mwlodarski 37 Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 I live in Evernote. I use The Secret Weapon methodology to stay on top of my stuff. This brilliant methodology requires some setup. If you look at how people start to use Evernote, they rarely get it from the first time. Usually, they start, put something into it, then leave it. Then come back and suddenly they "get it" and are addicted. I think the major obstacle for new users to get onbard instantly is the flexibility too vague case studies. Evernote's blog is full of "people kiiling it with Evernote" but there is very little actionable advice in it. Recent Michael Hyatt's set up can be useful but that's an exception. What I could save my set up of notebooks, tags and saved searches and share it?Think Google Analytics Custom Segments or Custom Reports. Just the canvas are shared, without data. That way, I could easily set up Evernote for my colleagues or my wife who do not want to invest their time. I think this could be an eye-opener and a an excellent growth tool for Evernote and a huge improvement for users. Who would not like all their friends to use Evernote? Link to comment
Level 5* JMichaelTX 4,117 Posted January 16, 2015 Level 5* Share Posted January 16, 2015 What [if] I could save my set up of notebooks, tags and saved searches and share it?Think Google Analytics Custom Segments or Custom Reports. Just the canvas are shared, without data. That way, I could easily set up Evernote for my colleagues or my wife who do not want to invest their time. I think this could be an eye-opener and a an excellent growth tool for Evernote and a huge improvement for users. Who would not like all their friends to use Evernote? What a great idea! It would be so helpful to both individuals and companies (think EN Business) to be able to quickly startup with an Evernote structure template created by some other user. This could lead to great sharing/selling of Evernote setups by both individuals, Evernote consultants, and 3rd party web sites.Imagine if all of the reviewers/bloggers who promote/share their view/setup of how to use Evernote could provide a download to setup your EN account using their structure! Link to comment
Level 5* gazumped 11,667 Posted January 16, 2015 Level 5* Share Posted January 16, 2015 Could be useful to lots of folks, but many others are highly individual and someone elses predigested structure might be too complex or inapplicable or just plain wrong for some needs. EN Business is the closest example (which in itself still needs work..) - and of course you can share a set of notebooks which come complete with tags... Something more for Evernote to consider... Link to comment
lykoz 147 Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Almost like a template to get some users started...Like an installation template... that may be shared... however for private file organisation?Yes its a good idea... But I am still not buying it. Only problem is I am kind of a believer that Evernote is systemic with originality, in how you organise your work...You get ideas here and there... But ultimately you figure out a system that works for you in your own head... And thats part of the reason people love Evernote so much... There is a touch of self-accomplishment.. Furthermore there is a touch of: I know how everything works because I set up everything myself... I would not recommend a specific template, based on somebody else's Organisation methods... I have seen very efficient organisational methods before online... But I prefer my method... Not because its better... But because it makes more sense to me for my specific application... To me, my personal organisation method is better than anything else I have seen, when considering my personal needs. The concept sets up new users for failure. Somewhere I think it kills the ethos of Evernote.... It can also cause confusion... We share... shared files... Not private notebooks names/org. structure... So I think setting up a new user like this is not a good idea...I mean when I introduce a new user to Evernote... Many times its to collaborate with them... So if I send him an itemised notebook list... It will confuse him, when I want to send my shared notebooks... I prefer he have a clean slate... So he can better use and understand the one or two notebooks I initially share with them. They can see a template idea... But to change the 'starting point' can be confusing for most people... I do however believe in the Idea of SHARING STACKS!!!! Especially for bussiness Users. Telling people how to organise their personal, non-shared files... Eh still not buying it... Also didn't mention sharing tags.... Because that is a completely bad idea... My tags in each notebook in my system of organisation, are specific to that notebooks theme... And depends on the type of information I am sharing...You cant itemise.. Or generically find a 1 size fits all personal organisation method for completely different sets of information.... You can only do that with shared notebooks/information... Link to comment
