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The Two Types of Web-Based GTD Systems

By , on Wednesday, April 18th, 2007

Question

I have a confession to make. I get way too enamored with new and fancy ways of getting my crap in order. Which means I’m regularly transitioning between GTD implementations (and this frustrates me to no end, I assure you). I’m not kidding – when a new GTD app shows up on my radar, I’m like the only Eskimo in the ice cube store. I guess the silver lining is that I can pretty accurately describe why most of the new kids on the block won’t work (at least, not for me). But that’s another topic for another post – I’m just bringing all this up as a way of introducing my experience with many different types of GTD setups and systems.

When it comes to managing your projects, etc. using something digital, you’re faced with two options:

  1. An All-in-One Application – In other words, a web site/application designed specifically to be used for GTD. Some examples include Nozbe, Vitalist and Tracks.
  2. A Best-of-Breed Solution – Using one application to manage lists, another to manage reminders, yet another to manage your calendar, etc. Applications like Stikkit and Backpack would be decent examples of applications that weren’t designed specifically for use with GTD, but are often used for it anyway (or as part of a larger system, say alongside a good calendar).

Both of these types of systems have their successes and failures, and obviously it’s up to the person using it and what works best for them. Having said that, here’s what I’ve discovered about the ready-made GTD applications: All of the ones I’ve tried, virtually without exception, don’t get the job done (for me). Either they don’t fully implement the GTD methodology (which, when broken down to it’s most basic form, isn’t terribly complex) or they implement parts of it incorrectly. The most common problem I’ve seen deals with the Someday/Maybe list. Bottom line, don’t expect most/all of the GTD web apps to feel like an extension of your index cards and notebook – there will likely be some growing pains.

Now, I’m not going to give a point-by-point lambasting of each of the web apps I’ve tried and why I no longer use them, but suffice it to say, I believe that none of the current offerings can really do the job. Which is why I’ve also tried a few other sites/services as my GTD homebase (that fit into category #2 from the list above). And, having experienced both sides of the coin (so to speak), I have to say that #2 wins hands down. Let me tell you why…

It comes down to three little words: extendability, customization and simplicity. Besides, what’s a GTD system other than lists, folders and a calendar? That’s right – not much at all. Sure, you can pimp it out by adding cell phone reminders and such, but at the end of the day, it’s all about being able to easily manage your stuff. And any application that knows nothing of GTD but allows you to easily create and edit a simple todo-style list pretty much fits the bill.

It’s a bit paradoxical to think that applications that weren’t meant for GTD actually do a better job of helping you manage it than those that were, but this truly seems to be the case.

So where does one go from here?

My advice (and it’s probably not good advice – you’ve been warned) is to try everything at least once. Because so much of this is based on preference, you really can’t discount any of the available services/sites without having taken them around the parking lot a few times. And for a best-of-breed approach, here are some of my recommendations:

While sites that fit #1 have a decided allure, don’t rule out the more Unix-ish approach of finding a stellar tool for a single purpose and using it in concert with other stellar tools.

(Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links)

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  • http://canasto.es/ Jeroen Sangers

    For me, an All-in-One application needs one more feature: e-mail. Most of my work enters my life through e-mail, and with most GTD systems I end up copying and pasting my messages from e-mail to task list. It is very important for me that this can be done with a single click, which is the main reason for sticking with Outlook GTD add-in.

  • http://www.tudumo.com Richard

    What’s your take on offline apps? Definitely not going to use ‘em? What would an offline app have to do to make you happy?

    I got a login for Scrybe yesterday, which I’ve been waiting for ages for. I still have to give it a proper go!

  • brett

    @Richard

    Personally, offline applications wouldn’t really serve me very well for a single reason – I split my time pretty evenly between my work-issued laptop (running windows) and my mac at home. I’m sure I could find an app that would run on both platforms, but I just don’t want the added headache of having to keep the application’s data with me or in some other location where it’d be available to both apps.

    I’ve heard great things about some of the offline GTD systems, but never anything good enough to cause me to incur what I can only imagine is a logistical pain in the ass. :)

    Cheers!

  • http://homepage.mac.com/toddvasquez/apps Todd V

    There is also

    3. A fully-transparent solution that keeps your GTD workflow from getting locked into only one application but also allows you to use every application you have.

    Web-based GTD implementations have two shortcomings: refresh rates and access issues. Nobody wants to wait for the screen to refresh each time they make a change to their system, and the one time the server goes down with all of their important stuff, the solution ceases to be reliable.

    All-in-one app solutions have the shortcomings of not knowing whether the app will be supported long-term and being forced to work only from within it.

    This is why I designed a file-system implementation for the Mac called “Ready-Set-Do!”. It doesn’t lock users into an application and keeps the bread and butter of the person’s workflow riding on the file system which will be accessible for the next 10-20 years. It also has the vertical dimensions of GTD, better implementation of Projects, and the Someday-Maybe and Tickler functionality that many other GTD systems lack. It’s not a fancy GUI application, but what it lacks in eye-candy it makes up for in transparency and reliability. I’m looking for more feedback and would appreciate any advice or suggestions from users who would like to try it out:

    http://homepage.mac.com/toddvasquez/apps

  • http://gtdmastery100.com Duff

    Brett,

    I pretty much agree with you here.

