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The material below provides guidelines for using Mindjet® MindManager® and TPAssist
technologies to implement key techniques as part of David Allen's Getting Things Done
approach. This material assumes you are already familiar with David Allen's systematic
approach for getting and staying organised and in control. If you are looking for further
information on his approach, please visit The David Allen Company web site at
www.davidco.com.
Getting Started with MindManager and TPAssist for the GTD methodology requires the following
steps:
In addition, you could also make use of these further options:
Also, the following TIPS are included to help you optimise your system:
TPAssist Limited is not licensed, certified, approved, or endorsed by or otherwise affiliated with David Allen or the
David Allen Company which is the creator of the Getting Things Done® system for personal productivity. GTD®
and Getting Things Done® are registered trademarks of the David Allen Company. For more information on the
David Allen Company's products, please visit their website: www.davidco.com. |
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Since you are reading this help content, you will already have TPAssist 2007. To complete the
picture you should also download and install the other capture tools. See our products page on
our web site for further details:
www.tpassist.com/products |
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We have prepared a GTD style template for use as the main dashboard and list manager. All you
need to do is download and add it to your map folders. (Download here:
www.tpassist.com/gtd/template.aspx
).
If you download the "GTD Ultimate or "road-map" Dashboard with My Life Areas of Focus", it will
be pre- configured with a series of "
My Life" focus areas (found under Strategy/Outcomes -->
Areas of Focus / Responsibilities). We would also highly recommend you obtain and customise
a Role Based Work Place Dashboard
and link it from the "Areas of Focus / Responsibilities"
map.
One further tip - The template has the Someday / Maybe lists on the Dashboard. For faster load
times, it might also be beneficial to have these "Incubator" lists in a separate map. You could
do this using the Topic Right- Click "Send To New Linked Map".
TIP: To use TPAssist effectively with Dashboard maps or "List Manager" maps, you need
to configure the "Summary Map" property and also consider how "Outlook Integration"
is handled:
Notice to those already using the GTD Ultimate or "road-map" Dashboard
If you downloaded the GTD Ultimate or "road-map" Dashboard template or the GTD
Ultimate or "road-map" Dashboard with My Life Areas of Focus prior to 5th of
In the Dashboard map, the Project List map you need to turn on the
"Summary Map"
property. All you do, is open the map, then choose "Properties" from the TPAssist
Ribbon, then click "ON" the "Summary Map" property. This needs to be done on both the
Dashboard and the Project List.
Automatic Outlook Integration
If you choose to use "Outlook Integration", you may want to
disable the automatic integration
on certain topics in your Dashboard,
like your IN-BASKET. (See Topic properties
)
You should also configure your Outlook Categories Macro to be "%p". This will ensure your tasks
in Outlook are correctly categorised.
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A crucial component of the TPAssist approach to using MindManager for GTD, is the ability to
quickly and easily send your
Next Actions to your Dashboard and
your Project Titles to
your project list. This is achieved via the "
Link At" capability of TPAssist's
Capture / Store /
Process concept.
Before you can use the " Link At
", you need to configure your Quick Links with each of your
workflow classifications (i.e. ASAP @ HOME or Someday / Maybe), and also specify your
Focus Area maps so you have somewhere to "land" your captured ideas.Simply follows these steps:
1. Open the GTD Dashboard map.
2. Select the IN-BASKET topic and choose "Add Topic" from the TPAssist Ribbon (in
MindManager 6, right-click and choose Add Topic).
3. For each end topic (node) under "Calendar", "ACTIONS", "Waiting on from others", "Agendas"
and "Inculcator", select the topic and choose "Add Topic" from the TPAssist Ribbon (in
MindManager 6, right-click and choose Add Topic).
This "Add Topic" will create a quick link to your dashboard.
4. Open the Project List map (found under Strategy/Outcomes).
5. Click on the Central topic in the Project List map and choose "Add Topic" from the TPAssist
Ribbon (in MindManager 6, right-click and choose Add Topic).
6. Open each of your Focus Area maps, found in the "
Areas of Focus / Responsibilities" map.
(see under Strategy/Outcomes on the Dashboard).
Click on the Central topic and choose "Add Topic" from the TPAssist Ribbon (in
MindManager 6, right-click and choose Add Topic).
