Archive for March, 2005
First, I want to thank the hundreds of people who have dropped me email in appreciation of the planner. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and knowing that so many of you are finding the package useful is all the motivation I need to keep working on this project.
That being said, I need to address a few things that keep coming up time and again.
I’ve had a couple dozen email wanting to know when I’m planning on releasing a letter-size version of the templates (as in 8.5″x11″). From the D*I*Y Planner Handbook:
7. Can you make some letter (or A4) versions?
Well, let me put this in perspective. There are over 50 templates currently included in this kit. To create a letter-size version, I would essentially have to redesign every template, since it’s not simply a matter of doing a quick scaling-up. New layouts would have to be imagined, new objects would have to be created, new base templates would have to be set up, a new set of guidelines would have to be written, each file would have to be worked on individually, and then each form would have to be tested, printed and tweaked multiple times. And so on. That’s a lot of work. Now, I’m not saying I’ll never create a letter-size kit, but given the fact that there is only one of me, it’s not very likely in the near future. I’ve had a couple of people volunteer for this task, but as far as I know, nothing concrete has yet been done.
I’m not trying to be mean here, but my time is very limited. I use an 5.5″x8.5″ planner, so that’s first off the assembly line. Next is A5, because it requires very few changes in the template layout. And that’s it for now. I did get one email back from a rather rude individual that reads:
That’s stupid. The whole world is using letter size paper. Why would you force everyone to buy that size planner. One of the studpidist things i’ve heard in a long while.
The email does downhill from there.
First, as my good friends across the pond can attest, not everyone is using letter-size paper. Second, I’m not forcing anyone to buy anything: that’s the point of giving this away for free. I’m not going to belabour these points, but they were worth mentioning.
Seeing a lot of people are sending me their problems without caring to read the “Printing How-To” section of the Handbook, I’ll summarise two points in particular here. Do not tell Acrobat to scale, center or auto-rotate the forms when printing. That way, the forms will print at the top left, which is generally where you put your 5.5″x8.5″ paper. Also, create a greyscale printing profile for when you do go to print, else your printer might mix colour inks to produce the grey tones (and you will go through a lot of ink). There are plenty of other things in the Handbook, so please take a few moments to skim through it if you are experiencing any problems before you mail me. If your issue isn’t addressed there, send it to me and it may make the next edition.
Finally, the A5 templates are pretty well ready, but I need some more volunteers who are willing to print out the forms and give me some feedback — preferably within a couple of days. As I mentioned earlier, I have to rely on testers to do this for me, as I have no access to A5 paper or planners. Any takers? If you are, please drop me an email (address is at the bottom of the menu at right).
March 31st, 2005
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.
March 28th, 2005
Working on the new version of the DIY Planner 2.0 Handbook, and it occurs to me that I don’t have very many links to other printable templates.
A few nice folks have been sending me links to their own templates in the past few days, and I will indeed be including them in the handbook. If you have created templates, and would like to be linked, please email me your URL within the next few days, as well as a one-sentence description of the forms. Don’t forget to include your target paper size(s), and be careful not to violate any copyrights. (My email address, as always, is at the bottom of the menu at right.)
Also, if you are aware of any other printable templates out there for public consumption (like those offered on the Microsoft Office website), please leave a comment below with an URL so that I (and others) may find it. The more, the merrier.
March 22nd, 2005
Sorry for the dearth of postings here recently, but any free time I have (and there isn’t much of it) is being devoted to pushing the new version of the DIY Planner out through the door. I’m aiming at releasing 2.0 within the next two weeks, and while most of it is complete, I still have a few forms to do, some touch-ups and inconsistencies to take care of, and some documentation to write.
Herewith, some random notes about where I am and where I’m heading on this project. Forgive me if they’re a bit disjointed: they were written piece-meal over a week.
So what’s new? Well, here are a few highlights:
- Plenty of new forms. I haven’t done an exact count yet (there are a few left to go), but I’d estimate that there are about three times as many templates in this package. Some are requests, some are new takes on old ones, and some are forms for which I had a use.
- Every existing form has had some type of make-over. I’ve kept the same basic (i.e., “non-offensive”) style for all templates, but added a few subtle look-and-feel elements to tighten up the design and help with the consistency. Speaking of consistency, there is now far more of it: I deviate only occasionally where I think it would allow for more efficiency or legibility.
- There are some “alternatives” for V1 forms. For example, some people have no use for two full lines for items like Next Actions, and so I’ve made slimmer versions which only have one line per item. The V1 templates are also included, so you can choose whichever one best suits your style and methods. (Myself, I generally use two lines.)
- Per request, I’ve toned down the use of grey in certain forms. Some pages, like the Notes templates, have both light and dark versions.
- Some previous forms have been broken apart into different ones, where it made sense. For example, the former Project Outline is now the revised Project Outline (with step-by-step planning) and Project Details (for listing objectives, resources, personnel, budget, etc.).
