Finding meaning in a sea of daily productivity data (the Tamagotchi way).
How can we define productivity achievement? Checking things off a todo list? Knowing what our ‘next action’ is? Time tracking? All of these are significant, but in my opinion are all disparate elements in need of a very simple productivity indicator.
Jason compared Blossom to Tamagotchi (a 90’s electronic toy - you feed and play to keep it healthy) the comparison is fairly accurate - the idea of seeing the real-time, ongoing visual affect of one’s productivity on a lifeform (for now, a plant).
With the “information overload” that people experience these days, visualizing productivity data by quickly glancing at a friendly lifeform (plant) can be effective and immediate.
The problem I’ve had with so many productivity solutions (and I’ve tried a lot of them– mind-mappers, todo lists, GTD, a lot of 43folders tips, etc) is that they generate another layer of ‘reports’ and information to consider — traditional lists, graphs, stats, and charts.
From my experience in web design, ergonomics, and human-computer interaction (HCI), the simplest devices are the most effective. Consider a speedometer on a car, the up/down channel button on a remote, or more emotional indicators like the wagging tail of a happy pet.
Nothing against productivity systems (I use several myself), but a simple way to visualize progress data is key, in my opinion. And this is the coolest thing about Blossom — any apps/documents can be set and monitored for active time used, and the ‘living’ virtual plant will provide a visual indicator of healthy progress; just a glance away throughout the day.
