Discussion Forum > AF Update
enjoyed reading your post. Curious to know how you were going about the system you were trying earlier. Were you drawing mindmaps by hand on paper? what made the maps hard to review?
January 23, 2009 at 0:59 |
Peter
Peter
I had a hand drawn mind map of each real estate project I am working on in a mid sized sketch book. It was sort of a combination of the project description, the tasks and some notes. It was much harder than AF to just pick out what needed to be done and do it. Mind maps are valuable, to describe the projects ie square footage, capital structure, tenants, locations, just as far as what you need to do to build finance and sell a project it was not helpful.
Gerry
Gerry
January 23, 2009 at 2:37 |
Gerry
Gerry
Gerry
In your opinion, should notes be taken in the same notebook where AF task are recorded or in a separate one?
Right now I have to take a decision about that issue
Hugo
In your opinion, should notes be taken in the same notebook where AF task are recorded or in a separate one?
Right now I have to take a decision about that issue
Hugo
January 23, 2009 at 4:11 |
Hugo
Hugo
Hugo,
(remembering my paper time)
I used a dedicated notebook for notes as they can be very short as well as quite long (on the fly notes during a meeting). At the time I found hard-cover 196 pages notebook, made for legal use I believe, where pages were numbered.
At the time I put my items in my datebook that way :
"ThingToDo 2-87" (vol 2 page 87)
I expanded (still do it) that physical link system to folders too :
f.i.: "ThingToDo 3R" (folder or reference documentation is on right of third shelf)
So, on paper (as well as with digital devices) I'd use AF list as a TOC I carry with me : What to do, were are the things (note, docs, coupons, letter, etc) to work with.
At second reading (slow pace), I would allow me to have a short look at the note when unsure (is there a little worth to do on that item now ?).
Note : I do not say you ought to write a link for each AF item ! You only write a link when you feel that this writing cost is less than the time you'd spend at looking for things to gather...
In fact thoughts I add to a list most often come from a note (at the page I am with my notebook opened), or from a paper I have in hands (at the time I file it).
(remembering my paper time)
I used a dedicated notebook for notes as they can be very short as well as quite long (on the fly notes during a meeting). At the time I found hard-cover 196 pages notebook, made for legal use I believe, where pages were numbered.
At the time I put my items in my datebook that way :
"ThingToDo 2-87" (vol 2 page 87)
I expanded (still do it) that physical link system to folders too :
f.i.: "ThingToDo 3R" (folder or reference documentation is on right of third shelf)
So, on paper (as well as with digital devices) I'd use AF list as a TOC I carry with me : What to do, were are the things (note, docs, coupons, letter, etc) to work with.
At second reading (slow pace), I would allow me to have a short look at the note when unsure (is there a little worth to do on that item now ?).
Note : I do not say you ought to write a link for each AF item ! You only write a link when you feel that this writing cost is less than the time you'd spend at looking for things to gather...
In fact thoughts I add to a list most often come from a note (at the page I am with my notebook opened), or from a paper I have in hands (at the time I file it).
January 23, 2009 at 7:46 |
Jacques Turbé
Jacques Turbé
Hugo
I use one notebook at work - its a project notebook so has dividers in it to give 5 sections. I am using one of the sections for my AF list and then another as my day book for notes, thoughts on projects, notes from discussions with other team members or from meetings etc and this has the detail which supports my AF list.
In the notes section I always put the date of the notes, so for example, I recently had a meeting with my manager to discuss me taking on a new project. I dated the page 16/1 and made notes, including background info, what we are trying to achieve and more specifically what my boss thinks my first few actions should be. After the meeting I added the first few actions as AF tasks to my AF list with (see notes 16/1) written next to them. I also added a task to review this project so that I make time to go back, re-read the notes and think about what else is needed to achieve our aim.
In a similar way, many of my tasks arrive by email. So I have a task 'email processing' which means go through emails received since I last checked. If the email needs a response which will only take a couple of minutes I deal with it, if the actions will take longer I flag the email with a red flag and add a task to my AF list with (red flag email 22/1) written next to it.
Hope this is helpful
Helen
I use one notebook at work - its a project notebook so has dividers in it to give 5 sections. I am using one of the sections for my AF list and then another as my day book for notes, thoughts on projects, notes from discussions with other team members or from meetings etc and this has the detail which supports my AF list.
In the notes section I always put the date of the notes, so for example, I recently had a meeting with my manager to discuss me taking on a new project. I dated the page 16/1 and made notes, including background info, what we are trying to achieve and more specifically what my boss thinks my first few actions should be. After the meeting I added the first few actions as AF tasks to my AF list with (see notes 16/1) written next to them. I also added a task to review this project so that I make time to go back, re-read the notes and think about what else is needed to achieve our aim.
In a similar way, many of my tasks arrive by email. So I have a task 'email processing' which means go through emails received since I last checked. If the email needs a response which will only take a couple of minutes I deal with it, if the actions will take longer I flag the email with a red flag and add a task to my AF list with (red flag email 22/1) written next to it.
Hope this is helpful
Helen
January 23, 2009 at 8:59 |
Helen
Helen
My current thinking is only AF lists in the AF notebook and then using legal pads or another notebook that allows notes to be pulled out for other notes which get processed into AF and ultimately put into the project files. My AF notebook is bound
January 23, 2009 at 15:57 |
Gerry
Gerry
Hugo
I think Helen's description of how she keeps notes separately and then updates her AF lists from them is an excellent idea. I use a separate notebook for recording items when I am away from home and then update my list from that - if I have a meeting or a telephone call requiring several action points I record them in that same book and either transfer them straight to AF, or create an AF task to transfer to a project file if applicable.
I think Helen's description of how she keeps notes separately and then updates her AF lists from them is an excellent idea. I use a separate notebook for recording items when I am away from home and then update my list from that - if I have a meeting or a telephone call requiring several action points I record them in that same book and either transfer them straight to AF, or create an AF task to transfer to a project file if applicable.
January 25, 2009 at 21:11 |
Christine B
Christine B
As I mentioned before, I am using a W to identify waiting for items as opposed to adding them to the end unless I have waited too long and need to take another action to get the item.
Prior to starting the Beta Test, I was experimenting with a new system, where I was drawing a mind map for each individual project I am involved in. I just referred to it to see if I missed anything and I could only find one item that did not make it into AF. Note, I built my AF list from memory and over the first week as paper, calls and emails came into my office. Quite honestly the drawings were too hard to review and it was not that productive for me.
As a convert from GTD I was hesitant to live without a project list, AF is fine because the projects are represented in the form of the tasks needed to move them forward.
Suggested Tweaks
I have always looked to use one tool and so could see using a two subject notebook to keep the AF pages and notes in one place. Currently my mantra is files not piles so I try to create files for the various projects and then where appropriate put review ABC project file into AF. I am still unsure if all of the notes I take should be in a notebook or in the project files they relate to. The key for me is the review of them to keep things moving forward.
Additionally, I think AF lends itself to project management and may try using a notebook for a project from start to finish AF style to input and process the decisions and tasks.
Lastly, those who are familiar with GTD are used to the Someday/Maybe list. A way to handle this in AF is use the last page of the notebook as the page to capture things you may want to do, but know are not going to be done now. This way you will process them and move them to the next notebook as active tasks in the future or dismiss them. You can always review the list early and add or dismiss things to the current last page.
Gerry