Is there a "Next Action" view?

[paulocastaneda]

I bought omnifocus for the iphone, but I can't figure out how to look for all "next actions." I know that there is a "due soon" but not all of my actions have end dates. I don't want to have to go through each context/project to see what's out there, and I don't want to flag all of my items. Am I missing something easy? Thank you for any help.

[MacBerry]

I'd like to see this too. I use contexts most of the time, but often I have more than one context available (e.g. phone and laptop).

Mark

[JRArseneau]

I agree, it'd be nice to see this as I too have a lot of actions that don't necessarily have due dates (I think I have an aversion to due dates).

I know you purchased OF, but you may want to look at "Things" as they have a different philosophy to this approach (not that I'm advocating for the competition!) :)

[MacBerry]

Oh believe me I've looked ;). I love it's interface and intuitiveness way beyond OF, but it's seriously lacking in features at the moment, and doesn't sync.

Mark

[paulocastaneda]

I bought omnifocus over things because of the extra features it has. I like giving each item both a project and context. So far omnifocus is great for figuring out what I need to do at the location that I'm currently at. But I also want to use it to plan out my day. For that, a complete list of all next actions is the best view to use. I know that "things" can do that, but I find it hard to believe that I can't do this somehow using this program.

[JRArseneau]

Some experts may be able to chime in, but I don't believe this is possible without "Perspectives" (available on the Desktop version).

However, according to OmniGroup:

Filtering (and by extension Perspectives and review intervals) would be pretty awkward on the phone. Maybe we could do it someday, but it would take quite an interface overhaul.


I wouldn't hold my breath.. There may be a kludgy work around though :confused:

[Ken Case]

On the Settings screen, you can set Contexts to show only next actions. They're still grouped by context, but each context will tell you how many next actions it contains.

Does that help?

[paulocastaneda]

Thanks for the official response!

When I want to plan out my day, I want a view where I can see all the things I need to do in one screen, regardless of context. Setting contexts to show next action would still require me to click on each context to see what's in it. So it doesn't work for me.

I have a feeling that many of your users don't need this view because they do most of their planning on the desktop version and the iphone works well for just figuring out the smaller details of what to do wherever you happen to be. It's an issue for me because I don't have the desktop omnifocus. I would like to use the program as a stand-alone product, and it's almost perfect for me. But that little view option is a big hitch for my flow.

[paulocastaneda]

Maybe I'll try "Things" and see how that works out. I'm a little disappointed in this piece of software. When I bought it, I really thought that it would work as a stand alone product. I've been using it daily for a couple of weeks now to see if I just needed to get used to it. But I guess you really do need the desktop software to make it work properly.

[JRArseneau]

I don't think this is the case. I haven't (and don't plan) on buying the Desktop version. I've gotten quite productive at managing all my tasks on this phone.

But as the old saying goes, to each his own. Hopefully is they get perspectives or some way of customizing the main folder (the home folder you see when you start OF), you'll be able to do what you want to.

[HiramvdG]

On the Settings screen, you can set Contexts to show only next actions. They're still grouped by context, but each context will tell you how many next actions it contains.

Does that help?

Yes, that helps, but a smart group showing all next actions, from all contexts, would still be a very useful feature. More useful, to me at least, than the "Flagged" smart group. I sure hope something like an "All Next Actions" group makes it into the next update.

[jbarr]

I absolutely agree that some sort of "All Next Actions" group would be very useful.

Or an alternative could be to simply add a "global" context at the top of the contexts list called "All Contexts". Tapping this would display all items filtered per Settings.

I bit the bullet and purchased the desktop version, and now have a greater peace of mind. Both back up to my WebDav server, and I can better organize things on the desktop. I am finding OmniFocus to be so amazingly interesting, useful, and easy to use, and if it could just be polished just a bit, it could really stand out as a top application for the iPhone.

[wheeles]

Let me add my voice to the people who really would like an Actions smart group on the home screen.