7. Open your Quick Links map:
9. Now, copy the IN-BASKET topic and remove the GREEN FLAG from the 2nd copy of IN-
BASKET topic so that you get one "IN-BASKET" appearing in "Send To" and one in the "Link At"
topic.
"FLAGGED" topics in the Quick Links map are treated differently than normal topics.
These topics are considered your "Link At" topics and
should be used to direct your
content towards Dashboards and Summary Maps. These flagged topics wont appear
in the "Send Topic" categories list or in Capture Tools (The one exception being that if
you use "Send Topic" in a
Summary Map, you may wish to use the Link At topic also,
so they are included in the categories list).
10. Configure your options so that Flagged Quick Links are NOT shown with Standard Categories.
This is achieved by opening the TPAssist 2007 Options, choosing the "Settings" tab and un
checking the "Include Flagged Quick Links in Standard Category List" setting.
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Using the approach subscribed by the
TPAssist Methodology, now use your Focus Area maps as
the home for your projects and miscellaneous actions.
For example, below I have constructed a simple list of actions requires to organise a weekend
away.
All I need to now is select the Next Action, choose Link At and pick my @CALLS.
Now I get on with what ever I want to do next and at some point, I'll decide it is time to process my
IN-BASKET. As outlined in the Capture / Store / Process details, I simply click "Process" and my
actions and plans are delivered to their correct context.
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In addition to moving items around your maps, the
Capture / Store / Process
"infrastructure"
provided by TPAssist can be utilised with-in Microsoft Outlook.
If you are so inclined, you can turn Outlook 2007 into a collection point, and do all your clarifying,
organising and doing, in MindManager. Further more, we would recommend establishing
" Attachment Caches" in your maps to ensure e-mails are stored externally to improve load
performance and reduce file size. This is particularly useful for your Focus Area maps, project
maps and any map based in Mindjet Connect.
To configure your system ready for this approach, you need to complete the following steps:
2. Configure a Search Folder as your IN-BASKET
The Search Folder should be configured to look for items where "Categories doesn't contain
@DONE" and it should also be added to your favourites.
Look for "Convert your e-mails into next actions" in the Getting Started Guide in Help after
you have installed TPAssistCapture for Microsoft® Outlook®).
3. Select all your old emails and categorise them as "@DONE" (leaving those that you still need to
process).
4. Now for e-mails that you don't action immediately or delete, select them in the list view or open
each, use the TPAssist Capture icon to expose the Category Selection dialogue. Now pick your
category (typically your "IN-BASKET") and click send.
5. After your e-mail IN-BASKET is empty, switch over to your Dashboard mind map, and
process
your captures. From here you can work with each e-mail via the "attachment" capability of the
MindManager topic. |
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As you expand your use of MindManager you may found it very useful to
create extra collection
points with-in your maps. These "landing pads" can be use to collect any thoughts, future
steps or clarification associated with projects and even general focus areas. Further more, these
"landing pads" can be moved around, and re-established easily with-in your Quick Links maps.
For example: Let us say you have a multi-map project. With each sub maps, focused on a
specific phase of the project. As you move through each phase you want your new thoughts,
actions and clarification to "land" in the active map, without need you to specifically pick each
time the location of the "active map". All you do is create a "Landing Pad" topic in the active
map, then use "Add Topic" to add it to your Quick Links. Then as the phase completes and you
just cut''n'paste the "Landing Pad" topic from the recently completed map to the next
active map. In it's new location, use the "Add Topic" command again and because the
title of the topic is the same, TPAssist will replace the hyperlink of the Quick Link topic to point
toward the new active map. This will then redirect any new captures (even those unprocessed) to
the new active map. (The second and subsequent "Add Topics" rely on the
"Replace existing
(duplicate) Quick Link" setting
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As you start populating your dashboard you will inevitably start looking for ways to improve your
system.
A really effective way to "manage" your lists is to use your IN-BASKET as a temporary location for
the item you are "doing".
