I have been using Swift To-Do List (STDL) daily for 14 months—it has become and continues to be absolutely indispensable in my efforts to overcome the “chaos of the surging, heaving universe”.

I am unable to answer the question “Does God play dice with the universe?” but at least operationally, here on earth, STDL is the tool that gives me the ability to be Master of My Own Universe—the feeling of competency that STDL engenders is simply priceless.

I had previously utilised Zoho, the popular web-based, subscription project management software for 3 years. We both grew together, I in learning its effective use, along with its far faster development, major redesign(s), & its early-but-eventually-sorted-out problems with support, which then often could take up to 3 weeks to get an answer to a query.

However, it got to a point where it technically no longer suited my simple requirements:

I had become a bit like the child who has a pair of shoes that is perhaps just a bit too large. There was no longer a good fit between me and the software.

Armed with the knowledge gained from Zoho, my extensive research enabled me to whittle the shortlist to two, Swift and another popular task management software. Not yet into the world of mobile computing, I was seeking software which was definitely neither web-nor subscription-based, and had good support. And, as time has indicated to me, for the newbie product user the relationship with the developer is crucial, and can even be the deciding factor whether one purchases or continues use of the product or not. Questions of his responsiveness, willingness, degree of openness to suggestion or request, and the oft-neglected consideration of his degree of patience for initial newbie handholding, stumbles & mistakes while striving to learn—the “chemistry” – can not be underestimated. Both STDL and its developer Jiri Novotny have come through with flying colours on all points.

As an independent operator, my requirements are that my task management tool be simple, easy-to-use, provide flexibility for increased or increasing complexity if & when needed—STDL has this in bucket loads.

It allows those who wish to work with the creation of simple lists to fairly complex project management requiring collaboration & greater precision by use of task attributes and the filters. I work somewhere in between.

One feature that I particularly liked about Zoho was its calendar design, while in some ways a little cumbersome, its smallness, flexibility, and its functionality I thought pretty good. To compensate for Swift’s absence of calendar, I utilised – incorrectly – the Find Tasks window to enable me to work across to-do lists and especially across tasks. Yet I had no way to minimise the window, enabling me to readily move to other software & return to the desired to-do list and task–I then made do with judicious use of the filters to assist me.

The result of my long-awaited introduction of the Swift To-Do List calendar feature is joy—it too is small and unobtrusive . It also employs the core functions of the filters through the Find Tasks window–today, tomorrow, as well as essential column actions such as start date, due date, completion, creation, changes dates. Very importantly it can also be minimised, allowing ready movement to other software & return to the desired to-do list and task. This now makes task retrieval and my life much easier. I “reside” daily at the open calendar window, but should this now be not enough, I have found Find Tasks search to be a very good supplement.

Another of Swift’s “small footprint” features that I like is the task-independent memo. While the calendar enables me to see across to-do lists and tasks, giving me the broad picture, the task-independent memo, only a single click away, enables me to “pull together” those tasks which are spread among numerous to-do lists but collectively are components of a project or theme.

The screenshot shows a memo:

There is a lot of software within the task management ‘space’ or market, and I am sure even more since I selected STDL. There are many variables to consider carefully, as I did. I would very highly recommend that you give Swift To Do List a test run — I am sure that like me, you’ll find much that will satisfy.

~ Elius Levin

Related Posts:

• Swift To-Do List Review by Darryl Benjamin
• Swift To-Do List case study by Bob McClellan, IT manager
• Swift To-Do List Review and case study by Sherri Willson
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chuck Gallozzi
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chris
• Swift To-Do List 10 with scheduling calendar released!

Swift To-Do List Review by Elius Levin is a post from: Swift To-Do List Blog

Introduction

I remember making my first list when I was about eight years old. The list was in my head, and I constructed it with large roman numerals. The road into adulthood and career led to a constant search for the best technique. Making the jump from typewriter to computer was helpful, but stray items written on odd-shaped scraps of paper continued to multiply like rabbits. Over a number of years I tried over a dozen software packages from Outlook to DynoDex, from DayRunner to Day Timer. They all seemed to do one thing very well, but none of them could do everything.

The following is a quick review of how I was won over by Swift To Do [and how I use it].
-Darryl Benjamin

Searching for the Perfect Task Organizer

PART 1 OF 2: THE BIG PICTURE

There is, of course, no single way to set up an effective task-organization system. Much of your setup is based on personal preference. The following recommendations are driven by a need to get the stuff out of my head into a coherent, flexible form, quickly accessible, and task-oriented. Good software makes our lives are easier to manage.

I discovered Dextronet’s Swift To Do while researching yet-more task-oriented organizational software. There were two words that drew my interest: tree structure.

Tree structure is the convenience of clicking on the arrow to unfold sub-choices. Tasks and Projects alike can be endlessly nested, creating layers of importance and establishing relationships.

Root Level 1

The bottom-most level, or the foundation level, is called the “root level.” Names were chosen by the broadest grouping possible:

You can think of this as the ‘root’ level, since we’re using the tree metaphor. Note that the icon I chose was the number 1, which is large and blue. I liked that it stood out. Swift To Do supplies numbers 0-9. I find the numbers more useful than the picture icons. Nine levels should be enough for most lists.

Next, I created every possible distinctive list I could think of for Level 2:

I found it easy to move tasks around, re-name existing ones, adding and deleting. Delightfully simple and lightning fast and stable.

Note that with each successive level the task-levels grew more specific:

And so on:

To collapse all levels back to the root level:

Hit the “Collapse all tree items” button.

To expand all levels (i.e., to reveal all levels at once):

Hit the “Expand all tree items” button.

This simple system of collapsible and expandable branches allows you to see what you want to see when you need to see it. This helps reduce the overwhelm (read: procrastination) factor. By seeing the big picture it gave me a better idea which task needed my attention next. It’s a more organic approach because it allows you to see a fuller, more holistic picture. In effect, you’ve moved beyond putting out fires.

What about the scraps of paper?

Since I have a number of interests, including travel, reading and movies, I am always getting tips from friends, colleagues and students. A Book of Lists helps me keep track of stuff from the sublime of “Places to Visit” to the everyday of grocery lists:

PART 2 OF 2: A CLOSER LOOK

I wanted to see if the program was friendly to imports from the Web. I visited the NY Time’s list of best books of 2011, figuring, of course, I’ll have time to pick and choose and then maybe even read one or two (it will happen!). At the Times website I clicked on the “print” button of the article, which created a wall-to-wall text image. Then copied all the text and pasted it directly into the “Notes” area in Swift To Do. Then I added color to the word FICTION and highlighted important information:

The Notes feature is indispensible – it quickly enabled me to store relevant information. The proximity to the tree structure and quickness of the refresh made me feel in control, the way a conductor is in control of an orchestra. The conductor can call on any particular instrument or group of instruments to mix and match at will.

I’ve been using Swift To Do for two years now. In that time it’s ushered me painlessly through complex tasks, kept track of vital information, and allowed me to expand my interests. My To Do Lists are exactly where I want them and available instantly when I want them.

This tool is a keeper. It’s the closest I’ve come to a spiritual experience while on the computer.

-Darryl Benjamin

Related Posts:

• Swift To-Do List Review by Elius Levin
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chuck Gallozzi
• Swift To-Do List case study by Bob McClellan, IT manager
• Swift To-Do List Review and case study by Sherri Willson
• Swift To-Do List Review by Chris
• “How I use Swift To-Do List Ultimate” by Bill Polm

Swift To-Do List Review by Darryl Benjamin is a post from: Swift To-Do List Blog