Mark Forster - Autofocus System - MLO requirements

[Steve Wynn]

Mark Forster has just unveiled his Autofocus system - and to be perfectly honest it lends itself to MLO quite well because it is just a long list.  But here is the issue as far as MLO is concerned - the long list needs to be split into pages. The ideal tool cited is a notebook with between 25 - 35 lines.   You basically work on a page at a time moving forwards and backwards.

 

As far as MLO is concerned all I think that is required is a way to segment a large list -  ideally into pages (similar in a way to Pocket Mod print).   Perhaps the page setup could be customised to display x number of items - dependant on user specified line lengths/item count.  A simple forward and back page turn of some description would also be required. Order should be based on creation date/time.  Another requirement is the use of a highlighter to mark items as dismissed - this can easily be achieved by the new colour coding .

 

At the moment I can probably replicate the requirements by creating separate Page 1, Page 2 type lists with associated contexts and views - this may even turn out to be the best option!  But it would be simpler if there was a way within MLO to create one big list that was automatically split into pages. 

 

All the best

 

Steve

[JD]

Hi Steve,

I signed up as a tester of the AF system and I started today on paper
(as suggested) and your post has dragged me into thinking about it in
electronic terms sooner than I expected it to. I mean that in the
nicest possible way :) Yes, I did start with Page 1, Page 2 lists,
and bumped that up in my context list with an ! mark. That way all the
pages appear at the top of my context lists. The strike through
allows you to delete incomplete tasks and move them to the last page
via the copy function. As far as I can see, copying it doesn't allow
you to inherit the context, so I have to replace the context when
copying to the last page. The cool thing though is that copying to the
last page doesn't carry the strikethrough format across, so your task
appears neatly as an incomplete task at the end of your list.

Basically, I intend to allow the screen to fill up with tasks, perhaps
limiting them to 30 or so, before creating a new context page.

Just some of my initial thoughts on using MLO to work the AF system.

Cheers/JD

On Jan 5, 11:28 pm, "Steve Wynn" <steve.w...@startupcomputer.com>
wrote:

> Mark Forster has just unveiled his Autofocus system - and to be perfectly honest it lends itself to MLO quite well because it is just a long list.  But here is the issue as far as MLO is concerned - the long list needs to be split into pages. The ideal tool cited is a notebook with between 25 - 35 lines.   You basically work on a page at a time moving forwards and backwards.
>

> As far as MLO is concerned all I think that is required is a way to segment a large list -  ideally into pages (similar in a way to Pocket Mod print).   Perhaps the page setup could be customised to display x number of items - dependant on user specified line lengths/item count.  A simple forward and back page turn of some description would also be required. Order should be based on creation date/time.  Another requirement is the use of a highlighter to mark items as dismissed - this can easily be achieved by the new colour coding .

>
> At the moment I can probably replicate the requirements by creating separate Page 1, Page 2 type lists with associated contexts and views - this may even turn out to be the best option!  But it would be simpler if there was a way within MLO to create one big list that was automatically split into pages.  
>
> All the best
>
> Steve
>

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[olejorik]

Yes, me too, I think this would be a nice option to have a movable
separator in the ordered list. Just now I tried to use tasks like
"page 1------------------------" to separate the list, but the problem
is that to keep it in place, you need to turn off the Auto update, and
this doesn't work good, as sometimes the list updates itself during
syncing or you just need to update it -- and then all the separator
tasks are moved. Finally I ended up with copying all my tasks as text
and printed it with approximately 30 lines per page. When I crossed
out the item in the printed list, I also mark it as complete in MLO --
an awkward way of syncing.

In the next version, when editing of properties of multiple tasks will
be possible, I think it can be easier to select 25 -35 tasks and add
context "!page#" to them.

olejorik

On Jan 5, 4:28 pm, "Steve Wynn" <steve.w...@startupcomputer.com>
wrote:

> Mark Forster has just unveiled his Autofocus system - and to be perfectly honest it lends itself to MLO quite well because it is just a long list.  But here is the issue as far as MLO is concerned - the long list needs to be split into pages. The ideal tool cited is a notebook with between 25 - 35 lines.   You basically work on a page at a time moving forwards and backwards.
>

> As far as MLO is concerned all I think that is required is a way to segment a large list -  ideally into pages (similar in a way to Pocket Mod print).   Perhaps the page setup could be customised to display x number of items - dependant on user specified line lengths/item count.  A simple forward and back page turn of some description would also be required. Order should be based on creation date/time.  Another requirement is the use of a highlighter to mark items as dismissed - this can easily be achieved by the new colour coding .

