My Dream App

No mock up time, no real time to check out the boards.

Which is ashame. But it’s not going to change my time. My grandmother isn’t well (see last weeks post.) Between that and work, it’s not leaving time to post/create mockups/respond to ideas etc.

So, please, vote for me (or not.) I understand either way.

Y’know the KISS Acronym. Keep it Simple S******.

That’s the idea. Simple, simple, simple. Simple means easy to learn, easy to implement, easy to stick with.

Of course, I wanted some level of chocolatey goodness, all animated (actually, I’m working on it in Motion…) But there is a finite amount of time, and real life struggles intrude.

BUT YOU’LL GET THE IDEA:

click away!

Okay. Basic? Yup. That’s a key concept in all the apps you use on a daily basis.

The right side, the grey side gets updated based on the part of GTD that’s going on. Why haven’t I filled this out? Not enough time to Get Things Done. I haven’t figured out if it should be tab based/hover or switches…

But you get the basic idea.

Jeff, you say, c’mon. Shouldn’t it be more than that?

Nope. If you’ve been following the GTD concept, it’s damned simple (at certain levels). As long as you Collect your brain into it (’emptying your buckets’) and Process that information into an Organized manner…you’ll Get Things Done as long as you Review.

But what about MidnightOmniThinkingActionable.

Nope. They’re mostly a good implementation with a so-so learning curve. And the “daddy” of the Mac ones - kinkless, is just a major headache.

It’s all about following the steps.

Just so you can see…I had been tinkering with other ideas along this line.

and

I’d been thinking about the other finalists too. For example, I really like the way Ground control looks. And several of the others.

And the digg effect - digg punches in on things that are easy to understand., like atmosphere.

Don’t focus on the Mockups. Mockups aren’t what this is about. Otherwise, it’d be MyDreamMockup.com

And as far as mockups go - mine are always going to suck.

I know what I want; but the time it takes to create such things isn’t in the cards for me. I have the idea - I’m not a designer.

Are you a Design fiend?
If you are a designer and read this far, let me know. If you’re in the philadelphia area, I likely could have you comped for an $800-1200 class in media - Authorized Adobe, Macromedia or Apple Training. I could possibly do this in Boston or a number of other east coast cities too. Whether or not I get to the final round.

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Everything below here is personal, about me and not iGTD. Feel free to read (or not) as you see fit.

Here’s irony for you. If you bothered to read this far.
This application is about Getting Things Done. Frankly, I have quite a bit going on - back from travel (and yes, my place is a mess. I’d show photos, but I’m ashamed.) There is no food at my place (Sunday will be the earliest day I can go shopping.) My grandmother was in the hospital from sat to today…there was a little repentance holiday on monday, and every morning I’ve been over taking my dad’s blood sugar (he’s diabetic). I’m a night person, and don’t survive well with early mornings. And then there’s the whole work thing (I have a conference I’ll be speaking at on Saturday for about 8 hours; let me know if you want to go.)

Yeah, I know, Waaaaa (see Artie Lange Quote from the Howard Stern Show.)

Normally, I’ve been working on iGTD at night (usually between midnight and 2 am.) Really. Go back and see when all of my postings are.

It’s been a harrowing week. I don’t want that to influence you.

When you see my next post, you’ll see how basic I’ve knocked GTD down to…

Don’t think that means it’s “simple”. Don’t think it means it’s not “Flexible”

It just means that ANYONE will be able to figure out the basics.

No manual. No help file. Just some suggestions on how the workflow should go.

Really, I’d have this all cool and animated…but I don’t have the time (and real world intrudes)

So, let me get the screenshot/idea posted (it’ll click right away)…

Then let me address what the judges said.

Really. I have a new idea (Post ephiphany). The problem is simple = how to make GTD much more “visual”

But there isn’t enough time in the day. Between the Jewish Holiday, travel, a family member in the hospital over the weekend,I haven’t had a chance to do a mock up.

I’m going to explain it right now, as it’s pretty simple.

1 2
5
3 4

That’s right. Just five numbers on the screen. Keep reading.

Each number is part of the screen rectangle…

There are 5 basic areas of GTD:
1- Collect
2- Process
3- Organize
4- Do
5- Review.

I’ve discussed with a couple of people (on the phone, while travelling) the idea of this…we’ve spoken about how the desktop metaphor has failed us…and about how this is a very simple visual solution.

At any point you could click and switch to another “view” - colorized, still being abel to view the edges of the other parts.

Any “part” you’d click on would slide (very leopard-y) that part nearly full screen (with the edges remaining to the other sections.

I’ll have something later today to give you an idea. But it’s really really simple (and therefore a hallmark of the “right” concepts)

There’s a truism in the world that most people miss.

If one person says to you at a party “Dude, you’re drunk,” they may be wrong.

If two people tell you that, perhaps you’re drunk.

Know what I realize?

One, iGTD isn’t simple enough (yet) for a newbie. A total zero level user, who realizes that they need a better hold on their ‘next actions’; and need a guide while setting it up. As one of the judges said, “I’d download the software and try it out, I’d give it…say, five minutes”

Two, I think, it’s why I’ve struggled with the mockups. Oh, sure, I’m crappy with photoshop (as an artist. As a technician, I know how Pshop works.)

I need to envision how the app can help you get started and organized.

I think a nice ‘bubbly’ flow chart…with the five items (or so)
Sure it should have a second/more advanced interface lying underneath. But the “Flow Chart” ought to guide you/help you think it through.