1/ There's a close parallel between the evolution of productivity software today and auto manufacturing in post-war years
I estimate that we're now at the equivalent of about 1955
I estimate that we're now at the equivalent of about 1955
2/ In the early years of mass auto manufacturing, making cars was a craftsman's pursuit. The same person or small workshop made everything from the steel chassis to the leather on the steering wheel. Everything was bespoke, made to order, and made at the same location
3/ Slowly, the production process became modularized and streamlined. Discrete stages were defined, specialists were trained, and different companies began to produce only one stage or part as production volume skyrocketed
4/ This set the stage for a global supply chain where automakers no longer directly produce most parts. They outsource and manage suppliers and contractors who specialize in very specific kinds of parts (i.e. just the window glass, or pistons, or fender plastic)
5/ We've now been using computers to be productive for about 30 years. It's all been about craftsmanship – making your own custom software, designing bespoke workflows (like GTD), and one company trying to "solve" the entire workflow end to end (one app to rule them all)
6/ We're at peak craftsmanship. Our productivity workflows have become too complex/sophisticated for one app to do it all, so it's fragmenting into little pieces with each company specializing in one stage. Average knowledge worker now uses many apps to be productive
7/ This fragmentation feels frustrating & overwhelming, because there's so many apps to choose from, learn, and master. But it's actually a good thing! It shows that productivity software is growing up, becoming modularized, streamlined, and specialized
8/ There will still be integrated solutions for 1) beginners 2) niches 3) new technologies, just as we have integrated solutions in cars (Tesla) and consumer electronics (Apple)
9/ But increasingly, there will be a cornucopia of productivity tools, each one specializing in one kind of thinking, working, collaborating, or creating. Each little stage of the creative process from ideation to publishing will have multiple competitors, to our benefit
10/ We'll increasingly have marketplaces to compare them on equal terms (App stores), integration tools to make them work together (Zapier), training programs (online courses), and methodologies/frameworks to provide an overarching frame of reference for how they work together
11/ I'm excited by the potential for modular solutions (build-your-own app like Notion), integration points (like sending all data to Airtable to visualize and analyze), by newly profitable niches (drawing-centric apps on tablets), and most of all, new frameworks
12/ The productivity frameworks of the craftsmanship era are shockingly immature. They focus on motivational soundbites, overly simplistic slogans, and rigid rules. All signs of an early stage idea network
13/ GTD was the first hint at the next generation – a modular yet highly customizable process for assembling your own workflow out of pre-existing pieces, without requiring any individual piece. It's on sale today! amazon.com/Getting-Things…