- There are a few flexible generic templates, like Checklist and Shopping, that can be used for different purposes.
- There are a few very specific templates, like Web Design I and Web Design II, which can help those working in certain industries. (Many more are planned for the future.) Obviously, you don’t have to print them if you don’t use them.
- The PDF file is no longer 8.5″x11″ with the need to print two per page, then cut. As stated in an earlier entry, I’ve switched the PDF to 5.5×8.5. This way, you can use pre-cut paper if you have it, or just guillotine letter-size paper before printing. It also has the added benefit of making it very easy to produce an A5 version (which I’ll be working on just as soon as the North American version is out through the door).
- Starting with V2, the files will be split into different “packs,” either for topic-related, formatting or logistical issues. For example, the Receipts template is in a file by itself, since it’s a cut-out form based on larger paper, and the GTD diagrams are also in a separate file, since they weren’t created by me (only resized to fit the planner).
- Yes, I’ve succumbed to your requests: there are undated daily and weekly planning pages. Don’t ever say I don’t care about you folks.
- More testing for the differences between laser printers and inkjet printers; there will still be many variations in tonal qualities, but all text and backgrounds should allow enough contrast for legibility. However, I use an inkjet most of the time, and thus the forms probably look slightly better on that style of printer.
- Since my philosophy is to provide templates that cater to a highly-configurable (i.e., “tweakable”) planning system, malleable to the different needs and situations of many types of users, I’ve adopted two important goals when producing V2:
- Make allowances for alternative planning systems: besides GTD (which is still a primary design objective, since I use it daily), I’ve also provided many generic forms and a few Covey-inspired templates ;
- Mix and match: I’ve attempted to ensure that many forms can be printed on two sides of the paper, which means –for example– you can face a Weekly Planning page with a Covey-esque Weekly Goals (sharpen your saw!), another Weekly Planning page (for a two-week spread), a Next Actions page, or a To Do list.
I had been planning on including a few generic OpenOffice.org Draw templates with this release so you can produce your own. However, I’m going to await the release of OOo 2.0 (within the month?), because it’s supposed to have many improvements in its drawing application. Once I get up to speed with it and manage to produce something I’m happy with, I’ll release these templates in another package, along with fonts, logos and other design material. These will also be produced under a Creative Commons license. In case you’re wondering, I’m choosing OpenOffice.org because:
- It’s cross-platform, for Windows, Mac and Linux;
- It’s free and Open Source, so anybody can download it and use the templates without worrying about their budget;
- It contains a decent vector-based drawing application (I’ve used it many times in the past for posters, etc.);
- It produces excellent PDF files, natively and free of charge; and
- The format is open, not restricted in any way: this means that you aren’t “locked in” to a proprietary format in the future (thus needing to keep buying a certain type of commercial application).
I’m thinking about creating a wiki for users of this planner, so that people can contribute advice, new templates, their “configurations”, how they use it in conjunction with PDAs or other organisational tools, etc.. Anyone interested?
That’s it for now. Back to work I go.
March 20th, 2005
For the DIY Planner, I want to produce a version for A5 as soon as possible. However, I’m somewhat hindered by the fact that I don’t have either an A5 planner, nor do I even have access to A4 and A5 paper for the testing: they are almost impossible to get on this side of the pond.
Does anyone in an A4/A5 country want to donate a super-cheap A5 planner and some paper, or at least provide very exact measurements for me to follow (including positioning of the holes for typical planner systems) and volunteer for print-out testing? I have to count on you folks, because I want to do this right.
March 20th, 2005
Despite the fears and uncertainties that come with leaving a job, it’s a wonderful opportunity to “clear the slate” in many ways. True, that weekly paycheque isn’t coming in, but this urgency puts a lot more emphasis on creativity, goal-setting, organisation and brainstorming. Now, many of you are probably thinking: hey, this is a perfect opportunity for the effective use of a planning system.
But here there be monsters. What happens if, like me, you’re an organisational geek attracted to every shiny new way of planning and managing information? In the past twelve months, here are just a few of the systems I’ve tried:
- A paper-based planner system (basically, my DIY Planner templates in a nice faux-rustic-leather DayRunner);
- A Palm Tungsten E, decked out with 512Mb SD card, Palm wireless keyboard, Internet connectivity, headphones and plenty of software goodies;
- Apple iCal + Address Book + Missing Sync on my Macs;
- Evolution on Linux;
- KDE Kontact suite on Linux;
- Palm Desktop on Windows;
- MS Outlook;
- MS Entourage (as in, Outlook for the Mac);
- Mozilla Calendar/Sunbird;
- Emacs + planner.el;
- Eclipse IDE/text editor;
- Various UNIX shell scripts (at, cal, cron, etc.);
- PHPGroupWare;
- Various wiki-based solutions, including SiteBar + TWiki;
- Various portal-based solutions, including Plone;
This list doesn’t include all the various other toys like QuickSilver, Beagle, GNOME Launch Box, Konqueror, library management tools, and… uh… vim. So where does that leave my planning information? Well, all over the place, of course. The good news is that I’ve “compartmentalised” most of the information in certain ways. For example, all my contacts are generally stored in my Palm, which syncs out to all the other computer-based contact lists (like in Apple Address Book, Evolution, etc.), and all my memo-style files are generally stored as plain text files in some way, which generally sync well across all the operating systems I use. However, I realise it’s time to start consolidating most of my day-to-day organisational information in some way.
