a million monkeys typing

D*I*Y Planner 2.0 Released

Posted March 28th, 2005 at 12:02am

Update : These sets, and many more, are now available free at www.DIYPlanner.com. In particular, you might want the newest version of this, which is located on the D*I*Y Planner Classic/A5 page.

Well, it’s been a busy few months, but I’m happy to announce that the D*I*Y Planner version 2.0 has finally been released.

The D*I*Y Planner is a set of free do-it-yourself templates, covers, documentation and other gear for creating your own highly customised and tweakable paper planner system. Some highlights:

• Over 50 different templates and forms spanning everything from calendars to finances, from project management to reference lists, from notetaking to specialised subjects like web design and story writing.
• A thorough D*I*Y Planner Handbook in HTML detailing:
  • how to build a do-it-yourself planner, including getting the right supplies;
  • descriptions of all the forms, with many suggested uses;
  • a GTD-oriented planner configuration;
  • how to print the forms, without wasting paper and ink;
  • plenty of tips in setting up and using your system;
  • links to other template sites; and
  • places to find more information that can help you use or configure your planner.
• A couple of pre-built covers, with do-it-yourself templates in OpenOffice.org Draw format for creating your own. (More covers will be offered later, as well as templates for other applications.)
• All templates from the older 1.0 package have been rejigged, improved and made more consistent.
• While an emphasis is placed upon David Allen’s Getting Things Done, templates are also offered for alternative methodologies such as Covey’s First Things First. There are also quite a few generic templates so you can devise and tweak your own organisational methodology, if you are so inclined.
• A template for creating your own receipt envelopes, complete with areas for recording transactions and jotting notes.
• Currently, all templates are designed for 5.5″x8.5″ planners (half letter-size), but a version for A5 is in the pipe. (Stay tuned.)
• A set of GTD diagrams culled from the DavidCo site, resized and positioned for your planner. (See the handbook for links to the originals.)
• A new identity for the package: a new logo, a slightly new name (note the asterisks), and a vague leap towards consistency and semi-professionalism.

As with the last package, version 2.0 is released under a Creative Commons license, which means that it is free for personal and non-commercial use.

Special thanks to Ted Bongiovanni, Ronald Schaten and Anthony Schellenberg for some excellent suggestions along the way, as well as to the 43 Folders Google Group for continued inspiration and so many wonderful ways to waste time while saving it. My apologies to all those friends and groups who have been deprived of my company (or blessed by lack of it): things should be getting back to normal soon.

The package can be downloaded here: diyplanner2.zip.

The new D*I*Y Planner button at the right will always take you to the latest version of this package, which will always be at www.douglasjohnston.net/templates/.

Update : There’s now an A5 version, as well as a 2-up version (printing two pages on one sheet for cutting in half).

Update 2 : Please don’t ask for other size templates (like 8.5″x11″) for now. The reasons why are explained in this post.

Update 3 : New GTD/Covey Diagrams for D*I*Y Planners.

Update 4 : The Hipster PDA Edition is released for printing 3×5″ (index card) versions.

Update 5 : Several keen-eyed individuals have mentioned a broken link in the handbook. (Thanks, I missed that one!) The latest version of the templates can be found at http://www.douglasjohnston.net/templates/, not douglasjohnston.com. This is a redirected link to the latest release, by the way — currently to this post.