As an iPod touch user that doesn't live in an area where there are WiFi spots from which to determine my location, the whole location awareness thing for me is completely irrelevant. All I really want is the ability to see all my next actions in one view. What would be good is have the context for each of those actions below it in a small font like there is with the project in other smart groups.

[jenniferp]

Another vote here.

Jennifer

[pjb]

After using the desktop version first, I expected to see a Next Action "Perspective" on launch.

[paulocastaneda]

For awhile I thought I was the only one this view would be useful for! I'm glad to hear that there are more of us out there.

Right now I've been using Things for the iPhone which works for me. Although if Omnifocus were to bring a next action view (and easier syncing! I don't have mobileme and the apache setup is a pain - things uses wifi sync like the itunes "remote" program, which is a snap), I would switch back to it in a heartbeat. Omnifocus has much more depth than Things, but right now, it is less usable to me.

[Grail]

If you want a list of all next actions, tap the crosshair in the toolbar!

This brings up a list of all "nearby" tasks. Just make sure you set the location for all your contexts, and you'll be set :)

[Hope]

sigh... I also want a list of available actions in all contexts, so I tried this tip. I went through all of my contexts and set them to be always available. (It's more important to me to have this complete list than to use "nearby" for it's intended purpose.) This does create the list I want, but... location services must be on to view the list (despite the fact that my actual location is now irrelevant).

I wonder how much power is used to keep location services on....

[wheeles]

If you want a list of all next actions, tap the crosshair in the toolbar!

This brings up a list of all "nearby" tasks. Just make sure you set the location for all your contexts, and you'll be set :)

That assumes that you either have an iPhone, or are near a recognised WiFi spot which has its location logged. If you use an iPod touch and are using your home WiFi network, then it's unlikely your location can be determined.

[wayne4]

Looking at the original posting


I bought omnifocus for the iphone, but I can't figure out how to look for all "next actions." I know that there is a "due soon" but not all of my actions have end dates. I don't want to have to go through each context/project to see what's out there, and I don't want to flag all of my items. Am I missing something easy? Thank you for any help.

I have posted a similar query on "omnifocus for applemac" forums (It's for the desktop application), but maybe you can cross reference

It may NOT be relevent? http://forums.omnigroup.com/showthread.php?t=10678

[blewis]

If you want a list of all next actions, tap the crosshair in the toolbar! This brings up a list of all "nearby" tasks.

This just happened to me recently and your post reminded me to write about it.

Seems like once every two months I am out shopping. I consult my Nearby list to see what I can do while I'm out. For some reason, there is an item I know I need, and I know I've put it into OF, but it is not showing up on my Nearby list!

Every time, without fail, it turns out that I have my Context view set to Next Action instead of Available.

I'm just pointing this out because I don't think I prefer my Nearby view to be my Next Action view - I want it to be my "what's Available Nearby" view. I'd like that to happen without having to hitting Home, then Settings, then set my Context view accordingly, then hit Nearby, then wait....

I do go back and forth though. Sometimes I just say to myself, "dude, you really need to learn how to use your Context Settings better - and remember to use them appropriately for what you want to know"

[paulocastaneda]

Clicking the crosshairs shows all the nearby tasks, which is a limited work around for me. I want to easily see a list is all of my next actions, not just the nearby tasks.

For my workflow, there are many times where I want to see all my next actions, regardless of context. For example, I plan out my week at home, but I'll want to see what needs to be done at work and for errands. A "all next action" view would be helpful to me.

I'm still using Things, but I'm waiting and hopeful that omni will update!

[Pezdad]

I absolutely agree that some sort of "All Next Actions" group would be very useful - almost critical. I also use the desktop version, but that doesn't mean it isn't needed on the iphone.

I can't believe it is not available, frankly.

[Brian]

Just in case folks didn't read the entire thread, you can set your context view to only show next actions; that's the current recommendation for folks that want to see a list that shows only their next actions.

