17 Ways to Collect and Organize Creative Thoughts
I like this post on 17 Ways to Collect and Organize Ideas. It started as 15 Ways from http://learningnerd.wordpress.com/ but it’s growing.
I’d like to add my own capture tools:
1. My favorite is my Treo 700p, which has a Voice Memo feature. I’ve programmed my buttons to activate it by pressing and holding the side button. I can be driving down the road, get a great idea, and record a voice note to myself while keeping my eyes on the road. When I’m safely parked and back in my office, I can replay all my "notes" to myself. I write action items to be done today on a daily to-do list and items I might want to do someday on a master to do list. Or you could use Tasks in Outlook.
2. I use a Levenger SwiftNotes Pad Holder http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=322-323|PageID=2287|Level=2-3|Link=PI|special=search|ID=SearchClicked|i=4 that comes with a mini retractable ballpoint pen to quickly capture notes if I’m able to write (not in the car). Small size allows me to keep it in my purse, so I have something to write on when I’m not carrying my planner (or think of the next great book idea while in the grocery store).
3. If the information/idea comes in electronic format, I’ve created a simple Microsoft Access database to track it: Fields: Publication, Title, Date, Page, Issue, Author, Keywords, and Abstract. I type ideas into the text area of the abstract and use keywords to describe the entry. Then I can conduct searches of my data by keyword or text.
4. If the idea is in paper format I’ve torn out of a magazine or newspaper, I use yellow file folders to organize the ideas and keep them in a step file off to the side of my desk area. My current Idea files are labeled: Book, Business Issues, Consulting, Marketing, Presentations, Product, Publicity, Technology/Equipment, Vendors, and Website.
How do you collect and organize your ideas?
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As a visually oriented person, I use PowerPoint. I was inspired by Tom Peters to do this. Slides labeled in large print separate the different sections. I can put pictures, linked sites, scanned articles, and just about anything else in PowerPoint. It is easily scanned by using the slide sorter function.