March 12th 2008
GTD
6 comments
Rolf made an interesting point in my recent post discussing problems with GTD, saying that in terms of the hype cycle (a graphical representation of the adoption and maturing of technologies) the system appears in be in the trough of disillusionment right now. I have had a couple of days to think over this one and I actually feel now that it is not so much GTD, but rather our current perceptions of what personal productivity is, that’s in the trough.
Granted, GTD has had a big influence on this area of personal development but much of the negatives that have developed from it have been more down to the wrong perceptions and attitudes. For instance, while GTD is all about getting things done it was never about getting everything done all the time. Somewhere along the way that sort of thinking became the norm when judging productivity. Lifehack.org seems to be on a roll right now when it comes to looking at productivity differently.
What my post about things wrong with GTD showed is that it really is a very good system. The intention of the post was to provide an alternative viewpoint; a much needed critique that GTD seems to be lacking. Try googling for criticisms of GTD and you will see an acute lack of relevant results. Perhaps I should have taken that as a sign I would find it harder to discover fault with it than I envisaged. GTD stands up well to criticism.
But where does this put GTD on the hype cycle? Despite the work landscape and our current perception of productivity continuing to evolve, GTD is still strong and a follow-up book is in the works which will be intriguing to say the least. David Allen was even on TV recently to promote his work. That doesn’t sound like a system losing it’s hype to me.
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The hype cycle concept matches the public “image” of a technology. In terms of personal involvement, it is mirrored quite well by the old concept of learning according to Shu-Ha-Ri:
- Shu, “learning fundamentals, techniques, heuristics, proverbs” means that you learn the techniques you’ve got to know; maybe you’re mistaken to believe that techniques are already the solution (peak of inflated expectations).
- Ha, “finding exceptions to traditional wisdom, reflecting on their truth, finding new ways, techniques, and proverbs” means that you’re struggling with situations where the mere application of techniques obviously doesn’t work (trough of disillusionment).
- Ri, “there are no techniques or proverbs, all moves are natural” means that you’ve developed a deeper understanding about what you’ve learned so far (plateau of productivity). I think “mind like water” is a nice alternative wording for this state.
Observing my own learning in various fields, I notice that I *need* to go through all states, there is no shortcut. Probably, the predominant culture isn’t wiling to accept that sowing and harvesting is a much better metaphor for learning than “quick fix” is. Which makes a nice link between GTD and Covey’s 7 Habits, by the way.
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Rolf
Jrodmel2007:
March 12th, 2008 at 8:37 pm