[Flexattend]

I'm frustrated at what appears to be an unnecessarily steep learning curve for Omnifocus. Where's the "Getting Started"? The introductory video is fine as far as goes but is merely a breezy and seemingly incomplete overview. Nor does it appear to address the dynamics, ie., how all the features function, interact and integrate over time. Nowhere is there any mapping of the features to a graphic of the GTD cycle. The 50+ page manual has no table of contents, no index, no glossary. Numerous terms and phrases are introduced without a visual reference nor any definition. The single page PDF file visual overview has 5 pt. type and requires a magnifying glass to look at.

Such varied and pervasive shortcomings place Omnifocus' documentation in the lower 10% of packaged software documentation.

I get the strong suspicion that much of the buzz around Omnifocus has come from the cogniscenti, ie., from those who are already so conversant in the GTD methodology or with the manner in which other GTD apps past and present work, that they possess a context of prior understanding that a beginner lacks. It is is a poor marketing strategy for Omnigroup to appeal solely to those who are converted and bring prior experience.

Omnigroup should take a metaphorical lesson from Heathkit, the famous maker of electronic kits made years ago for kids and hobbyists to assemble. They gave their kits with instructions to the cleaning ladies who came in at the end of the day. If they could understand the instructions, then the kits were designed well enough to be ready for market. Now go forward and do likewise (ie., analogously). Find some intelligent but ignorant beginners. That's the only way you'll be able to sort out how your tacit knowledge occludes your thinking about what's pertinent and in what order it should be conveyed, and how your tacit knowledge precludes your clearly explaining how this software works and provides a valuable service.

Irrespective of its many shortcomings, the documentation for the old, now defunct, software program Ecco, was one of the most stunningly brilliant pieces of documentation. The people who wrote it really understood the dynamics of how people learn complex systems with tightly coupled conceptual interdependencies.

Comments welcome.