Basic Projects Outline

[majormauser]

I have watched the videos by Ethan....great help... but has anyone got a basic outline for setting up Projects.... I know we are supposed to put what we want there but for the NEW user there has to be a starting point. If OG wanted to include a basic Database Template file as a demo for new users what should or would it be?

What would the Projects and Contexts be?

Here is how I have mine setup at the moment please critique - Thanks

My Contexts -
Phone
Home
Email
Mac
Work
Vacation
Weekend
Friends
Train
Errands ~ Hardware store, Grocery,Bank,Post-office & Autobarn
Home
Tasks
Game Consoles - Xbox,Nintendo,PS3,PSP

My Projects -
Stuff to do at home
Buy Gifts
Send Mail
Website
Credit Card
Phone Calls
Trips
Finances

My Folders in Projects -
Video Games
Business
Domestic
Organization
Website
Vacation
Media
Finances
Sports & Rec

[isam]

There seems to be a big mixup or unclearness between the concept of "Context" and "Project" .. it is strange that there is "buy gifts" and "Send Emails" are projects in your case..

Sharing contexts between different users might be of benefit, because it could help you realize new contexts that might be suitable in your case, but as for projects, it is very very personalized.. for example in my case there is "Repair AC in Car", "Yearly Evaluation for Karl", etc..

[majormauser]

isam

Thats it... I don't really think I understand the Context/Projects Voodoo. I love the fact that OF is structureless and open but some of us need a guide to start with.

Thanks

[isam]

best guide would be probably "Getting Things Done" the book ( David Allen) .. maybe this could be a good starting point..

Nevertheless, OF might be considered a somehow open/flexible App to suit your own personal productivity method, but still, it would be better if you start to build up the understanding in the GTD concepts.

[KEusebio]

What works for you is what works for you. If the method you devise does the job then that's great. The Getting Things Done (GTD) method is a good place to start, I agree, if you're looking for guidance in project management.

Ultimately, if you can get stuff off of your mind until you actually need to be working on it, then your method likely works.

[curt.clifton]

I strongly second the suggestions to ready Allen's book. I'm a personal productivity junkie, but found Getting Things Done by far the most useful of the books in this genre. GTD tends to use some terms in very specific and unusual ways. "Projects" and "contexts" are two of these.

In the GTD sense, a project is any thing that you want to accomplish that will take more than one step. Projects are very personal. I tend to use folders to group my projects by roles and goals. Here is a portion of my projects listing:

226

As for contexts, Allen writes [chapter 7]:


Over many years I have discovered that the best way to be reminded of an "as soon as I can" action is by the particular context required for that actions—that is, either the tool or the location or the person needed to complete it.


Here are the contexts that I currently have set-up:

227

[majormauser]

Curt,

Awesome & Thanks.

I get it now! (I think) I added your descriptions as a Project "Learn to use GTD"

[Paul Hoadley]

Hi Curt,

Here is a portion of my projects listing: ...

Just out of curiosity, why are almost all of your individual projects in the past tense?

[curt.clifton]

Just out of curiosity, why are almost all of your individual projects in the past tense?

Paul,

That's one of my techniques for envision the successful outcome of a project. I state the project in terms of what it will look like when completed.

"Projects" that aren't in past tense are generally ongoing sequences of actions that aren't likely to ever be finished. For example, one of my projects is "Attend conferences". I hope to continue doing that until I retire (or expire).

Cheers,

Curt

[majormauser]

Here is an excellent tread that is similar to my request

Curt you found this already.

http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=1884