Analyst444 182 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I think it is a good idea, too. Rather than letting this good idea die on the vine, I've proposed a specific structure and some contents for a first-timers Evernote database template. Details below. It includes:Proposed Notebooks and StacksProposed TagsProposed ShortcutsMy thought is not to try to develop something are works for everyone, but merely design (and provide) a structure that will give people something to get them started, that is more than a blank slate. No doubt, I haven't cornered the market on all the good ideas as to what this thing should look like. So, I challenge those of you who think this is a worthy idea to propose changes to the structure I laid out below. We'll see if we can get it to go anywhere. One thing I don't have a good idea about is how to get it delivered to an Evernote first-timer. As you all know, we can share a Note or a Notebook with the public, but how could we share an entire Evernote database? Below, you will find things like Aaaaaaaaa, Ddddddddd, NameOfPerson1, NameOfLocation3. I've used these as placesholders. Notes in the "Instructions" Notebook would explain to the first-timers how to "rename" those objects to something that is meaningful to them. --------------------------------------------------------------- Proposed Notebooks and Stacks (each row is a Notebook or a stack that contains Notes)EvernoteInstructionsHow to Use This first-timers Evernote database template)How to Use EvernoteSearch OperatorsUnFiled (This would be the default Notebook)PersonalAaaaaaaaaaaBbbbbbbbbbCccccccccccWorkDddddddddEeeeeeeeeeFfffffffffffffffSchoolGgggggggggHhhhhhhhhhIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiReference MaterialTemplates Proposed Tags.WhoP-NameOfPerson1P-NameOfPerson2P-NameOfPerson3.WhatT-NameOfTopic1T-NameOfTopic2T-NameOfTopic3.When1-Now2-Today3-Waiting4-Soon5-Someday9-Done.WhereL-NameOfLocation1L-NameOfLocation2L-NameOfLocation3 Proposed ShortcutsNotesCreatedOrUpdatedToday Link to comment
lykoz 147 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I think it is a good idea, too. Rather than letting this good idea die on the vine, I've proposed a specific structure and some contents for a first-timers Evernote database template. Details below. It includes:Proposed Notebooks and StacksProposed TagsProposed ShortcutsMy thought is not to try to develop something are works for everyone, but merely design (and provide) a structure that will give people something to get them started, that is more than a blank slate. No doubt, I haven't cornered the market on all the good ideas as to what this thing should look like. So, I challenge those of you who think this is a worthy idea to propose changes to the structure I laid out below. We'll see if we can get it to go anywhere. One thing I don't have a good idea about is how to get it delivered to an Evernote first-timer. As you all know, we can share a Note or a Notebook with the public, but how could we share an entire Evernote database? Below, you will find things like Aaaaaaaaa, Ddddddddd, NameOfPerson1, NameOfLocation3. I've used these as placesholders. Notes in the "Instructions" Notebook would explain to the first-timers how to "rename" those objects to something that is meaningful to them. --------------------------------------------------------------- Proposed Notebooks and Stacks (each row is a Notebook or a stack that contains Notes)EvernoteInstructionsHow to Use This first-timers Evernote database template)How to Use EvernoteSearch OperatorsUnFiled (This would be the default Notebook)PersonalAaaaaaaaaaaBbbbbbbbbbCccccccccccWorkDddddddddEeeeeeeeeeFfffffffffffffffSchoolGgggggggggHhhhhhhhhhIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiReference MaterialTemplates Proposed Tags.WhoP-NameOfPerson1P-NameOfPerson2P-NameOfPerson3.WhatT-NameOfTopic1T-NameOfTopic2T-NameOfTopic3.When1-Now2-Today3-Waiting4-Soon5-Someday9-Done.WhereL-NameOfLocation1L-NameOfLocation2L-NameOfLocation3 Proposed ShortcutsNotesCreatedOrUpdatedToday You see that is the problem I am talking about... The way I use Evernote personally, and the information I organise... That structure would be useless to me...My system personally is completely different.. Not to mention, I might use different systems for different types of information.. (although I have a general personal structure I stick to) Your system is great... And very nice... But by creating and sending or sharing your template on a new user as an engrained set-up tool, you limit how their creativity and how they can receive maximum benefit for the information they need to catalogue... Don't get me wrong... What you did there adds A LOT of VALUE! Especially for a new user reading your suggestions...The web is full of these "game-plans"... But I still think the new user needs to set-up that process for his private notes alone... And from the bottom up... Reading ideas and suggestions will help...But sharing somebody else's 'existing template' and somebody immediately implementing it as a starting point will confuse more than help... The set-up you proposed will not fit with most peoples cataloguing of their own unique personal information. No generic template ever will... The nice thing about evernote... Is when you first give it a chance... You are not using it extensively... As your information starts accumulating, you find more creative ideas... But those ideas have to be a fit for your personal information... I would love for you to start a new thread for Organisational Ideas...This thread is talking about sharing a 'template' of sorts, that automatically sets up the notebooks/tags/etc. Link to comment
