Org-mode in Emacs is a powerhouse for managing projects and teams, providing an all-in-one environment for notes, tasks, scheduling, and even code. Despite the abundance of modern productivity apps, Org-mode remains a steadfast choice for the do-it-yourself crowd.
Its strength lies in flexibility – you can tailor Org-mode to your workflow, create custom agendas, and link any resource (documents, emails, web content) via hyperlinks. This makes it ideal for project management: you aren't forced into a one-size-fits-all structure, and you maintain full control of your data (which lives in plain text).
The Conceptual Framework
Organizing Projects, People, Tasks, and Discussions
At the core of this system are two key elements: projects and people. We organize each element as an Org-roam node (note, or org-file), using links and tags to connect them:
- Projects: Each project is a dedicated Org file representing a single initiative. The file contains an overview, goals, and project-specific TODOs.
- People: Each team member has their own Org-roam note with key details like their role, contact info, and ongoing notes.
- Tasks: TODO headlines in Org-mode, most living within project notes under a "Planning" section.
- Discussions: Meetings and conversations captured as outline entries, either in project notes or person notes.
Scalability
One of the benefits of this framework is that it scales elegantly. Because each project and person is just a note, you can add as many as needed without cluttering any single file. Org-roam's database can handle thousands of notes, and Org-mode's agenda can compile an overview from many files.
By tagging each project file and using a custom agenda command that gathers all notes with that tag, you can generate a project overview rapidly. This approach can shrink agenda generation from 50+ seconds to under 1 second, even with a large number of notes.
Day-to-Day Usage
How does this framework look in daily practice?
- Morning Review: Start the day by opening your Org agenda to see all tasks due or scheduled across projects.
- Updating Project Status: Jump between project notes, mark tasks DONE, and add new TODOs as needed.
- Managing Direct Reports: Use one-on-one meeting notes in person notes, capturing topics discussed and action items.
- Collaborating with Colleagues: Log brief notes about discussions in project notes, linking people and context.
Throughout the day, the combination of Org-mode and Org-roam is like a personal assistant. Org-mode handles what needs to be done and when, while Org-roam provides the who and how context.