>
> At the moment I can probably replicate the requirements by creating separate Page 1, Page 2 type lists with associated contexts and views - this may even turn out to be the best option!  But it would be simpler if there was a way within MLO to create one big list that was automatically split into pages.  
>
> All the best
>
> Steve
>

>  big_grin.gif
> < 1KViewDownload

[Kudos]

JD & olejorik,

Surely it's a lot easier to separate out items. I think what Steve
meant in his original post is something like this:

Create parent items in the your Outline called 'Page 1', 'Page 2' etc.
Set the To-Do list view to group by task parent first.
Set To-Do list filter to show All tasks (including complete).

Steve, thanks for the tip about AFTM.. I'm trying it out on paper at
the moment.. Not sure if I can say goodbye to my To-Do list in MLO but
we'll see!

Jon

[Steve Wynn]

Hi Guys,

I have kept it really really simple (I added the numbers just for ease of use) so in the template I have a blank page with 1-25 blank items already created. Typically it looks like this,

Page
|__ 1.
|__ 2.
|__ 3. ...
|__ 25.

This is set to no context. Once I add a page I number it and create a context plus view,

Page 1 (Hide this task only in ToDo - context set to Page 1 - view set hide header show all tasks) View called Page1
|___ 1. Review Mark Forster Autofocus system - highlight important points
|___ 2. Batch Process Email
|___ 3. Process MLO Club emails
|___ .....
|___ 25. Update Anti-Virus

Page 2 (Hide this task only in ToDo - context set to Page 2 - view set hide header show all tasks) View called Page2
|___ 1. Email DIT group about Autofocus system
|___ 2. Reply to email on MLO group re Autofocus :)
|___ 3. ........

I just complete the tasks if they are done - highlight them if they are discarded. At the moment I find it easier to switch to the Outline view to add another entry to the last page. Then switch back to my existing page view. Though I am wondering about RTE I might just add them to the inbox and move them, not sure yet.

I have 5 active pages - 10 created. Using a blank template and replicating views it takes only a few seconds to add another page. As far as understand with the Autofocus system a page in itself can be completed. So eventually Page 1 could be removed etc. I think the general idea is to treat each page as it's own separate unit.

There is obviously a certain overhead in maintenance terms creating the pages but as mentioned utilising a portion of the outline as a template is quick. Just creating the views/contexts takes a little time but it is minimal if you use existing views. Probably works best to do so many pages in batches.

Now it did occur to me that some clever sole here - which there are many - might be able to work out an easy scripted/automated way of duplicating the same blank list and incrementing the page numbers in context and view? If that is possible of course. Ideally it would be nice to state create - pages 10 to 20, 20 to 30 or something along those lines.

All the best

Steve

[Kudos]

Steve, I'm sure it's easy to duplicate a task and increment the
number.. :) But I don't understand why associated contexts would be
beneficial.. Why not just have a context 'AutoFocus' with all pages
and tasks set to it. Then set up the To-Do filter to group tasks by
Parent. Then you can just expand/collapse pages in your To-Do
filter..?

Jon

On Jan 6, 9:32 pm, "Steve Wynn" <steve.w...@startupcomputer.com>
wrote:

[olejorik]

Hi guys,

the idea to use top outline items as Page1 etc is very good, but
unfortunately I cannot use it because I'd like to keep using MLO for
project review, and thus I don't want to destroy the hierarchical
level. Thus it would be nicer if MLO could format the ToDo list in
accordance with Autofocus system. Just now it seems to be impossible,
although some clever tricks could help -- for instance, as I almost
don't use urgency and importance, I can use urgency value as the page
numbers and then set ToDo list to be grouped by urgency -- but this
gives only 5 pages, and this is not enough for me.

I think, however, that it would be not so difficult for Andrey and
Oleg to implement additional task property named Page, and then one
could set up the ToDo filter to group tasks by page numbers. In this
case it would be helpful to have a special number (-1, say) for the
last page, and assign it automatically to the new tasks and to the new
occurences of the recurrent tasks. If number of tasks with the page
property equal to -1 reaches some threshold value (end of page, 25-35
say) then the software could assign to them next page number to avoid
too long last page. Not sure if we can submit it as a feature request.

olejorik

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[Steve Wynn]

Hi Jon,

That is not a bad idea I will give it a try.

Many thanks

Steve

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: Kudos <jru...@gmail.com>
To: MyLifeOrganized <myLifeO...@googlegroups.com>
Received: 06/01/2009 22:27:51
Subject: [MLO] Re: Mark Forster - Autofocus System - MLO requirements

[JD]

Jon - tried that after you suggested it (thanks!), couple of
observations:

1. You can collapse and expand the the pages, but doesn't quite give
the visual appeal of seeing a page at a time and the satisfaction of a
reducing number of tasks. So, I still prefer the Page 1, 2...contexts
and going through them is like flipping the page;

2. Not sure whether it works as well with your set up, but I find that
shutting down the software for the day and firing it up again later
brings me back to the page and position I was on, thus allowing me to
continue the pass through the pages from where I left off (as Mark
Forster recommends we do after a break period).

