How To Use Getting Results the Agile Way with Evernote
One of the most common questions I get with Getting Results the Agile Way is, “What tools do I use to implement it?”
The answer is, it depends on how "lightweight" or "heavy" I need to be for a given scenario. The thing to keep in mind is that the system is stretch to fit because it's based on a simple set of principles, patterns, and practices. See Values, Principles, and Practices of Getting Results the Agile Way.
That said, I have a few key scenarios:
- Just me.
- Pen and Paper.
- Evernote.
The Just Me Scenario
In the "Just Me" scenario, I don't use any tools. I just take "mental notes." I use The Rule of Three to identify three outcomes for the day. I simply ask the question, "What are the three most important results for today?" Because it's three things, it's easy to remember, and it helps me stay on track. Because it's results or outcomes, not activities, I don't get lost in the minutia.
The Pen and Paper Scenario
In the Pen and Paper scenario, I carry a little yellow sticky pad. I like yellow stickies because they are portable and help me free up my mind by writing things down. The act of writing it down, also forces me to get a bit more clarity. As a practice, I either write the three results I want for the day on the first note, or I write one outcome per note. The main reason I write one result per sticky note is so that I can either jot supporting notes, such as tasks, or so I can throw it away when I've achieve that particular result. It's a simple way to game my day and build a sense of progress.
I do find that writing things down, even as a simple reference, helps me stay on track way more than just having it in my head.
The Evernote Scenario
The Evernote scenario is my high-end scenario. This is for when I'm dealing with multiple projects, leading teams, etc. It's still incredibly light-weight, but it helps me stay on top of my game, while juggling many things. It also helps me quickly see when I have too much open work, or when I'm splitting my time and energy across too many things. It also helps me see patterns by flipping back through my daily outcomes, weekly outcomes, etc.
It's hard to believe, but already I've been using Evernote with Getting Results the Agile Way for years. I just checked the dates of my daily outcomes, and I had switched to Evernote back in 2009. Time sure flies. It really does.
Anyway, I put together a simple step-by-step How To to walk you through setting up Getting Results the Agile Way in Evernote. Here it is:
OneNote
If you’re a OneNote user, and you want to see how to use Getting Results the Agile Way with OneNote, check out Anu’s post on using Getting Results the Agile Way with OneNote.