Multiple Contexts per Task [now in TestFlight]

[kcase]

This feature will be coming one quarter later than originally planned. Sorry for the delay!

Omni Roadmap 2017 — Q4 Update

For those who might not have seen this on our blog… Each January we like to reflect on the past year’s accomplishments and to share a roadmap of our plans for the coming year. Our 2017 roadmap talked about switching to free downloads for all our products; shipping OmniOutliner 5 for Mac; and introducing OmniGraffle 3 and OmniOutliner 3 for iOS with slide-in information panes and powerful JavaScript automation. This year’s roadmap also talked about our plans for OmniFocus. About how its new sy…

[iwaddo]

Thank you for letting us know, even if it is a little disappointing.

[Bowsertune]

I’m really glad that Omni Group decided to incorporate the tags into OmniFocus 3, as opposed to a version 2 update. It’s a functionality shift that seems more appropriate with a concurrent launch of a revised version of the product. Keep up the great work, @kcase and @omnigroup!

[bax]

For me as for some others here, contexts and tags are distinctly separate and should be used separately.

[wilsonng]

The early indicators state that tags will be replacing contexts. This is gonna be a major shift in our workflows.

The sentence is in the second paragraph:

supporting multiple tags per item (replacing contexts),

[iwaddo]

Why the shift? If I only assign one tag to an action, will that not work in exactly the same way and allow the same workflow as a single context? I’d expect it too.

[wilsonng]

Maybe we can think of it as just a different label for the word “Context.”

There was some shifting when we learned to use the label “Defer date” instead of “Start date.” The term “Defer date” was introduced in OmniFocus 2.

Now, we can have more than one “context” when we use tags. An energy tag, a priority tag, a tool tag, etc.

I’m looking forward to multiple tags but I will have to consider not putting too many tags. Tag-mania can run wild and just overburden the workflow.

[Nick]

Tag-mania can run wild and just overburden the workflow.

Just so. Among the obstacles I ran into when experimenting with 2Do:

• Finding, very quickly, that I had so many tags that they were a hindrance, not a help. It becomes easy (a) to create tags because you can and they seem useful and (b) to create multiple minor variations on the same tag because you’re trying to process things quickly. What’s the difference between “Planning”, Project Planning", “Plans”? Answer: not much really
• 2Do does some apparently nice but ultimately annoying things - like tagging imported email with the name of the sender (it’s a default and can be turned off)

I spent a lot fo time trying to develop an organisation strategy for 2Do that took account of tags, list, list groups and projects. In the end, it was too much effort

[danblondell]

Spot on. The best use I can think of for multiple tags is a “waiting” tag to accompany whatever other context is naturally there. But this is already easy to do with a text expander snippet and a saved perspective looking for waiting tasks.

Given how fast OF search is and how flexible perspectives are, I really don’t get what people think tags will give them.

[iwaddo]

For me I think it will fell more natural to select and assign tag(s) that it currently does to remember to add a \ or @@ before the name so I can use it with a search. Also, so far I’ve not managed to get Sir to understand

'Speak to \Fred about the presentation"

[rnbutler87]

Agreed, my experience exactly

[rnbutler87]

Absolutely, a ‘waiting’ tag would be something I’d take for a test drive if it was an option but exactly as you say, the search and highly customisable perspectives make it easy to create a trusted system and to get more done in a spirit of calm which tagging alone is unlikely facilitate.

@revstu
In OF2 (when tagging arrives) it will be a supplemental advantage, not a sole means of organisation as in T3.

I envisage cautious use of tags in OF2, a small collection of important keywords to supplement the fantastic OF2 perspective system.

Totally agree. This sums up exactly how tags should be approached if and when they arrive.

[danblondell]

the search works really well without any special characters before a word. I’d bet the overlap between tag text and action text would be fairly minimal and a standard special character isn’t really that necessary.

If it is important, you could set up a keyboard shortcut or text expander snippet to standardize your tag so you don’t need to remember what it is. For “waiting” tasks I use “//// Mike” or “//// Jane” after the text of an action, but just type x/ to expand a shortcut.

[iwaddo]

I’m not sure I understand, are you typing x/ then relying on a keyboard shortcut or text expander app to convert it to ////? You then use //// is search and perspectives?

I’m not sure what this achieves, why not just type // and search for // in the same way?

[danblondell]

I wouldn’t get too hung up on my own particular syntax, main point is it’s easy to create a personal keyword system for the few cases where it is useful.

(I like the four slashes because it never appears naturally and is easy to spot in a list)

[Geoffairey]

In my previous role, I was a strong advocate for Multiple tags per Action. The irony is that in my new role I need them far less.

The waiting tag is the most obvious example. Actions can be assigned to a person, but also to a waiting tag, this means that if you’re looking at either, you’ll see the action.

Another way I would use it would be to tag an Action with the person’s name I need to speak to about it, but also the sites they are based at, and any meetings I’m likely to be in with them. then it’s a single lookup to see if there are any actions I can talk to people about whilst on site or at that meeting.

If people don’t want multiple Tags, I’m sure that they can use them as they do now, but for those with complicated relationships or organisations this gives them more flexibility to stretch GTD for the 21st century rather than how it was conceived in the 20th.

[Nick]

If people don’t want multiple Tags, I’m sure that they can use them as they do now,

Quite. Back on the old forum days, pre OF 2 (blinks away a small nostalgic tear) there was much debate (some of it rather hostile) about the moral failure implied in wanting multiple tags (because, you know, GTD). The fact is that you can stick with one take per item if you want but there are people whose working needs include the ability to attach several tags

[bax]

The early indicators state that tags will be replacing contexts. This is gonna be a major shift in our workflows.

The sentence is in the second paragraph:

supporting multiple tags per item (replacing contexts),

In that case there should be an option:

1. Tags only - (I’m for multiple tags, if someone wants ‘pure’ GTD, they’re welcome to only use one tag).
2. Tags and contexts (internally in the omnifocus engine ‘contexts’ can be special type tags).
   otherwise I will have to classify tags as context tags and other tags, just a hassle, and a bother.

[Nick]

You might be right, but I think we should wait and see what Omni have in mind. I doubt they’re in a place where they can change their design, if it’s due in 1Q18.

That’s setting aside any disagreement about the suggestion - that would be a separate discussion