Create columns for contexts? Kanban and MLO?

[fsmont...@gmail.com]

Hello!

Is there a way to create a view where the tasks appear on different columns as opposed to linearly? This would be a good way of implementing Kanban boards with MLO.

Simple conceptual view below:

A first version could be just supporting viewing tasks like this, while a follow-up version would add/remove/change contexts based on dragging the tasks between the (customizable) columns.

Would LOVE to use MLO for this :-)

Has anyone done Kanban with MLO? If so, how?

Thanks!

Fernando

(MLO user since hmmm.... 2005-ish)

[Richard Emes]

Hi Fernando,

The workaround I'm using is to create sub-projects for each board; not started, ongoing, waiting and completed. I then move each task on each 'board' to the correct sub-project depending on status. I don't complete any of the tasks on the Completed 'board'. I also don't assign Contexts to any of the tasks so they don't appear in any of my other task views. I use the text tags to put a name on each task if someone else is working on it and then move it to the Waiting 'board'

Interested to see if anyone else has any other ideas

All the best

Richard

[Andrei Bacean]

Another workaround is to use a custom view with grouping as Kanban categories (grouping by context, by flag, by text tag).

Also, you can use emoji to insert some visual signs to the grouping name like ▶ ⏸ ⏯🔄🔜🔼🔽⬆⬇↗↘🎯🤵 etc.

To insert an emoji symbol to the context/tag name on windows 10, press "Win" key and "." key simultaneously.

Emoji symbols on windows are black and white. Instead on android (I guess on iOS too) they are colorful.

Best wishes

Andrei

вторник, 23 июня 2020 г., 13:45:00 UTC+3 пользователь Richard Emes написал:

[fsmont...@gmail.com]

Thank you, I'm a little confused. Is there an option to list as Kanban? If so, I haven't found it.

FM

[Andrei Bacean]

Hi

Sorry for late reply.

No, there is no such option.

The idea is to use views groups as Kanban categories.

Here is a demonstration video.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/vri0jxrhjxqtly9/Kanban%20view.mp4?dl=0

Have a good day!

Andrew

пятница, 26 июня 2020 г. в 08:59:33 UTC+3, fsmont...@gmail.com:

[Susannah]

Thank you for that!  I have been wanting to do that for the longest time and got it set up in 3 minutes with your demo.  Do you have any other demos?  Examples of other views you use often maybe.

Susannah

[Fernando Montenegro]

This video was excellent! Thanks!!!

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Fernando Montenegro - fsmont...@gmail.com
Markham, ON, Canada

[Andrei Bacean]

Hi Susannah 

I don't have any other demos. But, i can do some. Let me know which view you would like to build.

Also, please check https://twitter.com/mylifeorg

There are some useful tricks published there.

Have a good day,

Andrew

пятница, 10 июля 2020 г. в 14:44:17 UTC+3, Susannah:

[Susannah]

I don't really have anything specific in mind.  My main issue is I have too many tasks.  So my next action list is too long.  I really need a view that I can get better use out of the phone app - mine is pretty much impossible to use with how I have it set up now.  Actually this Kanban view may help with that.   I will check out your twitter link too it looks like there are a lot of helpful things on there.

I spend way too much time managing my list so anything that makes that easier would be helpful.  I have tabs for things like tasks without contexts that I check regularly to make sure I didn't forget to give a new tasks a context.  Also have one for overdue tasks so I can quickly look at those.

I'm not very good about using the contexts as intended b/c my list is too long again.  Common theme as you can tell.

I rarely get through a weekly review b/c it takes so long.  That is just for active tasks I rarely get to review the next up list - that has turned more into a black hole.  I do have mini reviews of certain sections built into my routines though.  I would love something that would make reviews go faster so that I can do them more regularly.  

Thanks,

Susannah

[M. Leigh Bender]

I'd seriously recommend utilizing a "Someday/Maybe" list for some of your tasks. My lists get really long and I started feeling overwhelmed. Using the S/M allowed me to put tasks there that I wasn't going to get too in the next month or 2 and it  kept them out of my views. I have my S/M set to not display in the to-do lists. The key is to regularly review them and pull some back to active and add items that have recently been added to the overall list. Be honest with yourself, if its a "want to do" vs a "have to do" or "should do" then move it to the S/M list and focus on the things you've identified you really want to get done.

Hope this helps,

Leigh

[fsmont...@gmail.com]

Yes agree 100% on Someday/Maybe as context (which can then be hidden).

Another key thing that helps me is making sure task dependencies are properly set. I often use subtasks and frequently use the 'subtasks must be completed in order' as it helps a LOT with clutter from a project.

Just for reference, I have a structured list with 4 main categories:

[work]

[career]

[home]

[personal]

inbox

Then different things under each ([home]-[seasonal]-[summer] for recurring summer tasks, for example) where things have subtasks.

Hope this helps.

Fernando

[Susannah]

I definitely have all my someday maybe tasks hidden.  About weekly I go through and move as many things as I can to someday maybe that I really should be doing to try to get my active list to a useable length.  I also have a lot of tasks that come up during the day that just get done and never added to the list.  I rarely ever go through and move anything the other way (out of someday maybe) that is why it is more like a black hole.  I should name it the probably never list.

