[smiggles]

Are there any other Architects, Designers and Creative individuals out there using OF for large-scale, long term projects? I'd like to be able to learn and share with others using this software system (and the GTD system) in this kind of work context.

As an architect we tend to have projects that are very long term ones, with multiple heirarchies of projects, actions. As a "project" they are full of "sub-projects" (or action groups in OF terminology) that together form to complete the actions of the overall project at large. For this reason I have found OF somewhat limiting in dealing with large scale projects like these. Wondering if any other designers, architects and creatives have run in similar problems and overcome them in the system?

For instance, I've been experimenting with whether making what we call in the office an "project" (eg. a new building) an OF folder or an OF project. Each option has pros and cons. If I make the "project" an OF folder full of OF projects, then you can't put it on hold because folders don't work that way in the OF system; even though in my office overall "projects" do. Nor can I have the ultimate satisfaction of entering in that magnificent feeling final check off in the box when I complete the overall "project" because OF folders don't have that function. If I make the overall "project" an OF project then I can't put the tasks on hold, as often they do in reality.

Now I've sensed some resistance (more like animosity) in this OF community to terming things sub-projects; even though things tend to work that way in my reality... and I gather in other people's realities as well. But whether one calls things projects with actions and sub-projects (with further actions), or one calls things projects with actions and action groups, the hierarchical relationship is still the same despite what you call it. Actions often time become action groups, which do in fact behave as "sub-projects" in reality. Action groups do need to go on hold occasionally; so I'd like to have a way for them to go behave more like a project and go into a hold mode. Why can't they? And for that matter, why can't folders have the option to behave more like projects. Perhaps future versions of OF can respond to these dynamics better-- allowing for actions to become projects more easily, or at least let action groups behave more like projects. I don't want this to turn into a rant about action groups vs. thinking of them as sub-projects.

What I really want is some feedback from other architects, designers, creatives or others with actual field experience organizing and facilitating larger projects (like designing and documenting and constructing buildings) that have multiple layers of heirarchies of actions and action-groups. Actions that over the course of time manifest into larger groups of actions that require "project" management functions. How do you organize your folders, projects, actions, etc. How do you organize your contexts as well. How do you manage it more seamlessly, which is my ultimate goal. Because I don't want to spend all my time "managing" the actions, but would rather be doing them.

I'll show you mine and you show me yours.