really matter. Maybe I'll write up this SAF+AF4R+DoneList method in its entirety in case anyone else wants to try it.
The one thing I miss from DWM is the strong sense of my total workload and whether or not I am keeping up with it.
Alan - Yes, it is just a vertical kanban (but it still makes my beard itch, LOL). But one thing I DON'T like about Kanban in general is the strict limit on the number of current "work in progress" tasks. If I have a lot going on, but then I need a break, or need to deal with something urgent, I have to go outside the system to deal with it, or break the rules by moving an unfinished task out of the slot to make room for the new thing.
This is one reason I like SuperFocus so much. The second column works very much like the "work in progress" section of a Kanban. But it flexes and breathes as needed. Also, things can be dismissed from it if something seemed important enough to start, but then later loses its luster.
My SF method that has Recurring and New pages is working very well, by the way. And I've become addicted to writing down each completed task on a daily list -- it is GREAT to see that list grow -- very motivating -- and surprisingly just as motivating to see an EMPTY list of accomplishments, or a list of things that don't really matter. The latter two scenarios prompt me to focus on accomplishing things that really matter. Maybe I'll write up this SAF+AF4R+DoneList method in its entirety in case anyone else wants to try it.
The one thing I miss from DWM is the strong sense of my total workload and whether or not I am keeping up with it.
December 17, 2010 at 15:46 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
If the only thing you disliked was the limits, you could throw those out the window. Or use the pink highlighter to deactivate an unfinished item and pick something else.
December 17, 2010 at 16:11 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Seraphim I think you've inspired me. At work using OneNote is a fairly different situation from paper because everything moves so incredibly easily. So I've resolved the following:
0. Create a notebook for work logs.
1. Every day create a dated section, which is to be my AF active page.
2. Every page [task] I work on moves to that section.
3. Within the section divide the pages into Done ---- Working.
4. End of day, copy undone stuff back to their source.
0. Create a notebook for work logs.
1. Every day create a dated section, which is to be my AF active page.
2. Every page [task] I work on moves to that section.
3. Within the section divide the pages into Done ---- Working.
4. End of day, copy undone stuff back to their source.
December 17, 2010 at 18:10 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
@Alan That's remind me when i had a Mullberry agenda. I had a page A5 per day.
Each day I wrote all active tasks and reported what was left on the next day. I also reported at the end of it an historical dated reporting so i could see at the end of the week how advanced the week. I guess it's what you do with onenote....
Each day I wrote all active tasks and reported what was left on the next day. I also reported at the end of it an historical dated reporting so i could see at the end of the week how advanced the week. I guess it's what you do with onenote....
December 17, 2010 at 18:28 |
FocusGuy.
FocusGuy.
It's much simpler than that Jupiter. It's just the AF rewrite, but writing to a dated page. And instead of writing it's drag-drop.
December 17, 2010 at 19:19 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
@Seraphim
Limits in Kanban (be it in any column) is a living breathing entity that should be adjusted almost all the time. At one point, you hit the sweet spot where you are comfortable without being overwhelmed. My WIP at this point is 7... Very far away from the recommended 3 right? It is just there to make you reflect back on your system and see where you get stuck and help things flow forward instead of backwards.
On another point, putting the limit low like 3 for example is (like you said) hard because you can find that a thing doesn't really tickle your fancy or is simply not important anymore and you have to take it out to put another in. That particular effect has caused me to re-evaluate things twice before starting / taking the engagement to do them. Hence I do a LOT less un-important or less then motivating stuff.
Food for Thought.
Limits in Kanban (be it in any column) is a living breathing entity that should be adjusted almost all the time. At one point, you hit the sweet spot where you are comfortable without being overwhelmed. My WIP at this point is 7... Very far away from the recommended 3 right? It is just there to make you reflect back on your system and see where you get stuck and help things flow forward instead of backwards.