We've got a number of requests for things that folks would like to see on the home screen; the things that are there now are the things that we figure almost everyone would use. Next Actions are somewhat of a GTD-ism; if you use some other productivity method, you may not use them or know what they are. For that type of user, a top-level item would represent wasted screen real estate at best, and a source of "this app is too complicated" feelings at worst. Software engineering is all about tradeoffs...

In any case, in some future version of the app, we may add more items to the home screen, or make it customizable; folks that would like to see stuff added there should send email to the support ninjas so we can record that feedback.

[ext555]

yes but I wouldn't be surprised to find that at least 60% of the user base is following some form of the GTD methadology : )

Like it or not , almost every mention of OF online [that I see ] refers to it as a GTD app in one way or another . You have " next action " and " context " in the filters of the desktop application so the perception is only natural .

why should the iPhone app cater to non-GTD users ?

[blewis]

In any case, in some future version of the app, we may add more items to the home screen, or make it customizable; folks that would like to see stuff added there should send email to the support ninjas so we can record that feedback.

Some more " pre-rolled perspectives" might be nice. In the Settings window perhaps a user could just select which pre-rolled Perspectives appear on the home screen. Next Actions would be a pre-rolled perspective.

The Next Actions perspective on iPhone might have, at the top, a Projects bar, a Context bar, and then a complete listing of Next Actions.

Why you ask? Well, this way, one could set the Settings of Context to be Available. That way, when selecting the Context bar from the Home screen, the total available set of Actions shows up per Context. If a user is interested in seeing just Next Actions, then they might access the Next Actions through the Next Actions perspective bar. Then the user could view via Project, Context, or "Full Next Action List". This would allow me to essentially "bind" my Available Actions view to the Nearby View, and still have a Next Action view.

Possible confusion however, when someone is viewing an Action after selecting the Context bar, won't there be a moment at some point where they ask "Hmm, how did I get to this particular Context view 'cause I'm seeing Available Actions instead of Next Actions - is that because of how I got here or because of my Settings?" Similar confusion happens all the time in the desktop version of OF when setting views.

Maybe I just need to learn to modify my Context Settings before I ask OF to show me something? ;-)

[Bluebeep]

We've got a number of requests for things that folks would like to see on the home screen; the things that are there now are the things that we figure almost everyone would use. Next Actions are somewhat of a GTD-ism; if you use some other productivity method, you may not use them or know what they are. For that type of user, a top-level item would represent wasted screen real estate at best, and a source of "this app is too complicated" feelings at worst. Software engineering is all about tradeoffs...


All your marketing speaks of GTD. I'm curious why you would sell an app claiming it is GTD when it lacks GTD-ism? How about this:

David Allen’s book and task management methodology “Getting Things Done®" has been a big inspiration for best-practice use of OmniFocus.

I guess that's how the software is sold. It's not an Engineering tradeoff is it? It's a monetary flow tradeoff where a specific client loses.

I'm really pissed I ended up spending for OF the iPhone.

If this is a real Engineering tradeoff, then a solution is simple: When installing the app for the first time, users should be asked if they are following a GTD method or not. Based on the response, a database is created for them. This way you don't lose either of your Clients respect (Both GTDers and others).

That's how an Engineering issue is handled. Not by simply calling it a tradeoff and not dealing with it but by finding a solution. Literally.

[whpalmer4]

It doesn't lack GTD-ism. But it is not intended as an application which can only be used as a GTD application, either.

Under "Flexible Task Management" the OmniFocus product page says:


OmniFocus works great as a Getting Things Done® trusted system but can also be used to fit other task management styles.


I've read most parts of DA's book about a dozen times. Even the somewhat limited (compared to the desktop) iPhone version of OmniFocus is far more flexible and powerful than the predominantly paper-based version described in the book.