    My GTD implementation consists of Backpack (for lists and notes), Gmail w/GTDInbox (although I might drop GTDInbox soon–too much clutter and slows down GMail considerably), Google Calendar for calendar and tickler (using “all-day events” and the daily agenda email) and text message reminders (once a day max). I also carry a tiny calendar and a P.A.D. (also called a Hipster PDA, but I refer to it as a Personal Analog Device), for catching and carrying data offline.

    I like playing with new applications (e.g. Jott.com), but I agree that very few implement well, and almost all are unnecessary for actually getting things done, so I always go back to “good enough.”

  • http://www.blog.7breaths.co.uk rob

    Choose a system. Stick with it. DO THINGS. Stop procrastinating by looking for the perfect sytem – it does not exist. DO MORE THINGS. Stop reading blogs which keep recomending new systems – OK hands up i’m guilty of that. , damn this GTD thing is so hard at times….

  • slb

    paper beats all comers.

    i tried GTD tracks, basecamp, google calendar, remember the milk, iGTD, entourage, and gmail with the GTD extension. ditto the eskimo in the ice cube store.

    i returned to paper. it’s simple, reliable, portable, system independent, and real. and you won’t waste time ‘fiddling the system’.

    slb
    cambridge, MA

  • http://www.traviseneix.com Travis

    Thanks for the awesome article. I agree with the sentiments of some of the replies above – there comes a time when GTD should be about getting things done rather than getting GTD set up. I have a stong perfectionist streak running through me that I am trying to be rid of, and fiddling with kewl new GTD apps fits the bill nicely. FWIW: I am finally down to picking betwixt a hosted TiddlyWiki over at tiddlyspot.com and Toodledo.com for my online portion. The bulk of my personal organizational system is still pen & paper.

  • ciret

    I’m still relatively new to GTD, Feb ’07. And, yes I too suffer from the gadget/appitis. I guess somewhere deep down inside I think there must be that perfect app that will make all this work and stuff get organized and done, no sweat. But back to reality. I have used a number of organizers and personal management systems over the years and have sort of settled into a composition book, (moleskines look nice and are nice to write on but at $12-$15 ea for 2-3 months of notes is too much $$ for me), for notes and my Notes calendar sync’d to the Blackberry. Notes and the BB are work issue and I don’t see any advantage to running 2 systems, so I have to go with what is available. I looked at a lot of the online systems and signed up and tried more than a few of them. I have been using the MonkeyGTD tiddlywiki for a month or so. It has some nice features and some thinks that I think I can tweak as I learn more about how the tiddlywiki works. I can print to 3×5 cards which I find to be a very useful way of collecting and reviewing next actions. I lay the cards out on the desk every morning and order them into priorities for the day. But again the bottomline is getting the work done. I recognize thta I need to keep re-reading the book and working on implementation of more of the core concepts, I’m terrible with the weekly review and mind sweep. I have a hard time with work vs personal, some areas of GTD I do better in the work setting and some in the personal setting.
    I’m glad there are a number of resources/blogs/websites/etc out there for inspiration.

    Take care,

    ==>Eric

  • DaveGarbutt

    HI,

    you haven’t mentioned the offline wiki system I use: MonkeyGTD
    http://monkeyGTD.tiddlyspot.com/
    I am using the alpha version of the next major version and it seems fine for reliability.
    I can’t express how cool it is. :-)

    It is based on tiddlyWiki (see http://www.tiddlywiki.com) a self contained, one file wiki that I use at work from Windows and at home from my beloved Mac Cube.
    I sync up with a USB stick, and sometimes print to A6 cards for a real hipster moments.

    There is also a hosted version at tiddlyspot.com which can be detached and re-synched.

    enjoy,

    Dave

  • Matt

    Where’s Hiveminder on the list? I’ve used it for a little while and find it very effective. The braindump allows easy input of many items and custom tags let you configure contexts, projects, and sub-projects in any fashion you wish. I like it much better than TRM and Vitalist.

  • http://blog.crankingwidgets.com/2007/05/03/backpack-gtd/ My New Favorite Productivity Application at The Cranking Widgets Blog

    [...] considering my previous idea about the two types of web-based GTD systems, Backpack is as close to a perfect marriage of the two that I’ve come across. I bet [...]

  • http://gtd.zigzo.com/2007/05/03/my-new-favorite-productivity-application-the-cranking-widgets-blog/ My Get Things Done List » Blog Archive » My New Favorite Productivity Application [The Cranking Widgets Blog]

    [...] considering my previous idea about the two types of web-based GTD systems, Backpack is as close to a perfect marriage of the two that I’ve come across. I bet [...]

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