Optimization of the management system
The first location where we are going with optimization is our control system. In my case, this is a bundle of Microsoft Tov for tasks, Google Calendar for planning and Microsoft OneNote for storing information. Let me remind you that it is better to strive for one tool, but experimentally I came to such a bundle.
I’m so used to it, and everything works. At the moment there are no scenarios where I feel uncomfortable. It doesn’t matter how many tools you have. Always try to optimize your work in them. To do this, you need to analyze the processes inside the tools and their interaction with each other. Before going into details, check your control system through the basic three principles.
1. Think from need.
You don’t need to use other people’s tools, because it’s written in the book, or it’s so fashionable now, or so Elon Musk said. Soberly assess the value of the functions, and whether they are duplicated in the current tool. If you write few notes, then give up Microsoft OneNote, it is superfluous. It always seems that the more functions, then something will come in handy, but excessive functionality can affect speed and convenience. You don’t buy a million-dollar camera to shoot stories. Don’t shoot sparrows with a cannon.
It should be simple and familiar to you. For example, everyone is discussing the fashionable Zettelkasten system as the best way to structure information. If you think differently, then this method will not suit you, and you will have to break yourself. As a result, there will be a negative experience and disappointment. Try a new one, assign a test period and refuse if it has not worked out. There is a concept of Jobs to be Done. This is the concept of product development through the study of user needs and ways to meet them. In it, the needs are formulated as “work that needs to be done.”
Describe your management system needs as the work that needs to be done. Specific actions that you usually have to do. Is it important for you to write notes at meetings and then have quick access to them? A large flow of information is falling on you, and it is important for you to logically sort and store it? Is it important for you to see the lists of tasks for the day by projects or priorities? Capture all needs in the form of scenarios. Then describe the ideal system as one tool and try to find it. If you don’t find one, try to make a bundle, but I wouldn’t recommend using more than three.
One day, a friend of mine bought a tablet specifically to take notes at meetings, and they were immediately stored digitally. The idea seemed good, but then it turned out that it was inconvenient to search and read them. He had to reprint it anyway. He had to sell the tablet. Because the whole usage scenario wasn’t thought out right away. After choosing a task manager, I fixed what was missing in it, and which processes were not covered. I was looking for a replacement for a long time, but then I put together a set that covers all my needs as much as possible.
2. Strive for an ecosystem.
It is important to have access to your control system from any device at any time. Adding information to the system should be easy, without unnecessary and intermediate actions. Pay attention to cross-platform solutions. For example, Microsoft To Do works on your phone, computer, and browser. Everything is synchronized, and the transition between platforms is seamless.
If the tool is cool, but you need to manually transfer information to other tools, then you can try to set up synchronization using third-party services. If it does not work, then it is better to give up the tool due to manual synchronization. It is not permissible to keep the information up to date in manual mode. The process of “putting in the backlog” should be easy and fast on any device. Nowadays, most solutions are cross-platform, but if you have more than one tool, it is important how they are interconnected. Think about it.
If you are taken to a police station in Mexico and you have lost your passport, laptop and phone, will you be able to show the police an electronic copy of your passport with Internet access?
3. Automate and figure out the details.
There will always be rare scenarios, ideas for improvements, or processes around your system. There may also be a need to connect different services together. For example, you might want tasks from Microsoft To Do to automatically get into Google Calendar, or all the posts of your favorite blogger are saved in notes by themselves. After you have figured out the basic functionality of any tool, always try to figure out the details. Perhaps the necessary functionality is already there.
For example, study the “Telegram functionality that you didn’t know about”. Surely you will find something new for yourself. If you use Google Calendar, then be sure to read about its perks, there are a lot of useful, but not obvious ones. Don’t be the one who clicked something and everything is gone, understand the new services. Study the services that connect other services together. The most famous are Zapier, IFTTT and Integromat. They sort, filter, forward and exchange data between modern software. You don’t have to be a programmer to figure them out. Start with IFTTT to try this experience. There are many patterns of bundles. For example, tracking working hours in Google calendar or automatically uploading attachments received by email to Google Drive.
Analyze your system and interaction scenarios for repetitive actions and possible connections. Automate and algorithmize the routine. Try linking the services together to make your system more ecosystem-friendly. Remember the first principle, not to engage in automation for the sake of automation.
It doesn’t matter what tools your management system consists of. They can be applied to any programs and scripts on your system. These are the initial filters to find flaws, bottlenecks and lay the foundation of the system. I will describe the recommendations for optimizing the system using the example of my tools, but you can also use them for yourself.
Many people do not want to take unnecessary steps and are constantly looking for solutions. Therefore, always watch how others are doing, analyze their scenarios and take the best for yourself. Also don’t forget to share your solutions with others.