I have folders for all of my roles and then I have an active folder and a prioritized folder under each role.  Ideally I would finish everything in the active folder each week and then at the weekly review pull in the top tasks from each prioritized list kind of like a pez dispenser.  Some roles may not have any active for the week or season.  My active tasks never seem to get done though.   It seems like for everything I do there are 10 new things that have to be done and they are usually pretty time sensitive.  ASAP and fire fighting is a normal thing in my life although it has been getting better.

Thanks,

Susannah 

[Susannah]

I have little trouble with dependencies in a specific project.  The issue I do have with them is if I would like to do this project before I do that one.  If something gets stuck that I didn't foresee in the first project I lose sight of the other one that I could be working on while I wait on someone or something.  I am learning that is not a good thing to do at least until I can get regular reviews under control.  It does work well though if an emergency pops up I can put that in and make everything dependent on the emergency which shortens my list very quickly until the emergency is done that is.  Or if I could get my list short enough to have one active folder for work and one for personal instead of how it is below.  I am a long way off from that though.

I saw something on that twitter link that I think is going to really help.  Putting a closed time frame on certain contexts.  That will help separate a lot of my home tasks from my tasks that can be done anytime and anywhere.

My structured list is set up pretty similar to yours: 

Routines - reoccurring tasks anything from daily to yearly
   System - general system maintenance like clearing my inboxes and weekly reviews etc

   Work

      Role 1

          Active

          Prioritized (hidden - someday maybe plus anything that doesn't have to be done this week) - I used to have these separate but it was too hard to review so I try to prioritize so the top is things that need to be done sooner and the bottom is maybe never things

      Role 2

          Active

          Prioritized

     ...all the way to Role 9

   Personal

      Role 1

          Active

          Prioritized

     ...all the way to Role 8

One Times - projects that completed and go away
   System - ex would be applying those closed periods to my contexts

   Work

      Role 1

          Active

          Prioritized (hidden - someday maybe plus anything that doesn't have to be done this week) - I used to have these separate but it was too hard to review so I try to prioritize so the top is things that need to be done sooner and the bottom is maybe never things

      Role 2

          Active

          Prioritized

     ...all the way to Role 9

   Personal

      Role 1

          Active

          Prioritized

     ...all the way to Role 8

Then I have a few other main levels like procedures to copy, ideas, reference, and I actually do have a probably never at the bottom of projects that got x'd but their plan was very detailed and I didn't want to just delete b/c it could be used in different projects (all of these are hidden).  For example I manage our network at work among other things so I have a procedure for setting up a new employee in my procedures to copy folder.  So when we have a new employee I go copy the whole project from procedures to copy and paste it in my Network Role under work and give it the deadline of the day before the employee starts.  Just that one project may have 50 tasks with a lot of dependencies especially if it includes setting up a new computer from scratch.

Another big issue I have is I don't know what is coming.  I wish I had away to see down the road easily.  For example b/c my routines are set to weekly, every 6 mos, annually etc sometimes they fall on the same day.  That isn't a good list day even though it may be a productive day.  Other times I had several things dependent on one project so when that project gets done all of these other things immediately show up on my next action list and it gets kind of overwhelming.

I think my system itself works pretty well if it has a doable number of tasks but I don't have anything that stops me from over planning the time available.  Does that make sense?  Does anyone have a way to see when you are over allocated?

Thanks,

Susannah

[struesda]

To help focus my lists down to more manageable chunks, when I am disciplined about it, during my weekly reviews I will tag some of the tasks as weekly or monthly goals.  Then each day(ish) I will look at just those weekly or monthly goals, and star just the top 2 or 3 tasks for the next day - anything that is due that day - and what else would I like to get done to call it an OK day?  Then I pretty much only work off the starred list and dump anything new into the inbox.  If it is truly urgent - the new inbox stuff will get a star too.  

During the day - I don't let myself look into my other lists.  That way I don't get so overwhelmed.  I just have a focused starred list.

If for some miraculous reason I clear all my starred tasks - then I can go back to my weekly/monthly goals and add 2-3 more stars.

My problem is that I don't regularly do those weekly reviews, so sometimes the other lists start to get behind and I have put in a longer review session to get them back into shape.     

[Susannah]

I like that idea.  I have been trying the mark my top two tasks with the Weekly Goal and then using the Kanban view I just created for the past couple of days.  I like the stars idea for today and only reviewing this list with a weekly or monthly goal.  That would allow me to do a quick review separate from the review everything list.  I don't use my inbox like I should.  Since I sit at a desk most of the day and always have the desktop version open I usually just put stuff where it goes when I enter it.  

I kind of liked the post on emailing amazon orders to the inbox too.  Right now I track purchases which is usually 5-10 per day with a separate task entry in my followup folder.  It would be nice to just cc my inbox when I send to our bookkeeper since I am already sending the email anyway and having the tracking info right there.  I will play with that too.  That email is created quickly with text expander so I can change the text expander generated subject line to make it go right into my purchases folder I believe and have all the info I want in the task name.

Susannah