Software Should Support, Not Replace, Human Thinking
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Resources & Recommendations
Books
- "Getting Things Done with Others" - David Allen mentioned a new book coming out in early 2024 about applying GTD principles to teamwork.
- "Getting Things Done" - This book by David Allen is mentioned as a foundational text for the GTD methodology, with many people rereading it multiple times to gain new insights.
People Mentioned
- Eric Mack (Colleague, Personal Coach, Software Designer) - He is the main guest of the episode, discussing his five principles of productivity software design and his past work on GTD-certified software.
- John Forester (Co-host) - He is the co-host of the podcast episode.
- David Allen (Author, Creator of GTD) - He is one of the hosts and the creator of the Getting Things Done methodology.
- Patty Sebold - Mentioned as a friend who encouraged David Allen to turn his article about PIMs into a business plan.
- Tom Hagan - Became a partner with David Allen after seeing the business potential in his article about PIMs.
- W. Edwards Deming - Referenced for his work on management systems, particularly his studies of Toyota and the Kanban idea, illustrating the importance of functional systems and effective utilization.
Organizations & Institutions
- Toyota - Mentioned in the context of Deming's studies on manufacturing systems like Kanban.
- Actioneer - An early company David Allen co-founded to develop software around his GTD methodology, which ultimately didn't fully take off due to the rapid growth of other tech companies.
- Intentional Software - A company David Allen partnered with later to try and integrate GTD principles into software, but they also faced challenges in gluing all the parts together.
Tools & Software
- Microsoft 365 - The current suite of tools David Allen's company uses, which they are still learning, and which is compared to Eric Mack's earlier GTD solution.
- E-productivity - Eric Mack's GTD-certified software, which David Allen used for many years and highlights for its innovative features like the "frowny face" for projects without next actions.
- Lotus Notes - The platform on which Eric Mack initially built some of his GTD solutions.
- Microsoft Outlook - Mentioned as a tool that began to "own the desktop" in the late 90s, offering some features that fragmented the comprehensive GTD approach.
- Palm Pilot - A personal digital assistant that emerged in the market, offering specific functionalities during the time Actioneer was developing its software.
- Microsoft To Do - Mentioned as showing some promising developments for quick capture, but with some "leaks" that repel users.
- Microsoft Powerpoint - Used as an example of a tool that can shape thinking rather than being guided by it.
- Microsoft Word - Used as an example of a tool that can shape thinking and is also referenced for its early manuals providing iterative learning.
- Microsoft Planner - David Allen suggests he'd like a dashboard-like feature similar to what Microsoft Planner offers for project and activity management.
- Asana - Mentioned as another example of a software tool that needs to adhere to good productivity principles.
- Gyronix - An integration that Eric Mack's software had, allowing quick capture from anywhere in the system using Ctrl+Q, which he found very effective.
- BlackBerry - Mentioned as an example of a device where a single button could be assigned for quick capture, a feature Eric Mack wishes more modern devices had.
- Apple (battery charging feature) - Used as an example of a company opting users into a feature by default without explicit consent, which can impact productivity.
Websites & Online Resources
- GTD Connect - An online resource for the GTD methodology, described as a "gold mine" of information, a "huge library" for users to explore and deepen their understanding of GTD.
- Eric Mack's Survey on Workstyles and Key Frustrations - Eric Mack is currently conducting a survey to understand work styles and frustrations, and the GTD community is encouraged to participate. (Details to be provided at the end of the podcast for listeners).
Other Resources
- David Allen's 1995 Drawings of Ideal Software Screens - A PDF file of David Allen's original hand-drawn designs for an ultimate GTD software, which he made public in 2019. (A link was mentioned to be put in the show notes for the GTD Summit presentation where these were revealed).