Wordsgood 526 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 I live in Evernote. I use The Secret Weapon methodology to stay on top of my stuff. This brilliant methodology requires some setup.If you look at how people start to use Evernote, they rarely get it from the first time. Usually, they start, put something into it, then leave it. Then come back and suddenly they "get it" and are addicted.I think the major obstacle for new users to get onbard instantly is the flexibility too vague case studies. Evernote's blog is full of "people kiiling it with Evernote" but there is very little actionable advice in it. Recent Michael Hyatt can be useful but that's an exception.What I could save my set up of notebooks, tags and saved searches and share it?Think Google Analytics Custom Segments or Custom Reports. Just the canvas are shared, without data.That way, I could easily set up Evernote for my colleagues or my wife who do not want to invest their time.I think this could be an eye-opener and a an excellent growth tool for Evernote and a huge improvement for users. Who would not like all their friends to use Evernote?WARNING: The following is a long read, but I've edited it down as far as I felt I could while still being clear about what I wanted to say. Hope y'all give it a read anyway! Especially the Evernote Staff...I like the concept, but in my personal opinion, having a Pinned & locked thread here on the Forum - and maybe a revised copy in an article format that is posted as one of the first thing people see when they click on the Evernote.com site - with screenshots and text showing concrete examples of several of popular organizational methods used by actual customers - might be more useful to all new users. I say this because I've noticed the majority of users do one or more of the following:▶ They come to the forum wanting to what Evernote can do for them in their personal and or business lives, but either don't know how or where, or just can't be bothered, to Search the Forum and/or read through the many threads where examples and detailed explanations have been provided by many of us. Repeatedly.Part of that, I'm sure, is the sheer quantity of posts in the most helpful threads. And the examples are interspersed with posts not necessarily relevent from a *brand new* user's point if view, in relation to their specific questions at that moment in time.▶ They don't generally know about the EN Knowledge Base - or how to navigate it once the do know - nor do they know about the existence of the EN Blog. On that note, navigating the blog and the Evernote company site are still cumbersome from a user's point of view. Especially for new users, and potential new users, seeking information about Evernote.I think the company's site Homepage needs to be redone and in a clear, uncluttered way, with named and clickable links to:* The Products Page(s)* The Price Plans Page(s)* A list of Support Options with named & clickable links to the Support Options available to Free, Premium and Business users. It should be clear to even the greenest and least tech savvy consumer, that by clicking on either Free Support, Premium Support or Business Support, it would take them to a page outlining what Support Options are available to them under that plan. OR it could expand into a drop-down list. Either way, lists or pages, the Support Options for each should include both an explanatory blurb, and clickable links for Option. i.e.:Free Plan* Here would be a blurb explaining that Tech Support is available to Free Users only in certain circumstances, with an explanation of exactly what that means. This blurb would also briefly explain the Evernote Knowledge Base and User Forum, including how to navigate and use them.* Link to the Evernote Knowledge Base homepage here* Link to the User Forum's homepage hereAs for the EN Blog, which should also be clearly named and linked to on the company site's Homepage, I also think it would help if it were organized more like a regular blog... With a Menu from which one could click on, say, specific Topics, archived by month and year (except for static pages). For example, say a potential user, or a brand new user, wants to read any EN blog posts discussing the latest features that have come out (or will soon), on specific Clients, they would see something like below. (Keep in mind that I'm typing this on my phone so can't do a very good mock-up, and I'm making up content.):New Features!Android: January 2015* Coming Soon - Scannable for Android!▶ Also, I've noticed that it rarely seems to occur to many new users, to try Googling their questions they have. Or, if they do think of it, they don't know enough about Evernote or Cloud products and services, to frame their Search Queries to to get the best Google results. Same goes for searching YouTube.I'm speaking from my own personal experience here. But I had (and still have, much to my dismay Link to comment
mwlodarski 37 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Could be useful to lots of folks, but many others are highly individual and someone elses predigested structure might be too complex or inapplicable or just plain wrong for some needs. EN Business is the closest example (which in itself still needs work..) - and of course you can share a set of notebooks which come complete with tags... Something more for Evernote to consider... Wow! So if I create a special To-Be-Shared-Notebook and insert notes with all tags I want to share into it, will the new person get this notebook? What if I stop sharing the notebook with them? Will they lose the tags? Link to comment
Level 5* gazumped 11,667 Posted January 25, 2015 Level 5* Share Posted January 25, 2015 Bear in mind the quote there was about EN Business - shared notebooks in the business client (and, come to that, any others) are independent of tags, but in ENB you can easily include or exclude an individual colleague from a notebook but while they will continue to have access to the tags, any notes will be gone. If someone leaves the business they also lose access to the content (although it's possible to move or copy notes into their personal account, to which they'd remain connected.) Business is kind've a development of your idea - the Administrator is able to set up the design and basic content of a notebook library, including tags; others can come along and just use it. Link to comment
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