FV and FVP Forum > How to handle projects
Just from this morning's work, I've found that it doesn't really matter what you put on the list whether it is a classic Next Action, the name of the project, a specific outcome or just some phrase that plopped out of my head when I was in a rush to capture something...
The algorithm will eventually cause you to to look at the item and say "OK I've got to work on this, what in the name of all that's holy or unholy is this thing anyway...."
Separating reference from action is always a good idea. Mark may very well have future guidance on this, but If the thing is project whether that's David Allen's definition of something that takes more than 1 next action to complete like buy a printer or a project like building the next space shuttle, I'd add it to my list.
If there was a project plan, (Even if its just a list of a few steps you already know about) I'd keep it seperate. I'd put the project on the FV list. When it bubbled up as something to work on I'd pull the file and see what was involved. If the next actions were in the plan and I was ready to do them I'd add the next one to the bottom of my list with a dot and then proceed to do it. When I was done with doing. I'd cross off the project and add it to the bottom of the list. If I get interupted at any point I know exactly where I need to start from. Do the last dotted thing on the list.
I hope I've decoded Mark's intentions correctly from his instructions. It seems that the list should be used to see things at the level you want to see them so you can make a mindful choice about what to do. Sometimes the next thing to do on a project is to figure out what to do.
The algorithm will eventually cause you to to look at the item and say "OK I've got to work on this, what in the name of all that's holy or unholy is this thing anyway...."
Separating reference from action is always a good idea. Mark may very well have future guidance on this, but If the thing is project whether that's David Allen's definition of something that takes more than 1 next action to complete like buy a printer or a project like building the next space shuttle, I'd add it to my list.
If there was a project plan, (Even if its just a list of a few steps you already know about) I'd keep it seperate. I'd put the project on the FV list. When it bubbled up as something to work on I'd pull the file and see what was involved. If the next actions were in the plan and I was ready to do them I'd add the next one to the bottom of my list with a dot and then proceed to do it. When I was done with doing. I'd cross off the project and add it to the bottom of the list. If I get interupted at any point I know exactly where I need to start from. Do the last dotted thing on the list.
I hope I've decoded Mark's intentions correctly from his instructions. It seems that the list should be used to see things at the level you want to see them so you can make a mindful choice about what to do. Sometimes the next thing to do on a project is to figure out what to do.
March 13, 2012 at 17:51 |
Tom L.
Tom L.
I don't see a big difference between projects in FV and how they were done in AF.
If it were a major project, I would create some kind of project plan with milestones, outside the FV list. I then have a choice. I can write at the bottom of my list "Project X" or "Project X-task y."
I keep separate project plans for very few of my projects. Almost everything I do is handled within Mark's list.
If it were a major project, I would create some kind of project plan with milestones, outside the FV list. I then have a choice. I can write at the bottom of my list "Project X" or "Project X-task y."
I keep separate project plans for very few of my projects. Almost everything I do is handled within Mark's list.
March 13, 2012 at 17:52 |
moises
moises
I wrote my post before Tom L.'s had been posted. Sorry for the redundancy.
March 13, 2012 at 17:53 |
moises
moises
+JMJ+
Actually just listing all of a project's tasks CAN be written in FV and let the system work the project.
Remember that FV's algorithm is "Now that this is my task, which task do I want to do before this?" then doing the pre-selected list backwards. Isn't that just like how one does projects?
Actually just listing all of a project's tasks CAN be written in FV and let the system work the project.
Remember that FV's algorithm is "Now that this is my task, which task do I want to do before this?" then doing the pre-selected list backwards. Isn't that just like how one does projects?
March 13, 2012 at 18:02 |
nuntym
nuntym
The only problem with listing all the tasks for all the projects is overwhelm. I feel the list would just be far too long to manage.
March 13, 2012 at 18:34 |
Alison Reeves
Alison Reeves
Put in the list only things you could do. Step 5 of a project can't be done until 1-4 are done, and if those are big steps... you'll soon be forced to address step 5 when it isn't ready. So when that comes up, limit yourself e.g to "Step 1 -> Project A", and add future steps only when prerequisites are completed. (This doesn't prevent independent tasks of the project from being entered.)
March 13, 2012 at 18:48 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
Do like I do in AF. Simply put in parenthesis project's name, then read only but what's relevant to the project. Then treat with a dot each item like with FV.
March 13, 2012 at 19:04 |
Jupiter
Jupiter
I have been entering all available next steps of each project onto the end of the list. When I am preselecting and I reach that spot, any of those tasks might receive a dot. When I go to work on the dotted one, I am likely to end up doing another or two. Eventually, I'll have done them all or they'll be obsolete. Much of this is theory, being day one, but I've already listed and dotted and actioned a few of these so far, and it feels right.
March 14, 2012 at 4:21 |
Bernie
Bernie
I think this advice from Mark could be used with FV as much as for SF or AF:
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2011/2/22/whats-next-progress-report-2.html
http://www.markforster.net/blog/2011/2/22/whats-next-progress-report-2.html
March 14, 2012 at 6:38 |
Seraphim
Seraphim
The issue of projects has always been a thorn for me. To my mind a task list works most effectively when it's fast and light, which is where FV seems so effective so far. Once you start linking in projects it by necessity starts becoming more cumbersome, as you then need links and tags, attachments and so on.
Against that, I DO have projects and I would like to keep them as reference material in the future and most simple task managers keep only rudimentary records of tasks completed. In which case it means either have a full fledged project manager GTD style or copy the tasks from the project into the task manager which means dual entry of every task.