On another point, putting the limit low like 3 for example is (like you said) hard because you can find that a thing doesn't really tickle your fancy or is simply not important anymore and you have to take it out to put another in. That particular effect has caused me to re-evaluate things twice before starting / taking the engagement to do them. Hence I do a LOT less un-important or less then motivating stuff.
Food for Thought.
December 18, 2010 at 4:46 |
Erik
Erik
May be not exactly in the present topic but does any one has tried to divide a page with 4 vertical colums One UNFINISHED, URGENT, OLD/NEW, FINISHED and separate each day by an horizontal line ? I thought about this last night and I just wonder if it could work...
December 18, 2010 at 9:48 |
FocusGuy.
FocusGuy.
Alan:
<So I've resolved the following:
0. Create a notebook for work logs.
1. Every day create a dated section, which is to be my AF active page.
2. Every page [task] I work on moves to that section.
3. Within the section divide the pages into Done ---- Working.
4. End of day, copy undone stuff back to their source.>
Neat, so this replaces your 'Now' and 'Soon' section from a previous OneNote approach?
OneNote is a great application, the more so as one gets into it, puzzling why it's not promoted more aggressively unless MS is relying on the students to get into the habit and take it with them into the real world.
Are you the only/one-of-a-handful users or is it a company/organisation standard at your work?
Roll on a 7 - 9" non-iPad slate with proper handwriting, then it would be used for my personal AF stuff.
<So I've resolved the following:
0. Create a notebook for work logs.
1. Every day create a dated section, which is to be my AF active page.
2. Every page [task] I work on moves to that section.
3. Within the section divide the pages into Done ---- Working.
4. End of day, copy undone stuff back to their source.>
Neat, so this replaces your 'Now' and 'Soon' section from a previous OneNote approach?
OneNote is a great application, the more so as one gets into it, puzzling why it's not promoted more aggressively unless MS is relying on the students to get into the habit and take it with them into the real world.
Are you the only/one-of-a-handful users or is it a company/organisation standard at your work?
Roll on a 7 - 9" non-iPad slate with proper handwriting, then it would be used for my personal AF stuff.
December 18, 2010 at 12:50 |
Roger J
Roger J
Roger, this dated section would be considered a Now page. But I don't remember what version of AF those labels fit. I'm currently running an evolving hybrid of SF and AF4R.
OneNote isn't standard at my office now, but it might be good to become so. The purpose of a standard is so people can share evenly, and I don't have any particular reason for formalized sharing at the moment. Certainly I haven't shared the AF methods which probably aren't even needed for everyone. My job of running the company is so much more varied it's hard for me to compare. (Besides, if it was standardized it would be hard to change!)
OneNote isn't standard at my office now, but it might be good to become so. The purpose of a standard is so people can share evenly, and I don't have any particular reason for formalized sharing at the moment. Certainly I haven't shared the AF methods which probably aren't even needed for everyone. My job of running the company is so much more varied it's hard for me to compare. (Besides, if it was standardized it would be hard to change!)
December 18, 2010 at 13:50 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Alan : "It's much simpler than that Jupiter. It's just the AF rewrite, but writing to a dated page. And instead of writing it's drag-drop".
Well yes ! I thing you could do it with Evernote wich is free and can be sync with your phone.
Well yes ! I thing you could do it with Evernote wich is free and can be sync with your phone.
December 18, 2010 at 15:21 |
FocusGuy.
FocusGuy.
Alan: <Besides, if it was standardized it would be hard to change!>
This reminds me that long ago on this forum I said I would put a link to a matrix which shows that 'mavericks' are what organisations need to adapt, but not too many of them!
Mavericks are also the type of people that use new applications before they've been 'approved' by IT, and sometimes are the catalyst for getting new software introduced. Twenty years ago, a colleague and I tried out Quattro at a time when Lotus 123 was the recognised spreadsheet standard (I'm showing my age now!) and got it adopted as a parallel application, until Excel got better and became the new standard.
I also got Visio recognised as a useful business graphics tool when it first came out, before Microsoft bought it.
