Comments on: Paper vs. Apps—The Tools in Your GTD® System

By: Michelle

Michelle — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 22:23:58 +0000

One of the strategies I appreciate from GTD is capturing all the to dos in a central location. I love my pen and paper but was doing a terrible job capturing action items from the various projects and aspects of my life in an organized, compact way.
I just purchased a tablet that supports handwriting with an electronic stylus. Found an app that allows me to draw, write, type notes and file them in defined folders. I can save my notes as PDFs and share via email, upload and store them in the cloud, and access them via other devices.
I was concerned about making the switch, but find that I am loving the new system. I feel more organized and am enjoying learning how to use new technology.

By: Jeff Grigg

Jeff Grigg — Thu, 22 Feb 2018 17:57:08 +0000

There are many cases where paper is the best tool for the job. There is a lot to be said for using paper, instead of the fancy impressive-looking electronic toys and software applications / programs.

I am a professional software developer, and as I look around on my desk right at this moment, I see my paper Day Timer calendar, which I use for all my personal and professional scheduling. And I have a number of 3×5″ cards and papers, with notes on what I am working on today. And a folio with an 8 1/2 x 11″ lined pad of paper, which I take to all meetings. This is not a matter of expressing my personal eccentricities. I use these manual paper tools because they are more effective, for these uses, than the available electronic tools.

You may be aware that there is this thing called “agile software development.” What is typically not so visible, to outsiders, is that using pen and paper over computerized tools is a common approach used by many agile teams. Generally, the most agile teams will prefer paper over electronic tools, whenever it is feasible to do so. Online tools are used when teams are distributed, and so cannot share the advantages of face-to-face interaction in a single physical location. We have discussed this for years, and tried and compared various options. Generally, pen and paper are best for individuals and co-located teams. Online shared database tools are typically needed for distributed teams, or if visibility or reporting statistics are needed by external stakeholders.

Right at the moment, I have several Rally windows open in my browser. This is our corporate standard for project tracking, and it is quite useful for coordinating work with our distributed teams. With my current distributed team, we typically use “Fun Retro” and “planIT poker” online tools in our retrospective and planning meetings. Coordinating physical paper across continental boundaries is impractical.

Do not be overly concerned that you may look bad or be falling behind the times if you use pen and paper to track your work. In many cases, these are the most effective tools for this job. Be open to using automated tools, in those cases where they meet your particular needs. But don’t use them when pen and paper is more effective.

By: Anna V

Anna V — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 15:34:04 +0000

What a beautiful to respond to this question. I use many digital resources in my life including Outlook and Google Calendar, OneNote, Google Keep and many others but then I discovered the “analog” method called a Bullet Journal that was developed to capture all the sticky notes and paper into one comprehensive book (and the index system is brilliant!). There are groups on Facebook dedicated to the use of this type of system (full of more than 100,000 people). So “Low Tech” should certainly not feel left behind by choosing to use a notebook. It’s like you said, if it’s just to take notes with no system to make those notes easy to reference later, then it could be a problem, otherwise, all the more power to you! Also, I totally agree about the tactile connection of putting pen to paper, somehow it can actually help a person internalize what they write and maybe even remember it later.

By: Eithne S.

Eithne S. — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:36:40 +0000

There is one more reason you didn’t mention as to why a paper-based system works better for some people (like me). That is our learning styles are more tactile. It is not just a more satisfying experience, it engages the brain in a different (and for me more effective) way than typing. And I type all day long in my job.

By: Ed

Ed — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 14:17:39 +0000

Your reply misses one important aspect of their choice. That is, what signal do you want to send to the world. Like it or not others will be seeing what you do. Do you want to say “I prefer the old stuff”? The message will be sent regardless of whether you say it out loud. Old school ways are noticed, especially when the rest of the world moves on.