Lifehack - Backlog, doing, done

Discussion in 'The Veterans' Lounge' started by IblisTheMage, Oct 1, 2021.

  1. IblisTheMage Augur

    I learned something regarding task management in my professional life that I now use for everything. IT people will most likely know this.

    Basically, it is a (virtual) whiteboard, with (minimum) 3 headings: backlog, doing, done.

    Under backlog I write things I would like to do, in doing I write (drumroll) things I am working on, and done is self explanatory.

    The idea is to have as few as possible in doing, while still moving items from backlog to done, thus focusing on a few tasks at a time.

    This is perfect for me for EQ, and it gives a good feeling to see the done list grow.

    In praxis, I use Trello (free app, both web and smarphone), I have a board for different areas (EQ, home, work, biohacking, learning), and I have more columns: backlog, prioritized blocked, doing, done. (For work stuff I only use it for stuff that I need to do besides actual shared project management, which for example can be handled in Jira). Trello supports drag-and-drop of the cards, making it fast to keep updated.

    It is for me a really easy way to have a good todo-list with minimum overhead, that can aid in getting ideas captured, prioritized, executed, and give the mental reward of seing things progress on the done-column :)
  2. Tucoh Augur

    My todo list in EQ is really useful but man that back log isn't ever happening :D
  3. jeskola pheerie

  4. Stymie Pendragon

    They tried to incorporate Kanban where I work for a couple of years, but it didn't work as well as they hoped. I haven't seen or heard that word in a long time. :)
    IblisTheMage likes this.
  5. IblisTheMage Augur

    si :)
  6. Schadenfreude Augur

    Many years ago a poster on one of the Ranger boards had a simple web page in his signature with his characters and what his plans for them were. He was on a normal trade rules server so quite often the progression was glacially slow but interesting nevertheless.

    I've tried to keep notes but I mostly just have a big shopping list of items in my head, the last one I mentally ticked off was Burning Neckguard of the Titan x 2.
    Wdor and Skuz like this.
  7. Elyssanda Bardbrain

    I use notebooks.. old school college ruled spiral bound..
    Wdor, Aanuvane, Metanis and 1 other person like this.
  8. demi Augur

    have you tried the new Rocketbook ? its like a notebook with special pens to write on it and each page has a scan bar that you can set up thru an app and a cloud service .. you write what you want ie shopping list or todo list or diary .. then upload the pages via email or pdf to your cloud then just wipe the pages clean with alittle damp cloth .. and start over :p

    Save a Tree.. use less paper..
  9. Shredd Augur

    Before I retired , I had limited playing time, so between raids, I would map out what I wanted to do in the game and set up with friends what we were doing for the few hours we had. We still do this.
  10. Svann2 The Magnificent

    I sometimes track things I want in excel. When I get the item I yellow it out.
    jeskola likes this.
  11. Skrab East Cabilis #1 Realtor

    I’ve always treated EQ like a DnD session just how my character naturally plays within the world. It’s not ideal for post PoP EQ, because the game is just so heavily focused on power gains.

    Games like DoS 1/2, Elder Scrolls, FF, Baldur’s Gate, Etc take me forever to complete. If DPG reads this thread, please let Latina Studios have a chance to make a EQ game.
  12. bobokatt Augur

    I really do admire you guys who can actually and properly implement and do task management with the help of apps, white boards etc., for work, life and even EQ!

    At least for EQ all I need is ALT Q. What's on there, will I ever do this... do I feel like it...

    Kanban, morning "stand-ups", virtual "stand-ups", ticketing systems, and task updates, organizational apps -- all these things I HATE and have to use/do multiple times a week for work.

    I get to hear the same 15 people say the same thing over and over again on working on their "tasks” that for some reason, NEVER get closed. I love the terminology used: "I have gone down the rabbit hole", "still spinning on this one", "I've definitely learned a lot", "and I think I am getting close" and so many more. All of these simply mean I have done SQUAT.

    All my organization but mostly planning is done using Excel. Just the way my little brain works.

    We got white boards for everyone in our offices and people instantly filled those up with work stuff and garbage that made it look impressive -- think Big Bang Theory with Sheldon's formulas everywhere.
    I swear since we implemented this, we did not get MORE productive... just made management think people have lots on their plate. I just drew a dog on mine and then weeks later someone wrote "you suck" on it. Still there.

    Wdor, IblisTheMage, Duder and 2 others like this.
  13. Elyssanda Bardbrain

    I tried it a few times, Got a pack with 1 big and 3 small.. and.. it annoyed me.. so nope.. gone. good idea, implementation just wasn't for me.

    I also write in cursive, so that might be part of the problem.
  14. Froglok Augur

    My "Back Log" is either under /Notes (in-game command) and / or as links in my Browser grouped in an EQ Folder.

    My "Doing" is the in-game Quest Journal and Achievements Window.

    My "Done" is also the Achievements Window and to some extent, Quest Journal, as well a deleting the link in my Browser, since it's done.
    IblisTheMage likes this.
  15. Gnomereaper Augur

    Achievement system itself.

    I look at the mission that must be accomplished, then analyze through EQResources.com (The Premiere Everquest Website for Your Everquesting Needs). For tradeskills there's also Eqtraders.com (Hi Ngreth), one of the elite Everquest websites for tradeskills. Then there's also https://www.townshiprebellion.com/tradeskills-home, Adetia's EQ Tradeskills from Adetia whose the guild leader of Township Rebellion.

    So there's a bit more integration on trying to complete this game.
    Wdor likes this.
  16. Accipiter Old Timer


    I'm starting a new job in a couple of weeks. I'll be moving from Agile to Kanban, at least for some of the teams. Should be interesting.
  17. Accipiter Old Timer


    Apparently you work for a really crappy development organization. Those people wouldn't last long on my team. No software development methodology will work without leadership from the top. Those people have no leadership.
    IblisTheMage likes this.
  18. IblisTheMage Augur

    Any proces or tool sucks if misused. Parts of my organization does “pseudo agile”, fake corporate theater with no competences in the team.

    Other teams are working really well, and like that kanban can remove a lot of proces staging.

    Kanban is a bit older than modern IT though, it is part of the original Toyota model, I think. So 50ies or 60ies?
    Accipiter likes this.
  19. minimind The Village Idiot

    I've seen this proposed in my workplace and it works well for people relatively few pipelines to their desk creating new work. For the rest of use, we use
    • Back burner - Want to do it, but too low of priority
    • Front burner - Actively working on when able
    • On Fire - Unplanned work with extreme priority
    • Done - Done (until it requires a next iteration)
    Winnowyl and IblisTheMage like this.
  20. Accipiter Old Timer


    That and Lean, yes. Lean never really caught on as a software development methodology of its own (my opinion).