What are the basic principles, when working with a Zettelkasten? Here’s my answer structured to support a simple process:
Three Management Principles
Start with clear goals
Determine what you want to achieve with your Zettelkasten and use this to guide your note-taking and organization.
Inspect and adapt process
Continually evaluate and refine the organization and use of your Zettelkasten in order to maximize its effectiveness and efficiency.
Simplify Zettelkasten
Apply the rules of simplicity to improve and ensure the usability and effectiveness of your Zettelkasten so that it meets your needs and provides a positive knowledge management and note-taking experience.
Six Core Principles
Make good notes
Write exactly one note for each idea and write as if you were writing for someone else.
Use templates
Consistently use a consistent format for your notes to make them easy to read and navigate.
Link notes
Link related notes together to create a web of interconnected ideas.
Use tags
Use tags to categorize and organize your notes and make it easier to find related information.
Search and retrieve notes
Test the efficiency of your Zettelkasten by searching for specific information. If you can quickly locate what you need, your system is effective.
Review and revise notes
Regularly review and revise your notes to ensure they are up to date and accurate.
Instead of mindlessly copying and pasting, Zettelkasten emphasizes “Writing over Copying.” Approach your notes with a purpose. Start with a clear goal (Point 1). It’s like crafting your own story rather than retelling someone else’s.
2. Flexibility over Structure:
Imagine your knowledge system as a playground, not a prison. Zettelkasten encourages “Flexibility over Structure.” It’s about adapting and growing. Think of it as your personal garden of ideas, where you “Inspect and adapt the process” (Point 8) and “Keep up to date” (Point 9) like tending to your plants.
3. Tags over Folders:
Forget about folders and embrace the concept of “Tags over Folders.” Zettelkasten invites you to label and organize your notes using tags, just like tagging your favorite photos on social media. This makes finding and connecting ideas a breeze.
4. Learning over Knowing:
Knowledge isn’t about what you know but how you learn. “Learning over Knowing” is at the heart of Zettelkasten. It encourages active engagement with your knowledge. It’s like the difference between reading a book and discussing it with friends. Embrace this principle, and you’ll find your knowledge growing organically.
Networked Mindset:
Zettelkasten isn’t just about you and your notes; it’s about connecting with a broader community. Think of it as joining a club where “Open-mindedness,” “Collaboration,” and “Connectedness” are the rules. This networked mindset is like discovering new friends who share your interests.
Have Fun:
Amidst all the knowledge management, don’t forget to have fun (Point 12). Zettelkasten can be a joyful journey of exploration. Think of it as a treasure hunt for your own ideas.
The Zettelkasten metro map is a system of symbols, colors, icons, architectural challenges, cooperative spaces, and crowds of Zettelkasten city residents. Together, they’ve formed an increasingly vital way of understanding the city as a whole.
The city is divided into metro stations, and for those of us who use public transportation, it’s a shared experience.
The Zettelkasten metro system makes the entire city more accessible. You can find out more about the individual metro lines below:
The Zettelkasten metro is the pride of the city. It is always changing, thriving, growing and evolving into something new.
References
[1] Ahrens, Sönke. How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking, 2022.
[2] “Tennessine. A Collection of Projects for the Web.” Accessed October 18, 2023. https://tennessine.co.uk/
The seven deadly sins someone should be aware of when using a Zettelkasten [1] are:
Copying without comprehension
Copying information into the Zettelkasten without truly understanding or internalizing the content, hindering genuine knowledge growth.
Association without relevance
Creating connections between notes that lack meaningful relationships or relevance to your work.
Tagging without organization
Using tags excessively or inconsistently, leading to a chaotic and unstructured Zettelkasten.
Reference without understanding
Linking to external sources without fully comprehending or integrating the knowledge into your Zettelkasten.
Expansion without reflection
Adding new notes without taking the time to reflect on their implications or connections to existing knowledge.
Quantity without quality
Focusing on creating a large number of notes without ensuring the quality of content and meaningful connections.
Tool obsession without practice
Constantly switching or obsessing over Zettelkasten tools without dedicating time to actual note-taking and knowledge building.
What are your favorite sins? Which ones are missing?
References
[1] Ahrens, Sönke. How to Take Smart Notes: One Simple Technique to Boost Writing, Learning and Thinking, 2022.
Figure: Zettelkasten Use Case Diagram with PlantUML
You may use many lines of text to describe your principles for using Zettelkasten. With PlantUML [1] [2] it is easy to draw beautiful UML diagrams [3] to do the same job.
Here is my first draft to show some of the “12 Zettelkasten Principles” [4]. I’ve also integrated the already mentioned “ARCO Framework” [5], which helps to create some useful views on your notes.
References
[1] PlantUML. “Open-Source Tool That Uses Simple Textual Descriptions to Draw Beautiful UML Diagrams.” PlantUML.com.
[2] Theiner, Johannes. “Joethei/Obsidian-Plantuml.” GitHub - Generate PlantUML Diagrams inside Obsidian.md.
[3] Booch, Grady, James Rumbaugh, and Ivar Jacobson. The Unified Modeling Language User Guide. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley, 2005.
[4] Obsidian Forum. 12 Principles For Using Zettelkasten
[5] Obsidian Forum. ARCO Framework
Copying without comprehension
Association without relevance
Tagging without organization
Reference without understanding
Expansion without reflection
Quantity without quality
Tool obsession without practice
