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I'm continuing to refine how I manage horizons of focus from 20k' and up. After I wrote this, I realized that my quandary |ˈkwänd(ə)rē| pretty much boils down to: the differences between outline hierarchies and mind maps in general (including some of their (software) fancier features); and then relationships and non-relationships between content in the 20k' -> 50k' horizons of focus. So this will be noise for some.

Anyway, I've got 10k' and runway covered nicely with OmniFocus. I also do have the following hierarchy for much (but not all, as you will see) of my 20k'+ horizons of focus:

50k' (SAL)
Core value 1 [action group parent]
Sub item A [action child]
40k' (SAL)
(etc.)
Some of the ways I've captured/organized from 20k' - 50k':

My general purpose notes database. Quick to enter into.

Mind mapping.

OmniFocus. I have SALs for 20k', 30k', 40k', and 50k'. I use actions as reference items (with a context that to me means non-actionable), and also use action groups. I liked being able to refer to these levels without leaving OF, while planning actual work. However where this falls through for me at times is:

- It is useful to see one's entire mind map in one window (or be able to drill down), seeing all the bubble relationships.

- An outline hierarchy, at least the way I have mine set up in OF, doesn't allow showing relationships between items in different horizons, the way a Mind Map can. I could set up a single SAL with horizon tags like this:

Horizons of focus (20k' -> 50k') (SAL)
50k' Core value 1
50k' Sub item A
40k' Vision 1

30k' goal 1
20k' Area of focus and responsibility 1
... however: 1) tagging is messy (I could go tagless of course); 2) Without repeating items, I can't show one item supporting multiple higher levels of focus. With a mind map, additional relationships can be shown.

Also: 1) while items in various horizons do often directly support higher levels, some times horizon content sits in its own space; 2) Michael Dolan says http://bit.ly/XR3L9:

"We recommend holding this model lightly as the various horizons are meant to be general guidelines, not a rule-book. For instance, if for you, 30K and 40K feel like almost the same thing - great. Success here is more about the intention of actually articulating and review your higher agreements - not necessarily the exact form they take."

Bob

Last edited by omnibob; 2010-02-05 at 10:30 AM..