Unset: When a node is added, its default status is Unset, and its date fields (in Schedule) are not set to any date. It is important to set a topic’s status as soon as possible. Those which are Unset can be found by using the Unset button in the search panel, then edited. Note that Unset (resetting the schedule) can also be done from both the Status and Schedule panels.
No Need; Need To Set: Large abstract topics like Career or Health do not usually have a start or finish date attached and can be marked as no need to set. It is often the case that a topic might be entered, but without knowing the exact details of when to commence or complete – in which case it will need setting at some later point when the times are better known. That something needs setting is regarded as urgent and thus shows up in the Urgent search.
Can Wait: is at some unknown point when you get around to it. This shows up in the Review search.
Urgent: topics are those that need to be done as soon as possible
Key, Clog, Uncertain, Idea, WaitingOn, Recurring: [TBA functionality] these reset the schedule.
Native graph components have some standard properties: Status, Schedule.
enumeration in the code.These status types are used in searches, for example, to indicate which items are urgent or scheduled for action.
- Unset: the default status for any new node.
- NoNeedToSet: no further assessment or scheduling is needed
- NeedsSetting: further assessment or more specific time scheduling is needed
- Complete: no further action is needed; sets actual finish date.
- Abandoned: no further action is needed; sets actual finish date.
- WIP: the action has been started (actual start date is set) but is not complete.
- Paused: this action has been interrupted but can be returned to at a later point.
- Urgent: the most pressing items that should be addressed immediately.
- Clog: the failure of an action preventing some other action; need addressing.
- CanWait: these are the “get around to it” items for when the more pressing items are satisfied.
- Scheduled1: the action is scheduled for some future date.
- Scheduled2: today is within the specified actionable window.
- Scheduled3: the action is late.
- WaitingOn1: [not used]
- WaitingOn2: for some action depending on correspondence or action of others, expecting a reply but there is still reasonable time left
- WaitingOn3: the expected reply is late and needs chasing up.
- Recurring: something to be done periodically
- Uncertain: in need of reevaluation
- Ongoing: like learning to master a musical instrument (rather than being on a course) there is no real finishing point.
- Other
Using and changing statuses judiciously is an important part of the SALTT strategy. They often occur in chains and status changes happen when some action is taken, or something critical crops up. For example a newly entered topic might go:
Unset -> NeedsSetting -> Scheduled1 -> Scheduled2 -> WIP -> Paused -> WIP -> Complete.
Some of these status types will change the schedule and some changes to the schedule will automatically set status types. [eg] the complete status and actual finish date are co-dependent.
The SALTT graph in file StatusTree.xml shows clustering of status types. There are some special clusters that indicate progress: Unset, Status, and Scheduled.
Unset (includes NoNeedToSet and NeedsSetting)
The Unset status is the default for a newly added node. It means that a topic has been entered into the system but no assessment has been done and a bit of thought needs to be given to how it will play out. As it could be that the task is urgent, then the unset status has a relatively high priority and should be assessed as soon as possible – unset tasks can be found using search. Upon this assessment, then it could be that its schedule or status can be determined easily. On the other hand it might be a complex action or series of actions that will require more detailed analysis at some future time and is marked NeedsSetting. It might be, however, that it simply does not need setting and is marked NoNeedToSet.
Scheduled
Scheduling is a project management feature. It provides a time-window within which a task is allocated. The status types Scheduled 1, 2, 3 respectively indicate that the task does not need starting yet, that the task is within the designated action window, or that the task is late. These can be set manually, or made automatic by using the DatePickers in the Schedule Editor inspector.
WaitingOn
The Waiting On status cluster is where one’s actions are dependent on the actions of another. A common case is that of correspondence. WaitingOn2 means there is still reasonable time for the other to reply. WaitingOn3 means timed-out; no reply has been received within a reasonable time and needs chasing up – the ball is in your court and you should schedule that you are to remind them, or other action. [WaitingOn1 is reserved for future development]. This is also set in the Schedule Editor.
Schedule
These are done according to date and can be changed in the DatePickers.
- Entry: the date the node was added to the graph. Automatically filled.
- TShirtSize: this is an agile term used as a subjective measure of an action’s size, complexity, and time-frame. This can be used but is not well implemented yet.
- Earliest and Latest start and finish dates: This can be used but is not well implemented yet.
- Expected start and finish dates: these relate to scheduling statuses
- Actual start and finish dates: these relate to WIP and complete statuses.
The update button is a workaround for a bug in updating the system.
Status
Is the current condition that a topic is in: work in progress, complete etc.. There are a number of predefined status types and are more relevant to nodes (although edges may have them assigned). The status names here come from the underlying