Even your suggested "solution" is a tradeoff. Every question that a new user has to answer before they can start using the application can be an obstacle, even if none of them seem daunting in isolation, or to an experienced user. Watch a neophyte try to set up networking for an example. I think it is safe to say that OmniFocus for the iPhone has greatly expanded both the number of users and the range of typical abilities brought to the table by those users, and it is no longer possible (if indeed it ever was) to safely assume that the prospective user is a heavy-duty GTD nerd with excellent platform skills. They are trying to attract a broader selection of customers than only strict GTD dogmatists.

Why exactly are you so upset that you ended up spending money on OmniFocus for the iPhone? In what way is it failing you?

[Bluebeep]

Please see the title of the thread to find where OF is failing others and myself.

In another thread you mentioned the first available Action in a Project as the Next Action. Thanks, I didn't realize that. However, I still feel that there should be a way of listing Next Actions without having to browse to the Project. Especially since nesting projects seems to me as the natural way to organize them. And sorting through nested Projects to find the Next Action is quite cumbersome.

If there are 2 major sets of clients that OF is trying to appeal to (GTDers and Non-GTDers) it would make sense that the bulk of the client requests (for each client set) be attended to. Thereby expanding the appeal factor, client retention, technical flexibility, and marketability of the product. Judging by the number of votes for this feature on this thread alone, it seems to me that this is an important enough request for one of the client sets (The GTDers of course).

I don't see why this couldn't be an option at the very least. Also, lets not blur 'Choice' by highlighting 'Tradeoff'. The intention here is to provide the 'Choice' to each of the major client groups OF is attracting. IMO it would end up being a tradeoff if there was a third client group that had to chose between two 'unknown' Choices. Or some other variation. That's not the proposed case.

I don't know if I would consider the request dogmatic either. I've only read one third of the book and I feel Next Actions are quite basic to a GTD system. I'd find a lot of use for this feature as most others here would.

It's disappointing that I've gotten just this far in the book and already I'm looking for alternative/workaround methods for this and other OT features because the software doesn't do it.

Oh well.

[blewis]

In another thread you mentioned the first available Action in a Project as the Next Action. However, I still feel that there should be a way of listing Next Actions without having to browse to the Project. And sorting through nested Projects to find the Next Action is quite cumbersome.

For GTD people, I think may feel the more appropriate way to find your Next Action, is to index your list of Actions using your current Context. For example, if the Next Action of a Project requires you to be @ Kinko's, but you're @ K-Mart, you simply can't perform the Next Action for that Project so there's really no need to see that Next Action.

This is why in OF iPhone, only the Context view allows you to configure it to see on Next Actions. I think this is actually pretty "strict" GTD.

Here's where I see things blur a bit from the GTD book. Having an iPhone gives you access to the following Contexts" @Phone, @Online, @Home, @Work, @Waiting, @Errands, etc... For this reason, I think, some might actually find it faster to view a list of Next Actions and simply view the Contexts and decide for themselves if they are in the appropriate Context to perform any of the Actions. So I can't tell if people are stretching GTD because we're not fully familiar with it, or if having an iPhone actually causes some extra confusion when trying to assign Contexts.

I will say that if you truly are following GTD, you should probably have your Projects very well organized so that their Next Actions are always the next action you want to complete in that Project (i.e. those Actions are at the top of your Project list). That Action should also have an assigned Context. With that in mind, viewing from Context view is probably where you should be when you're "doing". Project view is where you should be when you're planning.

For me, it's when I'm "stuck" that I'd like to see a Next Action view. Yes, I'm now @Home, but maybe I'd like to randomly be reminded of something I need to do @Work or in my project "Clean the Garage" which has an action that occurs @Lowes, but I might not find it because I feel like I'm in the @Home Context.