Both the above are more personal preferences than anything else, but
really MLO works like a charm on AF.

Steve, just wondering about your pre-numbered templates, when you
start a new page. Seems to me copying a task (eg unfinished or
recurring task) wont allow you to drop it on your desired location
(as the number itself is a task) on the last page, so you need to drop
it as a sibling and then re-number it. So I don't prenumber the items,
just add them as I go along to the bottom of the list. Wonder if you
experienced that?

Thanks/JD

[LondonTrader]

I'm also trying MLO for AF. I'm wondering why bother with the to-do
view and contexts at all, when one can just zoom in on the page branch
in the outline? Also I am not numbering the items, when I need a new
page I just import a file with 25 items containing a period "." which
I click on to add. Of course this is imperfect when one copies over an
incomplete item from an earlier page!

I am also using Mobiler to run the PPC version of MLO in a window, as
the PPC version allows yellow highlighting (I have set projects to
appear thus). This enables me to have the windows and PPC copies of
the file open simultaneously, with one showing the latest page and the
other showing the current page.

Is all this better than paper? Probably, but it's a moot point.

L

PS Is there is a way to background highlight in the latest Windows
version? I know I can do bold, italic, foreground, etc

[olejorik]

Hi guys,

with a possibility to append a context to multiple tasks, I have just
set up MLO for AF system while keeping the original hierarchy of my
tasks. Here is how I did it:

1) Suppose you want to set up the AF system for your @Work context.
Create a view named "Autofocus@Work Last Page" that shows active tasks
for @Work OR (none) contexts. The To-Do list should contain now all
the tasks you would want to write down in the AF notebook. Check "Add
advanced" button and Add rule "ContextsText does not contain "!Page".
Save the view.

2) Adjust the height of the MLO so it shows approximately 25-35 items

3) Press F8 and create a new context named "!Page 1". Got to its
properties tab and assign a hotkey for it, e.g. Ctrl+Alt+P. Exit the
Contexts setup

4) Select a screenfull of tasks and press you Ctrl+Alt+P. You have
just filled in the first page of the AF notebook.

5) Press F8 again, remove the hotkey from he context "!Page 1", create
a new context, name it "!Page 2" and assign the same hotkey for it.

6) repeat steps 4 and 5, creating contexts "!Page 2", "!Page 3", etc,
until you have less then a screenfull of tasks left. This is the last
page of your AF notebook.

7) Create a new TO-Do list view, name it Autofocus@Work that shows
active tasks for contexts !Page 1 OR !Page 2 and so on. Set Group
items by Contexts and save the view. The whole system is ready to use.
Just use it as described by Mark Forster, and when the last page is
full, create a new context and fill up the new page. All new created
tasks will automatically appear in the last page view, and if you have
not finished with a task, hit Ctrl+D to duplicate it, check one as
done and remove "!Page n" context from the other.

I hope somebody else can use my approach and to benefit from a very
interesting and effective time-management system.

Kind regards
olejorik

[Steve Wynn]

Hi JD,

I also tried the suggestion from Jon, it is another option that can be utilised. But I also didn't get the feel of a page being a separate unit, due to the grouping. There is nothing wrong with the approach and it may suit some people - like you say it is just a matter of personal preference I think.

I have dropped the numbers - mainly so I can use RTE to add tasks to my last page. I actually found the numbers to be a bit of an issue I think it was because it signified a set order. Dropping the numbers makes the list feel more fluid.

I also confirm MLO is an ideal tool for Autofocus, I have tried other things as well. I posted to the discussion forum about using GoalEnforcer - a visual bubble map approach - but that is limited on visual list size. Mark Forster mentioned that he seemed to get more out of the system by increasing the size of page and not reducing it. I gave it a quick try with just 7 tasks per page in GoalEnforcer - but it didn't work. It does appear that a reasonably large list suits the system better. So I am up to about 30 tasks per page now and the system is going well.

All the best

Steve

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: JD <joges...@gmail.com>
To: MyLifeOrganized <myLifeO...@googlegroups.com>
Received: 08/01/2009 03:26:50
Subject: [MLO] Re: Mark Forster - Autofocus System - MLO requirements

[scoobie]

this all seems like a lot of work - why? Is this really making you
more productive?

[Steve Wynn]

The system itself is designed with a Notebook in mind - in other words paper. Ironic though it may sound it isn't always that easy to replicate paper systems in things like MLO.

At the moment I think people utilising the Autofocus system are just trying different approaches to get the optimum results. So far it turns out that keeping things as simple as possible seems to be the best approach.

All the best

Steve

----- Original message ----------------------------------------
From: scoobie <paulphilli...@gmail.com>
To: MyLifeOrganized <myLifeO...@googlegroups.com>
Received: 09/01/2009 22:12:26
Subject: [MLO] Re: Mark Forster - Autofocus System - MLO requirements