Big Year for Getting Things Done ?
Apple Mac users have no excuse for not working at their most efficient in 2009. This month alone we have seen the release of Things 1.0 (actually at 1.3 as I post) and this weekend The Hist List goes to public beta. The wave of GTD applications is very positive but it creates the problem of deciding which one is the best solution for you.
The Hit List is the newest to hit the scene and as a desktop application it offers a great deal of potential. In true GTD style we have the inbox, Today, upcoming and project as well as tagging and a really nice tabbed view. One of the nicest features in my opinion is the ability to simply drag emails from mail.app directly into The Hist List interface.
[The 3 Screenshots below feature : The Hist List, Things, Onmifocus.]
Things
Hitlist
Omnifocus
The Hist List is in public beta but it is clear from the preferences that an iPhone sync option is going to be available in the near future. It is an impressive looking application and I suspect it will be a popular choice when finally released.
I have covered both Things and Omnifocus in the past and to be honest I have found myself flitting between the two.
There is no doubt Omnifocus is the richest in features and to date it is the only option to offer over the air syncing with an iPhone (this requires the additional iPhone App). The ability to sync multiple Macs and the ability to email tasks directly to Omnifocus make it a powerful high end application.I have used it for a number of months and have found it a really great tool in education. It is solid, has never crashed and I have had only one sync error that was quickly resolved from a backup.
Things is now on final 1.0 release. It isn’t as feature rich as Omnifocus but there is certainly something appealing about the simplicity of the interface. It is a visually impressive application with a real ‘Apple’ feel. An iPhone / Touch version is available from the Apps Store and syncs via wifi over a local area network. This means you have to be on the same network as your computer to sync and therefore you can’t sync when on the road.
Things isn’t perfect, but it is quick to learn, easy to use and to this end has a positive impact on my own workflow. Yes it would nice to be able to forward emails directly to the application or sync over the air yet I am still managing very well with the current set up. I have even ventured to attempt a two computer sync via MobileMe and if that works well Things could remain happily on the dock for some time to come.
Perhaps the best GTD application is a mix of all three and I am sure 2009 we will see a wave of new features from all the developers mentioned. Sadly though I have little doubt I will continue to flit between the three applications until a true winner stands out from the GTD crowd.
I think the big question is ‘What makes a good GTD application’ I know of a few people who swear by omnifocus, equally I know people who love the ease of Things. A challenging choice to make but isn’t great to have choice ?
I’m a OminiFocus user from it begins. But I’m testing Things and I’m liking.
The better and innovative feature in The Hit List for me is the task time tracker.
The Time Tracker is a really nice feature on The Hit List. All 3 have great features and if we could take the best of all 3 we would certainly ‘Get Things Done’
I’ve had to decide between OmniFocus and Things. In the end, OmniFocus’ capabilities far outshined Things.
The two things that I liked in OmniFocus but aren’t really fleshed out in the other two apps are:
1. Recurring tasks (especially creating a recurring task after the completion date or the due date).
2. Review mode – This section has made my GTD workflow very effective. OmniFocus notifies me of what tasks/projects to review next so that I can either turn it into active status, delete it, or delegate it.
The Hit List and Things sure has a pretty interface. OmniFocus’ roots in OmniOutliner Pro definitely shows itself. Hopefully OmniFocus will change their user interface.