Help me organize my to-do list when every task is swarming with interdependent subtasks and prerequisites.

May 18, 2009 8:55 AM

Yakshavingfilter: How do you keep track of all the not-untils and but-firsts in your life? Help me organize my to-do list when every task is swarming with interdependent subtasks and prerequisites.

I'm good at linear tasks. First A, then B, then C, then I'm done.

Lately a lot of my projects have taken a turn for the nonlinear. First A, but in order to do A I need to do a1, a2 and a3, and maybe a4 if a3 doesn't pan out, and I can't even start on a3 until a2 is finished, but in order to do a2 I need to wait for a collaborator to get back to me on a2' and a2'', and if and.... wait, where am I?

How do you stay organized and keep track of what you're doing in this sort of situation? What works for you? Low-tech and high-tech solutions are both fine with me, and it doesn't have to be some kind of capital-S-System, but I do need something a little more orderly than nine bajillion sticky notes — that's my current solution, and it ain't working.

posted by nebulawindphone to society & culture (7 comments total)

I like to keep some of my to do lists in my email draft folder. They are readily accessible (since I am often checking my emails anyway) and very easy to edit in any way I want. Written lists can get really messy.

Alternatively, if I've got a big project to do and also need to keep track of hard copies of things, I start a project binder on it, subdivided by categories.
posted by orange swan at 9:04 AM on May 18

I love a software program called OmniFocus. I think it costs about $40, downloadable here. It's a task management system that is great for handling lots of complicated projects, interdependent deadlines, etc. I used it at first for managing all my science classes with labs and keeping track of all the assignments, and it saved my sanity.
posted by Dilemma at 9:20 AM on May 18

You don't need a task list. You need something that shows and tracks dependencies. The school of thought on this is called the Critical Path Method. Microsoft Project is probably the most widely used and common tool capable of doing this, but I'd imagine you can find freeware or Mac products. On preview and having clicked, Omnifocus looks like it does this for the Mac, with extra GTD-esque goodness added in.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:27 AM on May 18 [1 favorite]

You don't need a task list. You need something that shows and tracks dependencies.

Yes, that is precisely what I need! I just didn't know there was a word for it.

So all right, lemme refine my question. What I want to know, Well Organized People of Metafilter, is how you track dependencies in your life.

I don't have MS Office, and Project looks pretty spendy on its own, but I'll take a look at Omnifocus. Thanks for the suggestions!
posted by nebulawindphone at 9:54 AM on May 18

Isn't the stock answer that you need to read Getting things done and check out 43folders.com?
posted by sully75 at 1:51 PM on May 18

If you want a web based alternative to MS project check out gantter .
posted by gergtreble at 5:13 AM on May 19

This blog post might help you out.
posted by Happy Dave at 11:39 PM on May 19