[blewis]

Originally Posted by 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.

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!

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]

Originally Posted by Brian

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]

Originally Posted by Brian

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]

Originally Posted by Bluebeep

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.