Re: How do you manage complex project with Org-mode

[Sébastien Gendre]

Hello Quiliro,

Thank for you reply and advice. :)

Generally, I use the GTD workflow. Or what I think it is (I'm not an
expert). I started with 3 files:

* Tasks.org
* Notes.org
* Inbox.org

Now, the file "Notes.org" is a folder. And inside I got a file per
subject.

I capture notes and tasks, with org-capture, that end in the file "Inbox.org".

On my phone, I use Orgzly as a pocket inbox, for when I'm not in front of
my computer. The files of Orgzly are sync with my PC using Syncthing.

Everyday, at the end of the day, I review the inbox(s):
* I do little tasks (< 3 min)
* I complete the description of the other tasks and refile them (with
  org-refile)

Everyday, at the beginning of the day, I look at the agenda (Org-agenda)
to see what I need to do. If I have free time and still energy, I search
for tasks to do in advance.

This workflow work very well and ask few effort for managing it. But I
never take the risk to use it for important project. But maybe it's an
irrational fear. Maybe it would work.

Based on suggestions in this mailing list, I take time to think about
what define a work given by the school and what I need to do to
accomplish them best. And I think of a simple "Project" workflow that
can integrate with my actual workflow.

I think this simple "Project" workflow will be:

* Each project is a headline with the status "PROJECT"
* Each project have the deadline defined by the school work deadline
* Each project have a complete description with every info needed to work
* Each project have one or many tasks (as sub headlines with a TODO/NEXT/DONE 
status)
* Each task have an importance, time and effort estimation
* Each task have its own deadline, distributed along the remaining time
* When I set a task deadline, I look at its estimations and also other projects 
tasks
* To create a new project, I use Org-capture with a template

Every time I create a new project, it start with one task: "Planning the
project". With a deadline at 2 days max. The description of this task is
a checkbox list of thing to do when planning the project.

And finally, 2 times per week, I got a repetitive task: "Review the
projects progress". With this, I should be able to adjust spending time
and effort.

I think it would be simple and need only a few Org-mode configurations.
And by doing like that, every time I look at the agenda, I will see what
work I need to do every days. Task of each project or review of all
projects.




Quiliro Ordóñez <quiliro@riseup.net> writes:

> Hello Seb.
>
> It is great that you want to use org for your planning.  It is the best
> tool I know of.  Tim's advice sounds the best introductory one and
> others even gave you advanced advice.  Nevertheless, you never told us
> how you use org and why it takes so much time for you.  Perhaps you
> could take less time to plan and more time to do, without completely
> trashing the planning.  Then you could increment the planning until it
> proves to be more time consuming.  At that point you can reduce a little
> planning again.  It is a tuning process.
>
> Happy Hacking!
>
> Quiliro