The end of a job is a perfect opportunity for this, as one can generally leave behind a lot of information that’s no longer needed, like previous appointments, expense details, client contact info, hours of operation, report statistics, and so on. This has a bit of a cleansing effect, because you are now free to choose a planning system without worrying about legacy data and how to port or transcribe it over to your new gear.
In a way, it’s a call to action: stop flirting and make a commitment for once. Make a choice and stick by it. I’ve spent so much of my spare time in the past year just trying and tweaking new ways of organising myself that I’ve probably wasted as much time as I’ve saved. I know I’m not alone here: read the 43 Folders Google Group, and you’ll see hundreds of others constantly seeking and extolling new ways of planning their lives. Yes, I do find this incredibly interesting, if not exciting (it’s the project manager and information architect in me), but there comes a time when you have to stop playing the field and settle down, lest the endless one-night-stands of organisational methods start to take their toll on you.
So, which is it going to be? Well, of course everybody is different, but I think I’ve finally settled on a system that makes sense for me and the way I work. Here’s my gear, at least for the foreseeable future:
- My DayRunner, because it just feels good to write in. Purpose: calendar (hard landscape), next actions, project outlines, brainstorming, general writing, reference lists (to buy, A/V gear, photography info, to read, etc.), important contacts, carrying paper info (things to mail, various forms to fill out, etc.), story ideas, job search details, etc.
- Palm Tungsten E. Purpose: music, audio books, news on the go (AvantGo, Plucker), pictures of family, ebooks, encrypted files (financial info, passwords, etc.), uber-list of contacts going back to my far-flung past, alarms (”wake up” or “you’re late!”), technical info (usually synced from a computer), and word processing for digital deployment, since I have a keyboard to type quickly and it’s easy to sync the text to my laptop or desktop.
- TWiki. Purpose: online documents for editing or reading from multiple locations, and collaboration.
Notice that there is no mention of a computer-based planner there, like Evolution, Outlook or Entourage. I considered this long and hard, and came to the conclusion, “So what?” Maybe it’s because I change operating systems or computers so many times in a day, or maybe it’s because I’ve never really found a program that “thought” like me, but each time I use one, it seems like a token effort. I finally decided recently that I might as well skip them altogether, and just learn to use and trust my DayRunner and Palm combo.
[Note that all of the above concerns my personal organisational approach. In a business context, things work differently, and there are plenty of tools available to ensure that project management, workflow, time management, resource allocation, record-keeping and communications are efficient within a particular system. However, what works for a business often doesn’t work well for an individual, and vice-versa.]
Now, the next decision to be made: which methodology to follow? As the result of a few months of experimentation –mainly with the DIY Planner materials– I think I have a very effective process nailed down, and it’s only partially GTD. I’ll cover that in a future post.
March 14th, 2005
New beta versions of the Open Source based office suites OpenOffice.org and StarOffice are now available. For those of you unfamiliar with them, OpenOffice.org (a.k.a., OOo) is a free office suite rivalling Microsoft Office and WordPerfect Suite: it’s not quite as good in some ways, but it’s better in others, such as offering some great drawing tools for posters, native PDF and Flash export, and some cool navigational aides. StarOffice is a value-added commercial version with more templates, fonts, clip-art, etc. that’s produced by Sun, who is one of OOo’s major sponsors. I’ve been using OOo/SO for years instead of Microsoft Office, and no one has ever remarked of any incompatibilities with me: these suites read and write most MS Office formats with ease.
While you should treat any beta with caution, these offer a peek at the “next generation,” including a high-power database tool, Office XP-like features to aid migration, better adherance to standards, WordPerfect compatibility, and more wizards to handle complex or repetitive tasks. Links: OpenOffice.org 2.0 Beta (summary of new features) and StarOffice 8.0 Beta (“what’s new?” PDF).
March 4th, 2005
Just wanted to let you kind folks know that updates around here will be pretty sporadic for the next few weeks. I’m under the gun to finish up a contract, and after 16 hours work a day, I’m too exhausted to take a swing through the monkey house. Once that work is off my plate, however, I’ll have plenty of time to jump back into the blog and DIY Planner (which still has a version 2.0 slated for late this month, so stay tuned).
March 3rd, 2005