For example, if you have a twenty minute window and you choose
an activity from your
@COMPUTER list, since you are physically at your computer, make use of Capture / Store /
Process to help you get underway and also be ready for any interruption. Simply, select the
item you are going to work on, click the Hyperlink to bring the Focus map into play so you can
track your actions and also gain access to related materials, then return to Dashboard, now click
"Send Topic" and send the topic to your IN-BASKET. Then Save All, and return to your active
focus map and work away. In this way, if you get interruption or complete the task, you can just
click "Process" and get your focus back via the IN-BASKET. |
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As you use your system and even conduct your Weekly Review, you will inevitably be "Zeroing IN".
Below is a variation of the "Zero In" process populated with steps that you may find useful as
you manage your lists via MindManager and TPAssist 2007.
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Empty Wallet, Bags, Brief Cases etc into your Physical In-Tray.
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Empty Tickler into your Physical In-Tray.
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Empty E-Mail IN-BASKET (See Option A: Outlook e-mail Processing
for setup details)
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Process Physical In-Tray
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Process Audio/Voice Recordings
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Process any electronically captured notes (i.e. using < 2 minute rule and the workflow)
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Synchronise PDA (and if using Outlook, use
TPAssist 2007 to bring in changes back
)
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Review Dashboard "ACTION" lists - "Send Topic" on any items that are complete or need
attention to the IN- BASKET.
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Process any other form of electronic "IN"
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Process the Dashboard "IN-BASKET", using <2 Minute rule and Workflow to determine where
the item should be sent.
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Re-Synchronise PDA
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This section provides tips on conducting your weekly review when using TPAssist tools.
(NB: This material is mostly as suggested in David Allen's 3rd book, Making It All Work).
STEP 1: Get Clear
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Loose papers & materials collected
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Get "In" to zero (See our TIP on "
Zero-IN")
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Mind Sweep
STEP 2: Get Current
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Review Action Lists
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For each main area (i.e. "Calendared', 'ASAP', "Agenda", etc, perform a
TPAssist 2007 "localised" Tree Summary (Not Multi-map, leave that for the
Monthly Focus Area Reviews
).
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Process the items overdue etc and review the rest.
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Review Previous Calendar Dates
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Review Upcoming Calendar Dates
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Review Waiting for Lists
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Review Project (and Larger Outcome) Lists
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Open Project List
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Sort the list and remove any duplicates (
If sub-divided focus areas, do one area
at a time.)
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Read the title of each project and consider it's status in your own mind (
Your
review of your actions, calendar and waiting for above should be sufficient to
"know" where each project stands.)
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Drop into Projects that you feel may need further consideration.
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Use TPAssist "Send To" for projects you want "parked" on the Someday /
Maybe list.
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Review Any Relevant Checklists
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Review Calendar Later Starts
STEP 3: Get Creative
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Review Someday / Maybe List
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Sort the list and remove any duplicates (
If sub-divided focus areas, do one area
at a time.)
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Read the title of each project and consider it's status in your own mind.
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Drop into Projects that you feel may need further consideration and then "Link
At" if the project is being acted on again.
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Back in the list, use TPAssist "Send To" and put the project title back on the
projects list.
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Be Creative & Courageous
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This section provides tips on conducting your monthly focus area reviews.
If you are using separate Focus Area dashboards, i.e. one for your life management and one for
your workplace responsibilities, it may be worth scheduling the monthly review for each aspect on
separate weeks, to reduce "block" time required to complete your review. The process below
applies to each of your focus areas, i.e. your life management and your workplace responsibilities:
1. Open Focus Area Dashboard
2. Drop into Each sub area (map):
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Organise "new items" into approach place
"New Items" are those that have been delivered directly to the map via TPAssist
Capture tools and may not be correctly organised. Drag these around your map so
any "Link At" topics on your Dashboard can still find them.
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Run a TPAssist 2007 "Normal" Task Summary
.
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Using the Task Summary, process items found in < 1 month.
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Follow the hyper-linked Task Summary topics.
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Use "Link At
" to add new projects to project lists (If not sure, just add them
anyway, the weekly review will pickup duplicates)
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Use "Link At
" to add next actions for new projects to the actions list (As per
project list, if unsure, add them anyway as use of the lists and then weekly
review will pickup duplicates.)
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Cleanup the Task Summary (See
Module 6)
3. At the conclusion update Focus Area Dashboard:
4. Review the Projects List
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1. Welcome
