Self Kanban

For many years, I have tried different systems to realize the GTD principles. Since 2006, I have used tracks.tra.in website. And I still use it today. Before, I have tried todo's (or tasks) in Outlook, reminders in a mindmap (freemind), checkboxes in a logbook, gtdtiddlywiki (that one didn't last at all). Most of time, I used a mixed approach and keep tasks in two to three system at the time. Which is not recommended... I know. 

My reality is: a new task comes up, no time to loose so I write it down in my logboook and transfer them back to an "online" system. This double re-entry process forces me to re-think my tasks, which is not a bad idea. However, the "online" version always take a bit to much of time: boot up the software (outlook, browser ...), login, click here and there (date selection is never fast), choose a tag, add information (that may or not help). 

Exchange+Outlook never worked great for me. Category (or tag, or label, or project, or context) are not very user-friendly in Outlook (or I did not find a way to use them well). And using Outlook web access is even worst. 

But I have to admit, on the usability side, Tracks does a great job. It is fast to add/view/edit your tasks.  

The logbook was always the fastest way to go. Moreover, my notes can be easily added and referred for later. But undone tasks cannot be reordered easily (you can rewrite them but who does that?) and tend to be overwhelmed by more recent tasks regardless of its priorities.

Like for the logbook, tasks can also be hidden with online systems. And for many reasons: overflooded by other windows (so failing to remind you which task is splipping away), drive yourself to some other places (emails, webpages) and take away precious time on your original goal, which usually is: What am I doing next today or Do I have time for that today?

So, I decide to return to the oldest trick. Postit papers on the side of my screen. If it is a the top right corner of my screen, it would have the highest priority. The system last an afternoon. The next morning, I grab a permanent marker and sketch a new system.

It was inspired from kanban systems, I read on this in Toyota and I have seen them recently of various sites, and applied it for my day-to-day job. As for the computer screen side system, the original idea was to solve the "hide-it-and-forget-about-it" problem by enforcing an "always-on-top" visual, also allowing fast changes and easy edit or addition (as for a logbook). The "be accessible or die" rule did kill the online system (unless you have a dedicated flatscreen or projector, which I don't). And the ugly factor kills the computer screen side system. 

So I started up with this board:

As you can see, it is a very simple task board (in french) made from an Easel Pad sheet as background. Each task is written down on a regular yellow postit. I write two informations: the project id serves as title and a short description of what to do. It reminds me that sometime, I would over-document a task in my online system. Which is bad for two reasons: (a) it take to much time when the original idea was to plan the work of the day and (b) the extra notes does have value but they become hard to reach and mostly completely forgotten after a while.

Back to the board. I have divide the sheet for a week. The middle section is for postponed items. Items cannot be postponed for more than a week. A kept only a week to discipline myself on not trying to over-planned tasks. Planning more than a week is simply useless since priority changes all the time even in a week. 

The upper section, I have the Today's pipeline ("Pour Aujourd'hui" on the board).  Item --or postit-- on the far left is the ongoing job (or the next todo). Next items on the right are prioritized tasks for today. The very last item on the right has the lowest priority. All done items are saved on the board in the lower section. Accomplished tasks are moved under the day of completion. Usually, I wrote down the amount of time taken to complete the task. Keeping the tasks for a week in the lower section serves two goals: (1) know what I have done each day and give an idea of day-to-day productivity and (2) review each tasks to help me complete my timesheet at the end of the day (or at the end of the week ...). 

My self-kanban system is operational since two weeks only. So it is not validated by usage over time. However, never my tasks were so easily followed by a new system. It also fulfills the desired objectives: (1) be accessible or die (2) fastly record changes of priority and (3) easy addition, edition and update. It also gives more than expected. The pipeline status is easy to see. The "Do I have time?" question is quickly evaluated. Also, the status is easily shareable with colleagues as they know what am I doing now and next. Give a sense of urgency as time go on and you do not want to postpone task for the next day (not again!).  Stay focus on what have to be done since the board is always watching me. My own creation of a silent big brother. The "you have new mail and you need to look at it" syndrom or that new infoq article on some interesting subject that you must read now compete with the board. Okay, that is not so great but you do feel better at the end of the day.

And the board can evolve easily. Recently, standing task starts to appear in the pipeline like "today timesheet, really". Also, I had to have a new backlog area. I went out of the office for few days. All the tasks I wished to do, I simply did not have time anymore. I moved them to the backlog. 

A garbage section was also created for tasks that were originally planned and started but did not make it through. The garbage section will record waste and maybe a pattern would emerge from those tasks, eventually. If so, I may be more cautious when adding a task who fits that pattern on the board.

Next improvement, adding a color scheme. Especially for blocked items. A colored postit (not yellow) to write down the reason why the task is blocked, add it to the original postit and remove it when resolved.

One drawback on a GTD standing point. The board is only good for a single context, that is when I am at my desk. It has no home, warrants, library, ... contexts. The tracks.tra.in is still there for this. 

I hope to send a new image of the board in few weeks, if the system is still up.