[HyggeligKar]

Wouldn't the ideal solution be that when you tap "Contexts" and get into context view, on the top it would display "all contexts" and downwards it would display @errands, @home, etc. this would occupy one line in the table view.
if one pressed the all contexts thing, every context would be laid out and sorted by name, much like the way it's done in phone book! :)

[igrok]

Just a thought from reading this thread. Where the decision is made to NOT include a feature on the main screen because it might scare new users, why not do what the ipod app and others do on the iphone -- allow users to add or remove things from the main screen by having an edit button. Then you can add some perspectives if you like, or remove those things you rarely use, etc. Just a thought.

[HiramvdG]

Just a thought from reading this thread. Where the decision is made to NOT include a feature on the main screen because it might scare new users, why not do what the ipod app and others do on the iphone -- allow users to add or remove things from the main screen by having an edit button. Then you can add some perspectives if you like, or remove those things you rarely use, etc. Just a thought.

My vote goes to that idea. I want to decide what's on the main screen; give me that power!

[Brian]

Sorry if my earlier post made it sound like the decisions or thinking that I was describing were final. My intent was to describe the thinking that lead up to what folks were seeing in the app as it stands today, not state a position about what it might do in the future.

Folks that want to customize the home screen (or see anything else changed) should, as always, use the button in Settings to send email to the support ninjas so we can record their requests.

[Ken Case]

When I want to plan out my day, I want a view where I can see all the things I need to do in one screen, regardless of context. Setting contexts to show next action would still require me to click on each context to see what's in it.

We're fixing this in v1.2 of OmniFocus for iPhone: on any hierarchical list (Context or Project), you'll have the option of viewing "All Items".

[gcrump]

in v1.2 of OmniFocus for iPhone".

Ken, Can you comment on what else we might see in v1.2 if we promise not to hold you to it?

[Brian]

Sorry, but we can't get any more specific than "when it's ready".

Even if we get a promise from you today, someone new will join the internet tomorrow, and gosh only knows what they'll do with the info. :-)

[ext555]

that's great news ! thanks omni group : )

[marshallj]

An "all items" view would be great... Sometimes you need to quickly scan all your active items regardless of project or context. Also, as flags are usefull for designating items you want to get done that day... I would love to see a way to quickly flag items instead of having to open up each individual item.

It's very handy to be able to have a quick look at everything and flag items that I'm going to try to get done in a given period of time, say, if you have a couple hours to run errands... You can flag a bunch and go.. You can still work out of contexts, you're just quickly filtering items that you can get down now...

If you could flag an item by swiping it... That would be fantastic...

Personally, I dump a lot of tasks into my desktop version of OF, then I run around with my iPhone actually doing things...I don't see how people can really "GTD" on the desktop app... besides the "computer" context... Do they keep running back to their computer to check what to do next? The usefullness of the iPhone client is critical for me. I also would love a couple different smart groups besides "due soon" and "overdue". I have a lot of tasks that don't really constitute a due date... They just need to get done although some are a higher priority than others.

Anyhow.. Thanks for listening...

[Greg Jones]

I can't add much to what marshallj just posted other than to say that my workflow is similar to his. I use OF primarily in Project mode on the desktop to plan and review, and work out of OF on the iPhone when actually getting work done. I have started flagging non-dated items that I want to focus on today, but then I still have to bounce between 'due soon', 'overdue', and 'flagged' on the iPhone. While GTD doesn't endorse the idea of a today to-do list, a 'today' view that combines the the 3 views mentioned above would be helpful, and consistent with the GTD idea of putting day (and time) specific information on one's calendar.

[kbs1138]

We've got a number of requests for things that folks would like to see on the home screen; the things that are there now are the things that we figure almost everyone would use. Next Actions are somewhat of a GTD-ism; if you use some other productivity method, you may not use them or know what they are. For that type of user, a top-level item would represent wasted screen real estate at best, and a source of "this app is too complicated" feelings at worst. Software engineering is all about tradeoffs...

In any case, in some future version of the app, we may add more items to the home screen, or make it customizable; folks that would like to see stuff added there should send email to the support ninjas so we can record that feedback.


