Re: Organizing by time or by subject and an idea

[Bernt Hansen <bernt@norang.ca>]

John Hendy <jw.hendy@gmail.com> writes:

> I got food feedback as far as the "snapshots" inquiry, but am still
> not settled on the time vs. topic hierarchy strategy (definite thanks
> to Bernt and Eric Fraga!). I thought of a specific situation that
> might help with receiving feedback.
>
> I think were I solely working as an individual, the structure Bernt
> suggested would work. Essentially:
>
> * todo Some bigger task
> ** todo subtask 1
> ** todo subtask 2
>
> And so on. Basically -- lay out the steps you think you need to do to
> complete it... and complete it. Store notes under the todos and you're
> good to go.
>
> But I work with a team. Some todos are dependent on input from the
> team... Consider this example:
>
> * todo some bigger task
> ** todo decide on what color to make the widgets for the three field tests
> ** todo subtask 2
>
> Now, let's say I have a team meeting where my marketer tells me the
> decision for the widget colors:
> - field test 1: red
> - field test 2: blue
> - field test 3 green
>
> I have [at least] two options:
>
> * todo some bigger task
> ** done decide on what color to make the widgets for the three field tests
> - field test 1: red
> - field test 2: blue
> - field test 3 green
>
> or...
>
> * Team Meeting Summaries
> ** [timestamp] Team Update
> Alice informed us of the color decisions:
> - field test 1: red
> - field test 2: blue
> - field test 3 green
>
>
> I feel stuck in situations like this... I need to reproduce minutes
> and thus it makes sense to keep the information with the chronological
> event in which it occurred. I also know that it fits a larger project
> structure and fulfills some task. I don't think duplicating it is the
> way to go...

Hi John,

In situations like this I keep the notes from the meeting in my
'meeting' task and create duplicate TODO tasks from the items in the
meeting.  This way my meeting notes are coherent and complete, and I'm
free to do whatever I want with the created subtasks without touching my
meeting notes.

ie.

** DONE Meet with team
   Notes from team meeting go here
   field test 1: red
   field test 2: blue

then if I have another task for

** TODO Determine colour for field test 1

I'll make it done and either link it to the team meeting task, or just
copy in the details I need so I can see immediately from the task what
colour was chosen.

HTH,
Bernt