How do people here handle this situation? I was previously using Gqueues which has a fairly deep structure for project management in tasks with sub tasks, tags etc. But since experimenting with Wunderlist and FV I'm finding it much easier to navigate and less chance of missing anything with only a couple of lists to look at. I'm leaning towards keeping Projects lists separate and only bothering with project plans on fairly major undertakings rather than the accepted GTD wisdom of anything more than two steps is a project.
Against that, I DO have projects and I would like to keep them as reference material in the future and most simple task managers keep only rudimentary records of tasks completed. In which case it means either have a full fledged project manager GTD style or copy the tasks from the project into the task manager which means dual entry of every task.
How do people here handle this situation? I was previously using Gqueues which has a fairly deep structure for project management in tasks with sub tasks, tags etc. But since experimenting with Wunderlist and FV I'm finding it much easier to navigate and less chance of missing anything with only a couple of lists to look at. I'm leaning towards keeping Projects lists separate and only bothering with project plans on fairly major undertakings rather than the accepted GTD wisdom of anything more than two steps is a project.
March 23, 2012 at 14:57 |
Shak
Shak
Put tasks from your projects directly into FV, but only the tasks that are ready to start. Include a pointer back to the project.
Keep the projects somewhere that's easily accessible when you need to look at it.
Keep the projects somewhere that's easily accessible when you need to look at it.
March 23, 2012 at 15:19 |
Alan Baljeu
Alan Baljeu
I try not to get hung up on project linkages in FV. I keep a outline plans in OneNote, put "review project X" tasks into FV and flag the tasks across to FV as I do project reviews.
I find the GTD 5-step project approach extremely practical. (Though the GTD terminology is just bizarre - as if he decided to use the term "project" for a higher level task without much thought 30 years ago and has stubbornly persisted despite the unnecessary confusion it causes.)
I find the GTD 5-step project approach extremely practical. (Though the GTD terminology is just bizarre - as if he decided to use the term "project" for a higher level task without much thought 30 years ago and has stubbornly persisted despite the unnecessary confusion it causes.)
March 23, 2012 at 16:09 |
Will
Will
What I have been doing the last several months is to block off a small part of the notebook, at the end of the overall task list, by drawing a block around 5 to 7 lines. In the first line, I put the project name, then the rest are for tasks related to the project. All of these lines may or may not have a task on them when I create the block, but if I think of anything to add, then I usually have a spare line or two. I do this because I like to keep my project tasks together somewhat. If it turns out there are more tasks than I originally allocated lines for, then I will put a ">" on the right end of the last line in that block to signify there is another block with more tasks for this project, and create another block at the end of the current overall list. And then process them like you would any other task, not as an entire project, but as individual tasks in the overall list. I have recently switched from AF1 to FV and this seems to be working well for me. Usually I try to dot at least one item in a project block per pass, to insure that the project is moving forward.
March 23, 2012 at 16:13 |
Dave D
Dave D
How often do you want to open the folder to remind yourself what to do next?
I use more detail when I want frequent reminders.
That includes: Pick up a part while I'm running other errands. Talk to Alice the one day this week she's in the office. Do several steps that all need to be done this week. Make a quick phone call to keep other parts of the project moving.
It also includes steps that can be done without getting the folder out, even if they can't be done now.
I use less detail when they mess up flow of the master task list. That includes steps I can't do until earlier steps are done -- unless I want those steps in my face, to keep pressure on the earlier steps.
Every project, and brain, and even season, is unique. "Mom's birthday" was a single task until it came time to do it. Then I wrote each task on the list.
I use more detail when I want frequent reminders.
That includes: Pick up a part while I'm running other errands. Talk to Alice the one day this week she's in the office. Do several steps that all need to be done this week. Make a quick phone call to keep other parts of the project moving.
It also includes steps that can be done without getting the folder out, even if they can't be done now.
I use less detail when they mess up flow of the master task list. That includes steps I can't do until earlier steps are done -- unless I want those steps in my face, to keep pressure on the earlier steps.
Every project, and brain, and even season, is unique. "Mom's birthday" was a single task until it came time to do it. Then I wrote each task on the list.
March 23, 2012 at 16:37 |
Cricket
Cricket
>>I keep a outline plans in OneNote, put "review project X" tasks into FV and flag the tasks across to FV as I do project reviews.<<
Will,
when you flag tasks across to FV do you copy them? It's this process that I was referring to as dual entry. It means basically you have to enter tasks into your project file and then into whatever you are using to manage FV.
The alternative of course if you are using an electronic app like Wunderlist is just to move it from the project list into the FV list. But then you lose the project link unless you use some sort of pointer back to the project as Alan has suggested. Also once the task is completed the reference is gone unless you have duplicated it somewhere else.
Will,
when you flag tasks across to FV do you copy them? It's this process that I was referring to as dual entry. It means basically you have to enter tasks into your project file and then into whatever you are using to manage FV.
The alternative of course if you are using an electronic app like Wunderlist is just to move it from the project list into the FV list. But then you lose the project link unless you use some sort of pointer back to the project as Alan has suggested. Also once the task is completed the reference is gone unless you have duplicated it somewhere else.
March 23, 2012 at 16:57 |
Shak
Shak
Sounds simple when I write it like that, but I always seem to struggle with the task/project definition! Probably because some projects are so small and others are really large!