>>>>>>> "make it cutomizable;" <<<<<<<<<<

This is critical for a device with such limited real estate!!!! You always going to be wasting someone's (possibly everyone's) OF iPhone real estate when you try to choose what's on the home screen for us.

Obviously within reason, but isn't that in a sense what you are doing with Perspectives on the Desktop OF when user created Perspectives appear as options in the customizable toolbar window? If you slightly less ambitious you could solicit from users votes for the top 30 perspectives. and with discussion may you might find some surprises and in Settings allow us to choose what we put on the home screen rather than your suggested default.

[kbs1138]

Originally Posted by igrok
Just a thought from reading this thread. Where the decision is made to NOT include a feature on the main screen because it might scare new users, why not do what the ipod app and others do on the iphone -- allow users to add or remove things from the main screen by having an edit button. Then you can add some perspectives if you like, or remove those things you rarely use, etc. Just a thought.
My vote goes to that idea. I want to decide what's on the main screen; give me that power!

My vote goes to that idea. I want to decide what's on the main screen; give me that power!


My vote goes to this idea as well!!!

[wilsonng]

I can't add much to what marshallj just posted other than to say that my workflow is similar to his. I use OF primarily in Project mode on the desktop to plan and review, and work out of OF on the iPhone when actually getting work done. I have started flagging non-dated items that I want to focus on today, but then I still have to bounce between 'due soon', 'overdue', and 'flagged' on the iPhone. While GTD doesn't endorse the idea of a today to-do list, a 'today' view that combines the the 3 views mentioned above would be helpful, and consistent with the GTD idea of putting day (and time) specific information on one's calendar.


Oh heck yeah! I also have to flip between due soon, overdue, and flagged.... I'd love to have this on the iPhone as well as the desktop version!

I think that's what people like about Things and the Hit List.

Wouldn't "Today" also be considered a context? The context is a physical condition that has to occur to make next actions available. Today is a big context for me!

[CatOne]

Oh heck yeah! I also have to flip between due soon, overdue, and flagged.... I'd love to have this on the iPhone as well as the desktop version!

I think that's what people like about Things and the Hit List.

Wouldn't "Today" also be considered a context? The context is a physical condition that has to occur to make next actions available. Today is a big context for me!

The "Today" view (similar to what Things has) would be helpful to me.

As far as a context... well maybe, but changing all my contexts to "Today" to see them (or, maybe, getting ride of _all_ contexts but Today, Next, Someday, Waiting, etc.) is a bit drastic to solve this problem I think :-)

[wilsonng]

You can probably go to projects, show all remaining actions and then flag all the things you want to do today or this week. Then look at the flagged items in your iPhone. That's what I do.

I use OF Desktop for the weekly review. It's one thing that's missing in OF iPhone. It would be nice to have perspectives as well....

[Ken Case]

We're fixing this in v1.2 of OmniFocus for iPhone: on any hierarchical list (Context or Project), you'll have the option of viewing "All Items".

Just a quick update: We wanted to push out v1.2 sooner rather than later (so we could start sharing sneaky peeks of v1.6 for the Mac), so "All Items" on the iPhone is now planned for v1.3 instead of v1.2.

[Greg Jones]

Ken, has 1.2 been submitted to the App store?

[CatOne]

Ken, has 1.2 been submitted to the App store?

Yes, it was uploaded on Saturday or Sunday from what I recall. It's not available for download yet.

[Ken Case]

It's been approved and is making its way to an App Store server near you. (I just downloaded the v1.2 update from the App Store on my iPhone.)

[jahn]

Just a quick update: We wanted to push out v1.2 sooner rather than later (so we could start sharing sneaky peeks of v1.6 for the Mac), so "All Items" on the iPhone is now planned for v1.3 instead of v1.2.This is fantastic news! Now I can switch back from Things Touch. Thanks guys!