The problems with Tasks for non-Evernote customers

[vladcampos 343]

Thank you so much for bringing this feature, but I did some tests, and, to be honest, it's not what I was expecting. And it may end up creating a lot of friction. At least based on the tests I did here, each assigned task will have its page, even if they are all for the same person (email address). 

The main problems I can easily foresee are:

• Non-Evernote customers will quickly lose the ability to track their tasks because they are spread all around.
• Task notification emails will quickly become annoying and inefficient. And they will probably be ignored at some point.

Of course, if the person becomes a customer it's all solved, but it's not always the case. In my opinion, each email address should have a single page with all the assigned tasks. 

[Jack Lynch 282]

Thanks for the feedback @vladcampos! I agree with you. This feature is not equivalent to a whole separate Evernote-like experience where non-Evernote users can manage large numbers of tasks assigned to them. The idea is to give non-Evernote users a way to interact with a task assigned to them at a basic level without having to sign up for Evernote. I think in the future you'll see us add a reference to how many other tasks are assigned to them, so they have more of a sense for whether they should sign up for Evernote as a way to manage those tasks in a more sophisticated way.

[PinkElephant 5,157]

The "send task to person without account" is OK for the occasional task, not for a sequence of them. I agree that overview indeed gets lost quickly when it is only based on a mail inbox - or at least it depends on the recipients ability to organize it.

My simple solution for a more extensive collaboration would be: Bring the people who receive a share more often into EN, a Free account will do.

Then you can setup shared notebooks, for example for a project, and bundle everything there, including the notes carrying the tasks for that project.

Building another "layer" below this will IMHO just end up in duplicating a free accounts features, just without the account.

[vladcampos 343]

Hey @Jack Lynch, to add to the debate. I do agree with the point brought by @PinkElephant . If we are talking about two or more people collaborating on a project, using Evernote, even if the free version, is the best option.

I'm an Evernote evangelist and try to sell the idea of using it to everyone I know, especially my clients. But I'm talking about light use. Let's say 5 or 6 tasks per week or month. There are several situations where I can see this happening.

For example, I'm right now with a client that is an executive of a company, and I'm helping him use Evernote to manage his life and work. He loves Tasks, but there are several situations on his workflow that he would benefit from assigning a couple of tasks to some people that work with him and don't use Evernote.

These are all very simple tasks, and it's not enough to ask someone to install Evernote, especially because Evernote is not a task management software. 

Let's imagine two situations. 

• A person like the one I described above dealing with assigned tasks spread all around will not find it an efficient solution and will complain.
• Now let's shift to the same person dealing with the same page we have today, but with all the tasks there. It will be a pleasant experience, and she or he will consider trying Evernote.