I think I'll use Visio for the matrix concept diagram!
I'll do it shortly and post the link. It's a bit off-topic, but I reckon the majority of forum members are mavericks.
This reminds me that long ago on this forum I said I would put a link to a matrix which shows that 'mavericks' are what organisations need to adapt, but not too many of them!
Mavericks are also the type of people that use new applications before they've been 'approved' by IT, and sometimes are the catalyst for getting new software introduced. Twenty years ago, a colleague and I tried out Quattro at a time when Lotus 123 was the recognised spreadsheet standard (I'm showing my age now!) and got it adopted as a parallel application, until Excel got better and became the new standard.
I also got Visio recognised as a useful business graphics tool when it first came out, before Microsoft bought it.
I think I'll use Visio for the matrix concept diagram!
I'll do it shortly and post the link. It's a bit off-topic, but I reckon the majority of forum members are mavericks.
December 18, 2010 at 15:32 |
Roger J
Roger J
I agree that OneNote is one of THE most effective and powerful productivity application created by Microsoft. I used it all the time about 3 years ago before I went to Mac. Microsoft should have integrated it into the Office line or something instead of a stand alone.
As for Mavericks, heck yeah!
As for Mavericks, heck yeah!
December 19, 2010 at 1:35 |
Erik
Erik
Alan: I think this tweak of yours also lends itself to the Three Task approach advocated by Gerry, but then with OneNote one can be very flexible and creative, easy to change back or to something else if the tweak doesn't work for one.
Erik: OneNote is now bundled with Office in some versions eg the Home and Business Edition so that mavericks et al can do their thing. OneNote also more integrated with Outlook now, if you think that's a good thing.
The Maverick Grid is still on my list!
Erik: OneNote is now bundled with Office in some versions eg the Home and Business Edition so that mavericks et al can do their thing. OneNote also more integrated with Outlook now, if you think that's a good thing.
The Maverick Grid is still on my list!
December 20, 2010 at 13:48 |
Roger J
Roger J
OneNote is in every version of Office except Mac versions.
December 20, 2010 at 15:19 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
A very fun thread from years back, in the early days of SuperFocus v3, Revised AutoFocus 4, debate over the value of Personal Kanban, and Mark returning to AF1.
August 6, 2017 at 0:30 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
Well, I enjoyed skimming through that again.
August 10, 2017 at 3:20 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Thanks for resurrecting this thread, Seraphim - most interesting. Also nice to see some of the old familiar names, many of whom, like yourself, are still regular contributors. And perhaps interesting for those on the forum who don't go back as far, and haven't yet had a chance to look into Mark's earlier work, which is a treasure-trove!
Cheers to all.
Cheers to all.
August 10, 2017 at 10:53 |
Margaret1
Margaret1
I really hope nothing remains of the emotions fired up here.
Though I welcome the re-railing of the discussion, I was asked a number of questions earlier and believe it would be a discurtesy not to answer back.
I just hope it won't fire debate anymore...
What lead me away from lists was a feeling of doing things only to do them. Then I discovered the K thing. The key feature that you talk about Mark is the pull in manufacturing. This is absolutely true but we need to remember that the key pull is the one at the most opposite side: the consumer, not the manufacturer.
The original idea was to not overstock cars at dealerships. Instead of estimating how many cars would be sold this year for each model and stock them (with a possibility of getting stuck with non-salable inventory), a K system was put in place to determine the when to send new cars to the dealers dependent on consumer demand/need. It then evolved to all the parts of the manufacturing process because you can serialize that work. What a Personal K does is take the consumer idea as the driver of what is done.
This is where the K helped me stay true to my real needs. My biggest problem is that I want to do so many things but I needed to focus on the important ones for me. Looking to always be over my work has lead to very bad habits of doing things even when not needed. The K put me back on track through that pull.
That said, it is probably different for everybody so I'm not suggesting one forces his or her way to K if not desired. I tried to explain the feel of the pull to help and I'm sorry it spurred so much emotions...